Pentecost: The Power of the Holy Spirit

“When the day of Pentecost had come, [the Apostles] were all together in one place.” What is Pentecost, we ask? Pentecost is a Greek word for 50. It was used by Jews living in Alexandria in the first century to denote the feast of harvest because it occurred fifty days after the festivity recalling the Passover. The feast of harvest was commanded by God to be celebrated in thanksgiving for the harvest. In it, the Israelites offered the first fruits of the harvest – So it was also called the feast of first fruits. Since the harvest lasted 7 weeks, it was also called, in tradition, Feast of the Weeks. In Jewish tradition, the Israelites stayed 50 days in the desert after crossing the Red Sea and before they were given the Law. More dramatically some Rabbis thought Moses awakened the people on the night before he received the Law from God on Mount Sinai. The Apostles had gone through the worst nightmare, the crucifixion and death of their teacher, then the great joy when they saw him for 40 days after having risen from the dead. And Luke, in the first chapter of Acts, says that before his Ascension, Christ asked them to remain in Jerusalem to receive the promise of the Father “for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit” (Acts 1: 5). What did the Apostles expect on that night of Jewish Pentecost? Today, when we compare, we can say: The first Passover was that of Moses and his people but the second is that of Jesus and his people; the first or Old Covenant was that of God with Israel through Moses, but the second or New Covenant is that of God with his the new Israel (the Church of Christ) through Jesus. And a symbolic meaning of Pentecost is that it comes after seven weeks (seven*seven). It completes what is already perfect and adds 1 to it. May be this 1 indicates the unity that God will bring to a divided humanity. We know that the divider is the Devil. We know now that God is reversing the work of the evil one. “And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” Wind is an expression of the presence of the Spirit in Scripture -The wind blows where it wills (John 3:8). “And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them.” Fire refers to God when his angel talked to Moses on Mount Sinai – Moses saw only a burning bush that is not consumed (Exodus 3:2) and also when the Lord God descended on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18). “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Speaking in other tongues is the gift of the Holy Spirit that reverses the confusion of language at the Tower of Babel. We are no longer a divided humanity. It also speaks to the universality of the Christian mission to the world. The Church was born at Pentecost and is universal or “catholic.” Pentecost was celebrated with much festivities. Devout Jews came from the Diaspora to Jerusalem for the feast. But look at their reaction when they heard the sound: 1) Many were amazed because each one heard them speaking in his own language although the Apostles were all from Galilea (vv. 6-12). 2) Yet others mocked the Apostles “They are filled with new wine” (v. 13) – These Jews think the Apostles are drunk. Who usually gets drunk? People who have social problems, psychological deficiencies or addiction to Alcohol. It is an escape from the present troubles into a momentary pleasure. This definitely was not the case of the Apostles. Their state of mind reflects joy – fullness of joy. And joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23). The Spirit gives his gifts to everyone and carries us to another cosmos – another presence! The work of the Spirit restores us to our original state in the image of God. This is the state that we lost in the Fall of our parents. Since then, our hearts desire the creation rather than the Creator. How does he restore us? By urging us to have the desire for God (e.g. Zacchaus) and cooperation with his grace (St. Paul: Do not resist the Spirit). We recall now what Christ said to Nicodemus “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”(John 3: 3). The Greek word for “born again” (anothen) has the same meaning as “born from above.” God does not fix us – He rather recreates us. This is a lifetime process – it is not a single event, although we can experience the renewal work of the Spirit and his gifts more intensely at certain moments in life (Charisms). When Nicodemus is perplexed by Christ’s answer, Jesus explains “Unless one is born of water and Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3: 5). If you move to Acts 2 verse 38, you will see the same “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” Pentecost reminds us always of our own "baptism by the Holy Spirit." Baptism is joined with repentance and repentance is necessary for responding to God’s call to all people. The Church, since Apostolic time, has administered baptism as an essential first step for becoming a Christian. Paul says that in baptism we are buried with Christ so we rise with him. This is why the Eastern Churches, including the Melkite Catholic Church, continue to this date to administer baptism by immersion. In the sacrament of chrismation or confirmation, we fully receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and become witnesses to Christ as the Holy Spirit witnesses to Christ. “But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: `And in the last days it shall be, God declares,that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those daysI will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and manifest day. And it shall be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shallbe saved.'” (vv. 14-21). This is the first proclamation (or kerygma) by Peter. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are manifest and Peter, recalling Joel’s prophecy, asks the people to believe in the reality of the resurrection of Christ. As the Coptic Patriarch Shenouda said: In this first testimony, Peter attracted 3,000 people to convert and become Christians – Today a famous preacher can hardly convert a dozen of people! The Apostles still considered themselves part of Judaism. They continued to pray at the Temple like their Jewish brethren, but they added the Eucharist in their worship which distinguished them (v. 46). The Eucharist became the centre of their worship. The “Christian movement” as it was called by Jews at the time, emerged from Judaism and the Holy Spirit worked in it the mission to go not only to Jews but, the pagans, and other religions all over the known world. One last thing we note here: The Holy Spirit prompted the great sharing in the Christian community: everyone who had possessions distributed them for the ones in need – everyone exited from himself to be in service for the others in need (v. 45) St. Gregory the Theologian in the 4th century wrote that the descent of the Holy Spirit brought to its completion the divine revelation of the holy Trinity. St. Gregory Nazianzene rebuked Macedonius’ teaching that the Holy Spirit is only a creature. The 1st Ecumenical Council of Constantinople (381 AD) proclaimed the divinity of the Holy Spirit. St. Augustine in the 5th century taught that the Father loves the Son by eternally emptying himself and the Son receives the Father’s love and returns to the Father his love by eternally emptying himself. And who is the Holy Spirit? Augustine, and with him the Church, teaches that the Holy Spirit is the mutual love of the Father and the Son in the one God, the blessed Trinity. Today, the Holy Spirit is working in the Church renewing it, as Pope John XXIII prayed to the Spirit on the eve of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965.) The Council brought many fruits in renewing the Church including the opening of the Catholic Church to Christian unity with the “separated brethren” of other Christian Churches and communions. The Council also opened the path to dialogue with other world religions, first Judaism (our elder brothers as John Paul II used to say), then Islam the third monotheistic religion, and with all world religions. John Paul II, at the beginning of the third millennium prayed that the Holy Spirit usher a new Pentecost. These are extraordinary events in the life of the Church. How about the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of ordinary people? Some theologians dare to believe the Spirit is working in every husband that resists the temptation to cheat on his wife and every wife that resists the temptation of sexual gratification outside marriage. The Spirit is working in every teenager who resists the encouragement of his friends to bully other kids and to compete for the first place. The Spirit is working in every worker who resists competition with his co-workers. “Heavenly King, Comforter, the spirit of truth, You are everywhere present and fill all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell within us, cleanse us of all stain, and save our souls, O gracious Lord.”(Entrance Prayer of the Divine Liturgy in the Byzantine Tradition) Prepared by George Farahat May 10, 2008 Note: The above has been compiled from a number of on-line homiletic sources including Catholic, Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox resources. For an in-depth scholarly treatment consult The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (1990). The above work may contain theological opinions not in full agreement with the official teaching of the Catholic Church. As Catholic Christians, we believe what the Catholic Church teaches.