God’s Outpouring of the Holy Spirit marks our Own Transformation
June 4, 2006 Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (B) - Red
First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 104 “Lord, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.”
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
Sequence: Veni, Creator Spiritus
Gospel: John 15:26-27; 16:12-15
“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.” (Jn 15:26)
The Holy Spirit is God’s Gift to us, after the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity – therefore, he proceeds from the Father and the Son, and the Father and the Son are revealed through him. Jesus didn’t want to leave his disciples orphans, so he promised the gift of the Holy Spirit – “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.” (Jn 14:16) – for this entity will lead them to all truth and make them feel the living presence of Christ.
At Pentecost, this promise was fulfilled, when the Holy Spirit “appeared to them as tongues of fire” (Acts 2:3) and the apostles were filled and “began to speak in different tongues.” (Acts 2:4). The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost marked an inner transformation in the apostles. This also marked the start of their mission – to proclaim Christ’s Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came not to change what the Lord Jesus Christ has done, but to prolong and perfect what Jesus has done for everyone.
God continues to fill us with the Holy Spirit – “If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you.” (Rom 8:11) – and continues to transform us into better Christians. We should always remember that when we accept the Holy Spirit and when the Holy Spirit fills us, God himself and Jesus Christ are within us. This transformation leads us to participate fully in Christ’s work of redemption. We can also say that we do not only live in this world as mere creatures of the Creator, but we are “those led by the Spirit of God” who become “children of God” (Rom 8:14). Because of this we are worthy to call God, “Abba! Father!” (Rom 8:15).
The Holy Spirit continues to work in us and “bears witness with our spirit” (Rom 8:16). Imagine life without the sign of the Holy Spirit? Life would have been very problematic and hopeless. The Holy Spirit is God’s Divine Ambassador here on earth. He sustains us and provides us with the instruments that make us live our own faith dynamically. How do we respond to the Spirit? “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15) and the Holy Spirit will help us fulfill our obligations to God. He will help us rise from our downfalls. He will make us hopeful in times of hopelessness. In short, he is always with us in times of joyful and sorrowful experiences that make us better people. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not only a sign of a continuity of Christ, but also marks our own transformation as children of God.
