“On Pentecost”

By

Robert John Colon

1. On Pentecost takes place the descent of the Holy Spirit and the Church is born (1). The Easter season closes with Pentecost and this ending consists exactly in the present of the Holy Spirit as Christ had promised (2). Pope Benedict XVI said without the Holy Spirit, the Church would be lowered to simply a human association (3). We might ask: “Who is the Holy Spirit, really? Who is the Church, really?” Let us carry out reflection on the Holy Spirit and the Church.

2. The Holy Spirit is God (4). A Homily of Pope John Paul II says the New Testament unveils to us that the one God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit: one divinity within three Persons (5). The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says each of them equally has the completeness of the one and indivisible divinity (6).

3. The appropriate name of the third Person of the Most Holy Trinity is “the Holy Spirit” (7). The New Testament moreover refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Christ, of the Lord, of God (8). The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: the term “Spirit” restates the Hebrew word ruah, which, in its primary meaning, denotes breath, air, wind (9). At this point, maybe I should say that the Catechism of the Catholic Church implies that the person of the Holy Spirit is indescribable (10).

4. Jesus Christ is the definitive and perfect Word of the Father (11). When the Father transmits His Word, He invariably transmits His Breath (12). From the very start until the conclusion of time, when the Father transmits His Son He also sends His Spirit (13).

5. The task of Christ and the Holy Spirit is brought to fulfillment in the Church, which is Christ’s Body and the Temple of the Holy Spirit (14). Those who believe in Christ make up one body, the Church (15). The Holy Spirit dwells in this body (16). Pope John Paul II said Christ announced and founded the Church, and then finally “brought about” the Church on the cross through His redemptive death (17). Nevertheless, the Church’s existence became visible on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended and the apostles started to “bear witness” to the paschal mystery of Christ (18). We can talk of this occurrence as a birth of the Church, as we talk of a person’s birth at the moment when the person comes forth from his mother's womb and “is shown” to the world (19).

6. The task of Christ and of the Spirit became the task of the Church which is sent to spread and announce the mystery of the communion of the Blessed Trinity (20). A Homily of Pope Benedict XVI says God is not endless aloneness but rather a ring of love and mutual self-giving (21). God is not aloneness, but absolute communion (22). For this reason the human being, the image of God, achieves herself or himself in love, which is an honest gift of self (23). The Encyclical The Gospel of Life says: we are called to donate our lives for our brothers and sisters, and therefore to achieve in the fullness of truth the destiny and meaning of our life (24). The Encyclical The Gospel of Life adds: we shall be fit to do this since you, O Lord, have presented us the example and have imparted on us the power of your Spirit (25). But if we sin, let us remember the expression of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: in her maternal care, the Church grants us God’s mercy which prevails over all our sins and is particularly at work within the sacrament of reconciliation (26).

7. “Come, Holy Spirit!” Let us frequent these words. The Church urges us to invoke the Holy Spirit and beseech Him on each occasion (27). Also, let us invoke Mary, who is Mother of the Church. At the hour of Pentecost, it’ll be the disciples who gather around Mary (cf. Acts 1:14) (28). Let us, disciples of today, gather around her as well. Let us ask her to pray with us and for us to the celestial Father, so that he’ll pour out the Holy Spirit on all believers and start over the marvels of Pentecost (29). Pope John Paul II said through the Holy Spirit, our gathering with the Lord happens in the experience of God as Father, Bridegroom, Friend and Brother (30). Yes, come, Holy Spirit!

May 5, 2007

NOTES

(1) Cf. John Paul II, General Audience, 17 June 1998, number 4.

(2) Cf. John Paul II, Regina Caeli, 23 May 1999, number 1.

(3) Cf. Benedict XVI, Regina Caeli, 15 May 2005.

(4) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 47.

(5) Cf. John Paul II, Homily, 26 May 2002, number 2.

(6) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 48.

(7) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 138.

(8) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 138.

(9) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 691.

(10) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 691.

(11) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 9. Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 65.

(12) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 689.

(13) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 137.

(14) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 737.

(15) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 156.

(16) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 159.

(17) Cf. John Paul II, General Audience, August 30, 1989.

(18) Cf. John Paul II, General Audience, August 30, 1989.

(19) Cf. John Paul II, General Audience, August 30, 1989.

(20) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 144.

(21) Cf. Benedict XVI, Homily, 24 December 2005.

(22) Cf. Benedict XVI, Angelus, 22 May 2005.

(23) Cf. Benedict XVI, Angelus, 22 May 2005.

(24) Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical, The Gospel of Life, number 51.

(25) Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical, The Gospel of Life, number 51.

(26) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 2040.

(27) Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 561.

(28) Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter, Deus Caritas Est, number 41.

(29) Cf. John Paul II, Regina Caeli, 23 May 1999, number 3.

(30) Cf. John Paul II, General Audience, 17 June 1998, number 5.