fr. Christophe N. Chiza sx
Sunday, May 28, 2023. Solemnity of Pentecost.
On these Fifty days after Easter, the Church is inviting us to celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost on which the Christians people relive the apostle’s joyful encounter with the Risen Lord and receive the life-giving breath of the Holy Spirit. The outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles is the fulfillment of the promise made by Jesus. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you always…” John14:16. The promise has become a reality.
Pentecost is a turning point in the history of the nascent and pilgrim Church. It is a very day of in the life of the Church. Through Pentecost we understand that God in Christ through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit has accepted to be the faithful companion in our spiritual and earthly journey. The coming of the Holy Spirit is a manifestation of the presence of God among us.
It is for me a privilege to write down a reflection on this solemnity of Pentecost. Through the readings of this Pentecost Sunday, let us try to be attentive to the wonderful message which is being delivered to us.
“Jesus came and stood among them. He said, ‘Peace be with you’ and, after saying this, He showed them his hands and his side.” Jn 20: 19b-20.
Even though the doors were closed for fear of the Jews, Jesus manifested his presence in the midst of the fearful apostles. This is the certitude that Jesus is always present among us. We should never doubt of his presence in our lives. During the moments of trials and tribulations Jesus seems to be absent but He is always with us. When Jesus appeared to the Apostles his first word is: “Peace be with you”
‘Peace be with you’ is a common Jewish greeting, “Shalom”. In the context of the gospel reading, “the Peace be with you “of the Risen Lord to the disciples is more than a greeting. It is a message of hope and comfort. Jesus insists on Peace and He repeats it several times. Humanity is lacking peace more and more. “Peace be with you” is a message of solace in our troubled World and in special way to the people of the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the people of Syria, Ukraine, Sudan who are experiencing endless nights and days of violence and war. “Peace be with you “is also a message of comfort for those who are experiencing a kind of political, economic crisis and instability (Sierra Leone). The apparition of the Risen Lord to the disciples on the day of Pentecost reminds us that the cross is not a symbol of death but a sign of victory and hope.
“Jesus said to them again: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
Jn 20, 21
The crucified and Risen Jesus gives to the disciples and all the baptized a mission. This mission consists of proclaiming the Risen Jesus and to bring a message of Peace and hope to the entire world. To construct Peace is a part of our mission. The Peace which Jesus gives us is not a truce or a treaty of peace, but a radical change of the spiral of violence and of war into the circle of reconciliation and of brotherhood of the human race. ‘’ As the Father has sent me, so I send you”, through this sending out, Jesus delivered the birth certificate of the Church. It is at Pentecost that the Church was born. It is important to emphasis that “Pentecost is not only the founding event of the Church, but is also the mystery which forever gives life to the Church.” SC. 63b.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” Jn 20: 22
It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can carry out the mission entrusted to us. The Holy Spirit gives us power to do God’s work. The Holy Spirit bestows on us extraordinary strength to do the will of God. Our human nature and body is able to do nothing without the help and the assistance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a precious gift which allows us to belong to Christ. “Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him.” Romans 8,9b.
“Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Jn 20: 23
Jesus gives to his disciples the power to forgive sins. To forgive sins and to bring reconciliation among people are the central point of the mission entrusted to the disciples and to the church. The disciples are to bring forgiveness to those to whom they are sent or they will bind them to their sin. The power of forgiveness in this specific context cannot be associated directly with the sacrament of penance. “This “power” of forgiveness is probably expressed in the bestowing of the Spirit on those who believe as a result of the disciples’ mission and who join the community rather than in a process of dealing with Christians who have committed sins. “ [1]
May this solemnity of Pentecost help us through the power of the Holy Spirit to be agents of peace and of reconciliation in our troubled world and society.
Fr. Christophe N. Chiza.
[1] Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Roland E. Murphy, New Jerome Biblical commentary, Prentice Hall, 1990, p. 984.
Sunday, May 28, 2023. Solemnity of Pentecost.
On these Fifty days after Easter, the Church is inviting us to celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost on which the Christians people relive the apostle’s joyful encounter with the Risen Lord and receive the life-giving breath of the Holy Spirit. The outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles is the fulfillment of the promise made by Jesus. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you always…” John14:16. The promise has become a reality.
Pentecost is a turning point in the history of the nascent and pilgrim Church. It is a very day of in the life of the Church. Through Pentecost we understand that God in Christ through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit has accepted to be the faithful companion in our spiritual and earthly journey. The coming of the Holy Spirit is a manifestation of the presence of God among us.
It is for me a privilege to write down a reflection on this solemnity of Pentecost. Through the readings of this Pentecost Sunday, let us try to be attentive to the wonderful message which is being delivered to us.
“Jesus came and stood among them. He said, ‘Peace be with you’ and, after saying this, He showed them his hands and his side.” Jn 20: 19b-20.
Even though the doors were closed for fear of the Jews, Jesus manifested his presence in the midst of the fearful apostles. This is the certitude that Jesus is always present among us. We should never doubt of his presence in our lives. During the moments of trials and tribulations Jesus seems to be absent but He is always with us. When Jesus appeared to the Apostles his first word is: “Peace be with you”
‘Peace be with you’ is a common Jewish greeting, “Shalom”. In the context of the gospel reading, “the Peace be with you “of the Risen Lord to the disciples is more than a greeting. It is a message of hope and comfort. Jesus insists on Peace and He repeats it several times. Humanity is lacking peace more and more. “Peace be with you” is a message of solace in our troubled World and in special way to the people of the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the people of Syria, Ukraine, Sudan who are experiencing endless nights and days of violence and war. “Peace be with you “is also a message of comfort for those who are experiencing a kind of political, economic crisis and instability (Sierra Leone). The apparition of the Risen Lord to the disciples on the day of Pentecost reminds us that the cross is not a symbol of death but a sign of victory and hope.
“Jesus said to them again: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
Jn 20, 21
The crucified and Risen Jesus gives to the disciples and all the baptized a mission. This mission consists of proclaiming the Risen Jesus and to bring a message of Peace and hope to the entire world. To construct Peace is a part of our mission. The Peace which Jesus gives us is not a truce or a treaty of peace, but a radical change of the spiral of violence and of war into the circle of reconciliation and of brotherhood of the human race. ‘’ As the Father has sent me, so I send you”, through this sending out, Jesus delivered the birth certificate of the Church. It is at Pentecost that the Church was born. It is important to emphasis that “Pentecost is not only the founding event of the Church, but is also the mystery which forever gives life to the Church.” SC. 63b.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” Jn 20: 22
It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can carry out the mission entrusted to us. The Holy Spirit gives us power to do God’s work. The Holy Spirit bestows on us extraordinary strength to do the will of God. Our human nature and body is able to do nothing without the help and the assistance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a precious gift which allows us to belong to Christ. “Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him.” Romans 8,9b.
“Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Jn 20: 23
Jesus gives to his disciples the power to forgive sins. To forgive sins and to bring reconciliation among people are the central point of the mission entrusted to the disciples and to the church. The disciples are to bring forgiveness to those to whom they are sent or they will bind them to their sin. The power of forgiveness in this specific context cannot be associated directly with the sacrament of penance. “This “power” of forgiveness is probably expressed in the bestowing of the Spirit on those who believe as a result of the disciples’ mission and who join the community rather than in a process of dealing with Christians who have committed sins. “ [1]
May this solemnity of Pentecost help us through the power of the Holy Spirit to be agents of peace and of reconciliation in our troubled world and society.
Fr. Christophe N. Chiza.
[1] Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Roland E. Murphy, New Jerome Biblical commentary, Prentice Hall, 1990, p. 984.