Pentecost Sunday

THE CUSHION OF THE SPIRIT

Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Galatians 5:16-25;

John 20:19-23 or John 15:26-27; 16:12-15

Readings for Pentecost

A submarine, under test, had to remain submerged overnight. A terrible storm hit the coast and battered the ships in the harbour.

The next morning, when the sub resurfaced, the harbour master asked the captain: “How did the storm last night affect you?”

The captain looked at him in surprise: “Storm? We didn’t even know there was one!”

The sub had reached an area sailors call the “cushion of the sea.” Though the winds battered the ships at the harbour, they never stirred the deep waters; the submarine remained safe despite the turbulence around.

This is a good image of the peace that comes from the Spirit that Jesus promises his disciples. It does not remove the causes of worry, fear, and suffering, but it does not allow these to swamp the disciples. 

The disciples had shut themselves behind closed doors after the crucifixion “for fear of the Jews.” That’s where Jesus finds them on “the first day of the week.” That’s where he finds them a week later even after he had given them his peace. 

But on Pentecost, after they were “filled with the Holy Spirit”, when they experienced the “cushion of the Spirit,” they moved out to fearlessly proclaim Jesus crucified and risen.

The situation outside had not changed; it had worsened! The disciples faced persecution and death, and they “were scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1). But they continued preaching the word – and how! The situation had not changed; the disciples had found the “cushion of the Spirit.”

We seek the peace that Jesus gave his disciples, that abides despite pain and suffering, anguish and fear. We need the peace that comes from remaining in the “cushion of the Spirit”. Then, we can move out of our “shut doors” to witness to the gospel.

Jesus gives us the Spirit and the peace that he gave his first disciples. Will I rest in the cushion of the Spirit? And then, filled with his peace—despite the turbulence that surrounds me—how will I proclaim Jesus and witness to him?

The Ascension of the Lord

PASSING THE BATON

Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23 or 4:1-13; Mark 16:15-20

Readings for Ascension Sunday

The 4x100 relay is a thrilling event. The most exciting/important time is the baton exchange; many races have been lost because of poor exchanges. Since 1988, US quartets have been disqualified or haven’t finished the event eleven times at the World Championships and the Olympics – even though they had the fastest runners – because of botched baton exchanges. 

The Ascension is Jesus passing the baton to his disciples in the great human and Christian race. He has prepared them over three years and especially over the 40 days after the resurrection. It is time for them to take over.

The Ascension completes Jesus’ leg of the relay and his mission on earth to bring the good news to the afflicted, liberty to captives, sight to the blind – in short, to bring wholeness to people.

The Ascension begins the disciples’ part of the relay. Mark establishes an immediate connection between Jesus’ ascension and the disciples’ mission: “So the Lord Jesus… was taken up into heaven… But they went forth and preached everywhere.” 

This continuation of the mission is a massive challenge. But the Lord assures us that he is with us through his Spirit. 

The scene in today’s first reading is modelled on the experience of Joshua and Elisha. Joshua received a share of Moses’ spirit and Elisha received a double share of Elijah’s. Jesus assures his disciples that they will receive the power to continue his work: the Holy Spirit. 

Despite this promise, they remained there “gazing into heaven.” They have not understood that they must look towards the earth – the locus of their mission.

The baton has been passed to us. The mission is ours; the Spirit and power of the Lord are ours. Am I willing to carry the baton and run my leg of the race? How will I continue Christ’s mission in the area in which I live and work?

PS: It takes time and practice for relay teams to run well. US national teams have little of that; the relay is an all-star team that rarely runs together. I need time with the Lord to receive the baton; I need to be in the correct “exchange-zone”; I need to run with the team… always!

VI Sunday of Easter

TOTAL SELF-GIFT

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; 1 John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17

Readings for the VI Sunday of Easter

In his book Love is a Costly Thing, Dick Hillis describes a mother he encountered during a trip to Africa: “She was lying on the ground, holding a tiny baby in her arms. I put a cooked sweet potato into her hand; it was all I had. Her strength was almost gone, but her tired eyes acknowledged my gift. Taking a bite, she chewed it carefully. Then, placing her mouth over her baby’s mouth, she forced the soft warm food into the tiny throat. Although she was starving, she used the entire potato to keep her baby alive. Exhausted from her effort, she dropped her head on the ground and closed her eyes. I later learned that during the night the mother’s heart stopped, but her little girl lived.”

Love is costly; it cost that mother her life. Her love was a self-sacrificing love, which mirrored God’s love for us that Jesus speaks about in the Gospel and John writes about in the Second Reading.

God manifests his love for us by gifting us his only beloved Son (second reading). 

In the gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that he has loved them as the Father has loved him and gives them the new commandment of love: “love one another as I have loved you.” 

That last part is the toughie: “as I have loved you.” How has he loved us? 

He loves us gratuitously. The gift of God’s love is just that—a gift, not a prize won, not a reward for service.

He loves us as a friend. Servants work definite hours, and often do things only because they receive an order. Friendship goes go beyond; it entails mutual fidelity and loyalty, it is open-ended.

He loves us totally. Throughout his life, he lovingly served his fellow human beings. He gave his body and blood at the Last Supper and sacrificed his body and blood at Calvary.

For Jesus, love is not a mere liking for another; it is a total self-gift. And he exhorts us to love in the same manner. 

Will I love gratuitously, as a friend without counting the cost, and totally?