By Fr Antony Christy, SDB –
June 5, 2022: The Solemnity of the Pentecost
Acts 2: 1-11; Romans 8: 8-17; John 14: 15-16, 23-26
Being people of the Spirit is growing up to be Courageous (Models: Apostles):
The apostles were gathered in the room in fright and frustration but they were made fearlessly courageous by the Spirit of the Lord. They faced crowds, authorities and the whole world with a heart that would not give way to any anxiety or doubt. Their fearlessness came from the fact that they had the assurance of the Spirit – they did not have a clarity of what they are going to do, they did not have an economic security of someone sponsoring them for rest of their life, they did not have any written accord that they will have a free passage wherever they went.
Instead, on the contrary, they had all sorts of confusion, utmost opposition and limitless insecurities. All that they had was the assurance of the presence of the Spirit with them, and that was enough for them!
Dares are attractions for some and taking risk is considered an exhilarating life-renewer with the dose of adrenalin that it pumps into the system. But that is not the courage we speak of here. The courage here comes from God; from the One who has ordained a path, a mission, a task for us and the presence of the Spirit is an assurance that we would be led step by step into that journey. We do not know what awaits, we do not know who will be there with us or who will not be, we do not know whether we will reach the very end of the journey – but we dare to embark on that journey because the Spirit is with us, who assures us that wherever we are, we are with God; and God is with us!
Being people of the Spirit is growing up to be Compassionate (Models: Early Christians):
The Early Christians were one in mind and heart, they were sensitive to each other, they were filled with compassion, they were united in love! There were Jews of all “cadres”, there were some samaritans too probably, there were Romans too as the centurion and the household who were converted, there were Greeks and the Egyptians (like the Court official who was converted), there were rich and there were the daily labourers, there were the learned and there were those who were simple peasants… but they were all one community – the community of those who believed in the Lord, their new found Saviour, Jesus the Christ. They were all made into One people of the Spirit.
They were people of the Spirit, united in the Lord into one body, one body in the Lord! Despite all their differences they were one because of the action of the Spirit – the Spirit who made them understand each other, who made them love each other and care for each other. The Oneness of the people of the Spirit, that they were one in heart and mind, was concretely expressed in the fact that they were one in feeling for each other too: they had no one among them who was in need. They felt for, they felt with and they felt one with each other – that was the action of the Spirit.
Being people of the Spirit is growing up to be Christ-like (Models: Disciples)
The disciples together were called to grow to be like Christ. To grow to be like Christ is to grow in the image of the Lord given by the Spirit. To be disciples of Christ is to grow in the likeness of Christ, to think like Christ, to speak like Christ, to act like Christ and to decide like Christ in every thing. We are not talking about the apostles who had a special and particular role to perform within the community, we are talking of everyone born in waters of the Risen Christ and in the fire of the Holy Spirit… the disciples, the people of God.
Those who are in the Christ are a new creation! Just as the Spirit was at the centre of the process when the Word took flesh and became one among us, the Spirit once again is at the centre filling us and making us one with the image of Christ… that we are recreated into ‘alter christus’! We are created anew into children of the God, whom Jesus introduced to us as “my Father and your Father”! Those who are in the Spirit are true children of God, empowered to call God, Abba Father!
With courage, in communion with each other, we are empowered by the Spirit to grow into the People of God, children of God who are called to make God present in concrete, wherever we are.
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005 and has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (specialisation in Catechetics). He has a Doctorate in Theology with specialisation in Catechetics and youth ministry at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the young towards a World of Peace and dialogue is the passion that fires him.