May 19 is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost not only commemorates the beginning of the Church; it is also a celebration of creation and life. The Holy Spirit is the Giver of life – not only physical life, but spiritual life as well. Those who are baptized are reborn into new life by water and the Spirit. The souls of sinners who are spiritually dead in sin are given new life through the sacrament of Reconciliation. At the Epiclesis and Words of Institution, the Holy Spirit comes and transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Indeed, the Holy Spirit comes and imparts grace at the celebration of every sacrament.
The story of the Tower of Babel in the Book of Genesis begins with the descendants of Noah when the whole earth used the same language and the same speech (Gen 11:1-9). The people became arrogant of their success and decided to build a tower that would reach to the heavens. Then God changed their manner of speaking so that they no longer understood each other, and they scattered all over the earth. The story of the Tower of Babel describes the revolt of man against God – an attempt to be totally self-sufficient without God – which resulted in futility.
But what has been scattered at the Tower of Babel has been united at Pentecost. People from various parts of the world suddenly understood the Apostles; they exclaimed: “We have heard them speaking in our own languages of the wonderful works of God. (Ac 2:11)” It was the prayer of humble men, locked up in fear and longing, needing God, that invited the Holy Spirit to descend upon them and to make them instruments of the fruitful proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God came upon the first disciples like a mighty wind, and their hearts were set on fire. With the gifts of the Holy Spirit, they began to see more clearly the big picture of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection, and they began to understand more fully the person of Jesus Christ and the mission which He gave them. They had the courage to go out and preach the Gospel.
St. Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.” (1Cor 12:4-11)
The power of the Holy Spirit worked wonders in and through the lives of the first disciples; and has also worked wonders in and through the lives of believers through the ages. What wonders will the Holy Spirit work in and through us today?