RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT...!

Deacon Timothy Tilghman

Pentecost Sunday

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit” (Jn. 20:20-22).

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). 

We are called to be one in the Spirit, one in the Lord.  Today, we celebrate that unity.  Love is the reality and the miracle that emerges when we come together as one in the Spirit. Today, in the midst of the mess where we react with violence rather than respond with reverence when approaching the sacred ground of the other, it is good to remember that all who are created in God’s image and likeness are gifted with the Spirit of a God who lives, loves, and journeys with us.

Real, tangible, concrete, and miraculous love looks a lot like this:

“Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.  At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement. . .” (Acts 2:5-7)

So often, we forget what love looks like.  This is it! People from all over the known world achieved perfect community and perfect understanding.  Acts presents a picture of perfect unity – faith tradition, language, ethnicity, geography – all boundaries crossed to achieve perfect communion. This is our faith!  This is our Church!

This is what it looks like in the text, but what does it look like in the world?  We have a catechist named Ann at our parish, who has been working with parish and neighborhood youth for a while.  In the early 1960s, Ann was short of money to continue at DC Teachers College, so her grandma literally broke the bank for her to continue her studies.  Grandma’s piggy bank had $32.00 in pennies, just enough for Ann to finish the next semester.  I think about the return on Grandma’s investment – countless high school graduations and college degrees, baptisms, first communions, and confirmations.  Ann was a master teacher and master catechist.  Over 60 years of inviting young people into communion, not just in the sanctuary, but all over the city.  Ann witnessed, and people heard. And folk were astounded and amazed.

In the Gospel for this day, we get to the meat of the matter in experiencing life in the Spirit and living out the Resurrection. “The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit” (John 20:20-22).

Unhappy about your lot in life?  Maybe Grandma has something in the bank for you, and the treasure is in today’s Scriptures. 

“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?  Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt…” (Acts 2:7-10).

How is it that people from all over the neighborhood heard the words they needed to hear so that they, too, could witness to the Resurrection in their lives?  The Beatles sang, “All you need is love! Love is all you need.”  Grandma invested because she loved Ann.  Ann received the gift of the Spirit and has continued to spread love for more than 60 years.  When people see and hear the witness of one whom the Spirit moves, stuff happens. Look at how many people received the Spirit that came from Grandma’s investment of the Spirit of love.  Sixty-plus years of witnesses came to life through Ann’s sharing of the Spirit, and the number of those touched continues to grow.

Who gave you the Spirit, as Ann’s Grandma witnessed to her?  If you get to these words, somebody shared the Spirit of the living God with you, and brought you thus far along the Way.  Have you got the Spirit? Then, Today Is That First Day!  As it is for Ann, so it is for you.  Gotta be a witness today to see the fruit of faith, love, and truth.

Author: Deacon Timothy Tilghman, the Deacon in the Neighborhood, St. Teresa of Avila Church, Washington, DC.

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