There is a Story of a taxi driver and a pastor. Both died and were standing before the gate of heaven for St. Peter to enter heaven. St. Peter came and first welcomed the taxi driver. He checked his good deeds and allowed him to enter the Heaven. Then he welcomed the priest and did permit him to enter the heaven. The pastor was furious and angry and asked St. Peter why he permitted the taxi driver and me. This is partiality and injustice. For many year as a pastor I was doing God’s work but St. Peter did not allow him and said “St. Peter, this is not fair to do this kind of nonsense in heaven.”
St. Peter, “When you preached, people slept. When Andrew drove the cab, people prayed.”
What causes a change? Preaching and driving changed people. One led to sleeping and another led to praying.
My own conversion from being a nominal Catholic to Catholic with a purpose took place at a Pentecost retreat. I can’t imagine my priesthood being what means to me today without the anointing I received then. My fear of God changed into a passion for God; my faith became a living thing; from ever having barely touched the Bible, I began devouring God’s word; the Eucharist became a lived experience of God; I truly believe that the bread and wine is the body and blood of Jesus; my trust in God increased; my priorities changed as radically as it did for the disciples.
Today’s readings give us a good insight into the crucial the role the Holy Spirit played in the lives of the disciples. Let me begin with the Gospel passage. It is not mere coincidence that that Jesus “breathes” on the disciples and says to them “Receive the Holy Spirit.” That image right back to the book of Genesis. You will remember that when God created human beings, he made them out of clay. When he had formed them in his own image and likeness he “breathed” into their nostrils, and the images came to life. We are alive because the spirit was breathed into us. Now, Jesus repeats that primal action. He breathed the Spirit on the disciples and transformed them into a new creation. And it happened - From being a fearful group they became bold witness of Christ; their timidity gave way to courage; from being a purposeless group, they set out their task with a new focus; Jesus became more alive to them than when he was with them; and the ones that had previously fled when Christ was arrested were prepared to give up their lives for him.
Three points on what the Holy Spirit does for us. First, the Holy Spirit brings us into an intimate relationship with God. “For those who are led by the spirit of God are the children of God.” For those led by the Spirit, God is not just an impersonal being; God is “Abba, Father.” That is what Jesus called God. Only those who allow themselves to be led by the Holy Spirit have a love and passion for God. The rest will find solace in two-minute noodles.
My dear friends, I believe that at some point of our lives our faith has to become a personal experience. It should not what our parents taught us, it should not be what we learnt in catechism classes, it should not be habits we developed a kids, but rather, it needs to become a personal experience of a personal God. That can only happen with and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Second, the Holy Spirit brings us peace. Twice in today’s gospel reading Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace be with you.” Ironically, Jesus said these words to them when “the doors were locked … for fear….” How could the disciples experience peace in the midst of fear? Let me share with you the key to peace. My dear friends, the key to peace is doing God’s will as we know it in the scriptures. Do that and leave the consequence to God. That is the one key to peace. When the Christians were martyred in the early centuries, they went to their death smiling. It drove the Romans nuts. But the martyrs were in peace because they knew they were bearing witness to Christ in obedience to God, immaterial of the consequences. Peace does not mean the absence of strife. It means the fullness of God even in the midst of strife.
Third, the Holy Spirit makes “real” the presence of God. The “tongues of fire” that rested on each disciple is one way of saying that the disciples felt the presence of God in a real and tangible way. But that is what the Holy Spirit accomplishes for us – makes God real. Catholics believe in the real presence of God because the Holy Spirit comes and transforms the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus. This is not new. The Holy Spirit came into Mary’s womb and the Word became flesh. Jesus said to the disciples in today’s gospel reading, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Those whose sins you forgive are forgiven.” The real forgiveness of God comes to us in the Sacrament of reconciliation because of the Holy Spirit. The word in Scripture has come to us inspired by the Holy Spirit. Every Sacrament is the real presence of God.
On this the feast of the Pentecost, let us be as expectant as the disciples. Just as they experienced the real presence of God let us prepare to experience the real presence of God in the Eucharist. Amen.
