Reflection for Pentecost Sunday by Councilor for the St. Margaret of Cortona Region of the Secular Franciscans, Tobias Harkleroad, OFS
This reflection was originally posted in our May 14 newsletter
On Sunday May 19 we will celebrate the feast of Pentecost, commemorating the gathering of Jesus’ disciples and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon them. Because of the various Scripture reading options provided, the liturgical celebration of Pentecost has a key characteristic of that first Pentecost: diversity of words and metaphors but one message and mission.
In Genesis 11:1-9, we hear the story of the Tower of Babel. In this familiar foundation story set between the covenant of Noah and the covenant of Abraham, humanity gets into trouble by going beyond God’s will and so a multiplicity of languages is introduced and their unity is broken down. They are scattered all over the earth. In Acts 2:1-11, Jews and Gentiles from throughout the known world were gathered in Jerusalem for the feast of Shavuot, a time of pilgrimage that commemorates the ancient Israelites receiving the Torah from God. This scripture passage describes those gathered in Jerusalem as “Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs” all of whom were speaking a multiplicity of languages.
Whereas in Genesis humanity is scattered through diversity because they sought to glorify themselves, in Acts humanity is brought together as they celebrate God’s gifts to hear the one gospel regardless of their variety of languages.
Each week, we come together at mass, just as the disciples came together in the upper room and the diverse peoples of humanity came together in Jerusalem. We hear God’s word and we are offered bread. The Holy Spirit, poured out to us, makes us one body, which in turn is sent out with many gifts but one mission: to share Christ’s peace and forgiveness with the whole world.
Through God’s gifts, we become part of God’s saving plan. Even when scattered, God brings us back together. We are called to celebrate those gifts and then to go out to use those gifts to share the peace that God has desired for us from the very beginning. But, we can only hear and speak God’s word when we allow ourselves to let the Holy Spirit bring us together as one. The commemoration of Pentecost, with its diverse readings from scripture and its multiple metaphors, ultimately leads us to the good news of what is possible when we allow God to gather us together and hear Jesus say: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21).
“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.” Let us be sent out with many gifts to renew the face of the earth!
Tobias Harkleroad, OFS
Councilor for the St. Margaret of Cortona Region of the Secular Franciscans
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