Homily for September 2018 Holy Hour
\nActs 2:1-11
\nPsalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29
\n1 Corinthians 12:12-30
\nJohn 19:28-37<\/p>\n
The first reading tonight tells the story of Pentecost.\u00a0 It can be a spectacular scene to image.\u00a0 I think the Hollywood special effects crews could have fun with the noise of the \u201cstrong driving wind<\/em>\u201d and the \u201ctongues of fire<\/em>\u201d that came down on each of the disciples.<\/p>\n These are signs of the Holy Spirit filling the hearts of the disciples.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit comes to begin the work of the Church.\u00a0 Thus, Pentecost is often seen as the birth of the Church.\u00a0 As a sign that the Church is for all, the people present then each hear the disciples speaking in their own language.\u00a0 The Christian faith is meant not just for the Jews but for all regardless of where a person is from or what language they speak.\u00a0 We just need to listen to the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 Unfortunately, we don\u2019t always listen.<\/p>\n Our gospel scene takes us back 52 days before Pentecost to Good Friday.\u00a0 This reading is just a small part of the Passion of Jesus as told in John\u2019s Gospel.\u00a0 Picture it in the context of how Jesus was arrested, put on trial, mocked, and scourged.\u00a0 After all this, Jesus dies.\u00a0 His last words before handing over his spirit are \u201cIt is finished.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n This is not simply a statement that his earthly life is over.\u00a0 Rather, he \u201cfinished\u201d the mission for which he came.\u00a0 He came proclaiming the gospel and concluded the \u201cgood news\u201d of the gospel by giving his life for us on the Cross.<\/p>\n That said, the reason I picked this gospel is what happened after Jesus died but still hung upon the Cross.\u00a0 The \u201csoldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Like Pentecost, this is also seen as the \u201cbirth of the Church.\u201d\u00a0 Jesus has completed his mission and now the Church flows from his side.<\/p>\n Rather than look at the Church as having two births, I think this points to how we need to look at scripture as a united text and the events as united.\u00a0 Before the Holy Spirit could come at Pentecost Jesus had to first come as the foundation.<\/p>\n This leads us to our psalm response, \u201cThe stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 This psalm would have been written centuries before Jesus, yet He fulfills it as He becomes the foundation upon which we now build our faith.\u00a0 The Lord is always our refuge.\u00a0 Jesus is our foundation and the Holy Spirit leads us in the ways of the Father.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, we don\u2019t always listen to the Spirit.\u00a0 This is true for us as individuals when we choose sin.\u00a0 We can also see in the history of the Church that those who lead have not always listened to the Spirit.\u00a0 We see this currently in the abuse cover-up.<\/p>\n Today, for so many people the focus is on themselves.\u00a0 When asked to do something these people in turn ask, \u201cWhat\u2019s in it for me?\u201d\u00a0 That\u2019s the wrong question!<\/p>\n We are not isolated individuals.\u00a0 We are part of something that is greater than the sum of its parts.<\/p>\n As Paul writes, \u201cFor in one Spirt 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.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Sometimes we sin because we try to do everything ourselves but we are not meant to go it alone.\u00a0 God did not give all gifts to any one person.<\/p>\n Paul uses the analogy of the human body help us understand this.\u00a0 The human body is made up of many parts, eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet and each part has a different role to play.\u00a0 When all the parts of the body work together, it becomes greater than the sum of its parts.<\/p>\n When one part of the body fails to do its part, it affects the other parts.\u00a0 When one of us sins, it can affect others.\u00a0 That\u2019s why we cannot turn a blind eye to sin.\u00a0 When we see sin, we, as individuals and as a Church, must ask the Holy Spirit to know if we are to respond.\u00a0 If we are to respond, then we ask the Holy Spirit to govern what the response is.<\/p>\n The Church began as the blood and water flowed from Jesus\u2019 side on the Cross.\u00a0 The Church came to action at Pentecost as the Spirit came down on the disciples.\u00a0 The Church continues today led by the Spirit.\u00a0 We just need to listen to know how we are called to be the Body of Christ.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Homily for September 2018 Holy Hour Acts 2:1-11 Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 John 19:28-37 The first reading tonight tells the story of Pentecost.\u00a0 It can be a spectacular scene to image.\u00a0 I think the Hollywood special effects crews could have fun with the noise of the \u201cstrong driving wind\u201d …<\/p>\n