June 5, 2022

Sister Evangeline Salazar, OSB reflects on the scripture readings: Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7; John 20:19-23

Jesus walked

the shores of Galilee,

invited men and women

to join His small community.

He would make them

fishers of men and women.

He promised

a seat in His Kingdom.

They followed.

He died.

And they were left to wonder:

what was it all about?

In fear and faith

the disciples stuck together.

And Jesus returned

and breathed the Spirit

into them.

HOLY SPIRIT! Did He come

like bolts of fire

upon each one!

And they bolted out

into the streets and byways

of Jerusalem

Impassioned and empowered,

speaking languages

they did not know they knew,

attracting people

of every culture and language

into a shared Faith.

Each received a gift of the Spirit.

We, too received a different gift

and each is called to share

that gift.

We are the gift

to one another.

Community is the miracle

of Pentecost.

We are called to live

Community.

Jesus summarized

His mission

and ours

with a single command:

Forgive.

Forgiveness and community

are interchangeable.

Forgiveness becomes

the way of people

who will be disciples

of Jesus.

“Whose sins you forgive

they are forgiven,”

and life in community

will abound.

“Whose sins you retain

will be retained,”

and the world will flounder in chaos.

The feast of Pentecost

challenges our

Hope and Faith.

Each week we proclaim

“I believe in the Holy Spirit.”

Do we?

Really?

Believe in the Holy Spirit?

Are we willing to allow

Christ’s Spirit to

impassion and empower us?

Are we willing to be led

beyond our

culturally comfortable world

to form communities

that include

diversity and different

points of view?

Are we willing

to exercise the virtues

of humility, humor, and forgiveness?

Are we willing

to form communities

that spring from grace

and are as costly

as Jesus’ own mission?

Pentecost’s promise:

It’s worth the work.

It’s worth the cost.

Community! One for all and All for one. Are we blessed or What!