My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, peace be with you. Well, congratulations. You have made it to the end of the Easter season, the culmination of which is this beautiful Solemnity of Pentecost, in which we recall the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles fifty days after the Passover — in other words, fifty days after Jesus was crucified. Basically, it is in the very name itself: Pentecost, fifty days. This was originally the Jewish feast which celebrated the harvest and later the giving of the Law at Sinai. But now we celebrate it as fifty days after Christ’s Passover, where God gives not stone tablets, but the Holy Spirit Himself.
My brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit animates us. He moves us. Have you ever noticed how much the Holy Spirit is connected to movement, action, and life? Just a few Scripture passages from today’s readings make this clear. In the Acts of the Apostles we read: “Suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind” (Acts 2:2). Wind moves freely. It flows. It refreshes and soothes us. And then we are told: “Tongues as of fire appeared, which parted and came to rest on each one of them” (Acts 2:3). Finally, this movement and action comes to rest upon the Apostles and Our Blessed Mother in their midst.
And then, in today’s Gospel, Our Lord “breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:22). Even before Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is already being bestowed upon the Apostles, and through them upon the whole Church — especially in this charism and authority to forgive sins, something belonging properly to God Himself. Yet through the Holy Spirit dwelling within them and their successors, every validly ordained priest is able to forgive sins in the name of Jesus Christ.
My brothers and sisters, we often call Pentecost the birthday of the Church, because at Pentecost the Church emerges publicly and visibly into the world. We are told: “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4), and the crowds exclaim: “We hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God” (Acts 2:11). The Apostles are no longer hiding. The Church now becomes the visible continuation of Christ’s presence and mission in history.
My brothers and sisters, a year ago, on June 8th, I was celebrating my birthday, and it happened to fall on the great Feast of Pentecost. We were just finishing a Chapter of Mats where friars, laity, Secular Franciscans, and religious sisters had all gathered together to reflect on the life of the Order today and how, together, we might more effectively bring the Gospel into the world through the Holy Spirit. And as I was leaving the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels — the Porziuncola — I had just prayed: “Lord, if You would like to speak to me today, show me. Speak to me.” And all of a sudden, directly above my head, there was a giant multicolored hot-air balloon with a massive sign that read: “Happy Birthday.” The Lord has a sense of humor. Sometimes we think He only wishes to speak profound and earthshaking things to us, but sometimes He simply wishes to let us know that He loves us and wishes us well. If we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us, to open our hearts and ears, we will begin to hear His voice and recognize His signs.
The wind and the fire in today’s readings are not random signs. Wind recalls the breath of God at creation, while fire recalls God’s presence at Sinai, when He appeared to Moses in the burning bush which was not consumed. In today’s Psalm we pray: “Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth” (Psalm 104:30). The Spirit purifies, enlightens, strengthens, and recreates.
And then, my brothers and sisters, in the Gospel we see Jesus bringing peace into that thick fog of fear which had overwhelmed the Apostles in the Upper Room. The Gospel begins with frightened disciples hiding behind locked doors. “The doors were locked for fear” (John 20:19). But then Our Lord suddenly appears in their midst — glorious and radiant, yet truly flesh and blood — and He says to them: “Peace be with you.”
A great part of the Holy Spirit’s work within us is precisely this: to bring us peace. Yet sometimes, in order to do that, He must first remove whatever disturbs and burdens the soul. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin. Working together with our conscience, He illuminates our hearts and minds so that we recognize where we have gone wrong: where we may have hurt a brother or sister, spoken imprudently, gossiped, lied, or deceived others. He exposes our impurity, our gluttony, our unhealthy attachment to material things that pass away. The Holy Spirit reminds us that we are meant for something greater. Through grace, He leads us through this life, chiseling away at our souls.
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God, yet each Person has His distinct mission and relation. And this Holy Spirit slowly chisels away at our souls throughout our lives. Yet, if we are honest, we barely know Him. We spend little time reflecting upon His presence, His love, and His action in our lives. We often treat Him like a passing wind, forgetting that He is not merely a force, but a Divine Person — that He is God Himself.
Get to know the Holy Spirit. Let Him embrace you. Let Him mold you. Let Him transform you. Because what awaits us in heaven is nothing less than His presence forever and ever — the very presence that gives life and sustains all things in their being.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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