Easter-8: Pentecost Sunday Homily: Fr. Bill Bowling 5-22-2015
Acts
2:1-11 Ps 104 Gal 5:16-25 Jn 20:19-23
Fear. That was the
starting point for the apostles on that first day of the week. They were hidden away behind locked doors. They were so afraid of the Jewish
authorities. The threat was real. What they did to Jesus, they could likely do
to the apostles with false accusations, a trial, horrific beatings, and death
by crucifixion. One could easily justify
their outright terror of these things.
It’s only human. We
struggle with various fears and sufferings.
Some of us here are dealing with fear because of recently discovered
illness. Some of us here are struggling
with broken families and shattered relationships. Some of us struggle with addiction. Some of us here are beset with troubles and
challenges, upset stomachs and sleepless nights. The temptation is always the same. We want to lock ourselves away and try to get
as far away from the pain as possible.
That’s what fear does.
But Jesus stood in their midst. His great and glorious presence was among
them. Perhaps their first After all, they ran from him
in his great moment of need. Peter
denied him. Judas betrayed him. They all lost their courage when the test
came. And so it is often enough with
us. Remember when Adam and Eve caved to
temptation? When God came to the garden
in the cool of the evening, they ran from him and hid. Instead of running to him and seeking his
love and mercy, out of fear and shame they ran and hid.
Our God has spent all of salvation history coming to us to
stand in our midst. Love and mercy have
been shown to us over and over again. In
the instant when Jesus came to the apostles, before they even had a chance to
hide in fear Jesus told them “peace be with you.” Then he showed them his hands and side. He showed them the scars from his wounds –
the wounds of love that he endured for them and for us.
Something truly wonderful happens when we are in the
presence of Jesus. Everything
changes. Jesus has shown us that perfect
love casts out all fear. In the midst of
their fears – and our fears – Jesus stands with us. When he is with us there is no room for fear,
only love.
Apart from Jesus and his perfect love, the temptations of
the evil one swirl around us. St. Paul
named those terrible things He called them the works of the flesh. They are: immorality, impurity, lust,
idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of
selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies,
and the like. These things lock us away
from the love of God. These things are the
opposite of the kingdom of God. We all
need to pray to get rid of every trace of such things within our lives and
within our community. They have no place
in the presence of perfect love.
Know this, dear people
- even when we struggle, Jesus comes to us.
Wonderful things happen when Jesus gives us his presence, his spirit,
and his peace. Listen to how St. Paul
described the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We all need to pray to grow in these graces
within our own lives and within our community.
This is the inheritance of the kingdom of God.
Truly, with Jesus, everything changes.
So it is that on this great solemnity of Pentecost we pray
for the fullness of the Holy Spirit to come to us.
When we are locked up by our fears. – Come Holy Spirit
When we struggle with illness and pain – Come Holy Spirit.
When we suffer because of broken families, broken dreams,
and broken spirits. – Come Holy Spirit.
When we are ashamed because of the sins of our past. – Come Holy Spirit.
When we are hurting because of wars, persecutions, and
disasters. – Come Holy Spirit.
Jesus is forever the hope of the world, the healing of the
nations.
Come Holy Spirit, and breathe peace and forgiveness over
us.
Heal us.
Come Holy Spirit, and renew the face of the earth!
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