Easter

Jan 30 2025

Holy Spirit, Speech Teacher

The King’s Speech was a movie particularly effective in communicating the torture of not being able to speak one’s mind. We first meet Bertie, the man who would become King George VI, as he is about to speak to his people over the radio. Frustration, shame, embarrassment, anger, even terror—all pass over his face as he tries to speak the simplest words, which cannot get past his debilitating stammer. The movie is about a teacher, Lionel Logue, who comes into his life, becomes his friend, and helps him find his voice.

We have all been given the gift of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to speak the language of faith, hope, and love. As Paul reminds the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12:3b), “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” The gift of God’s Spirit brings us to articulate our faith in Jesus as the Son of God. And the Spirit keeps the conversation going even when we become tongue-tied, as Paul expresses so beautifully in Romans where he writes that even when we do not know how we ought to pray, “through our inarticulate groans the Spirit is pleading for us” (8:26).

When Jesus breathed on the apostles and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he was sending to them the great gift of divine life and making them children of the new creation, empowering them to be carriers of this new life through the gospel of salvation they would preach to the ends of the earth.

Consider/Discuss

When have you felt the Spirit working through the words of others in everyday life?
God continues to speak to us at every Eucharist through the readings and the preaching. What helps you to be attentive to what God may be trying to say?

Responding to the Word

Come, Holy Spirit, come. Give us your wisdom and understanding. Loosen our tongues to bless and praise the Father and the Son for the great gift we received at our baptism, when we came to birth in your life-giving grace. Increase our faith so we might proclaim with all our hearts, “Jesus is Lord!”

Jan 30 2025

Scripture Study for

The external manifestations that accompanied the outpouring of the Spirit at the time of Pentecost were all phenomena associated with a theophany or experience of God. As those in the room were filled with the Spirit, they began to speak in other languages, a feat that could only have supernatural origin. Because the Galileans spoke in tongues and those in the crowd heard them in their own speech, some commentators maintain that there was a miracle in hearing as well as in speaking. The exact nature of this marvel is less significant than is its meaning. It was clearly a manifestation of the universal presence and power of the Spirit. “Lord” (Kyrios) was the official title of the Roman emperor. Thus, to proclaim Jesus as Lord was to set up a rivalry between Jesus and the ruling political authority. “Lord” is also the substitute, in the Septuagint or Greek version of the Old Testament, for God’s personal name. Paul compares the diversity within the community to the complexity of the human body. Each part has its own unique function, but all parts work for the good of the whole. This metaphor portrays unity in diversity that is far from uniformity. It also underscores the lack of competition among members. Finally, it points up the interdependence that exists within the community. This Gospel account treats the Resurrection and the bestowal of the Spirit as occurring on the same day. Jesus’ wish of peace is a prayer for the eschatological blessings of health, prosperity, and all good things. The image of breathing life into another is reminiscent of the creation of Adam (see Genesis 2:7) and the restoration of Israel after the Exile (see Ezekiel 37:9). By breathing in this way, the risen Lord portrays himself as one who can create or re-create. The disciples are commissioned to go forth, to declare salvation and judgment. With the bestowal of the Spirit, they are authorized to continue the mission of Jesus.

Jan 30 2025

Replacing Judas

My friend the storyteller Bob Wilhelm shared an “artful” variation on the story of the choice of Matthias. Both Matthias and Barsabbas were artists, so St. Peter decided on a contest. He divided the upper room where the community gathered for worship with a curtain, giving half to each man to decorate as he saw fit. The community would declare the winner and Judas’ successor.

Barsabbas, a painter, sent for his brushes and a rich assortment of paints. All week long he painted lovely scenes of Jesus preaching, teaching, healing, casting out demons. His brush captured the parables, illuminating them. Matthias, a stonecutter and polisher, also toiled all week behind his curtain. People could hear only his humming and soft singing.

The day came and the people entered Barsabbas’ half of the church. They broke into applause at his artistry. The uses of color were magnificent. They found themselves depicted in his paintings. They were delighted. Peter became worried. How could Matthias’ work possibly compete with this? But he went over to the curtain and turned it back.

Silence filled the room as people turned to see what Matthias had done. His work had been to polish the stone walls of the chapel’s other half, allowing people to see themselves as never before. The walls shone like mirrors and every person was given a sense of the beauty of Christ shining within them, a glimpse of the divine spark each one carried within. And so Matthias was chosen to replace Judas. He had revealed Christ by revealing Christ’s followers to themselves.

Consider/Discuss

Have you ever left a decision in God’s hands?
Do you believe that God has placed a divine spark within you?

Responding to the Word

Loving God, you have made us in your image and placed your truth within our hearts that we might know, love, and serve you. Consecrate us further with the truth of the gospel and direct our feet in the way you wish us to walk. Let us live in your joy.

Jan 30 2025

Scripture Study for

After the Ascension, Peter assumes leadership. With the betrayal of Judas, the circle of twelve apostles had been broken and must be restored. The choice of a successor was necessary. It had to be one who was among the company of disciples from the time of Jesus’ baptism to his ascension. He also had to be a witness to the Resurrection. The prayer preceding the casting of lots illustrates the faith of the assembly. Since only God can read the human heart, only God knew which of the two should be selected. They were confident that God would determine the outcome. The lot fell to Matthias.

According to the author of the second reading, just as God’s love was manifested in the unselfish and redeeming, saving sacrifice of Jesus, so Christians must love others with an unselfish and forgiving love. Such love manifests itself as visible works of love. The reading develops the idea of the mutual abiding of God in believers and believers in God that manifests itself in two ways. First, the Spirit of God that inspires unselfish love is evidence of the abiding presence and love of God. Believers’ acknowledgment of Jesus as the Son of God sent to be the savior of the world is further evidence of God’s abiding presence.

Jesus’ concern for his disciples is plainly stated in his prayer. Prayed shortly before his death, it takes on profound significance. He wishes to share with his followers the union he enjoys with God. Accepting God’s word through Jesus, the disciples share in God’s holiness. Having sketched the contours of union with God, Jesus acknowledges the resistance that God’s word encounters from the world. He is not speaking of the natural world, but of that dimension of society that is antagonistic toward God. Jesus himself was hated by that world and now, because of God’s word, his followers will suffer the same fate. It is for this reason that Jesus prays for them.

Jan 30 2025

A Return, Not a Retirement

In Bill Davis’ play Mass Appeal, the young deacon complains about the parish where he grew up, where the “hippy dippy hymn committee” selected “Leaving on a Jet Plane” for the feast of the Ascension. The young deacon did not find it appropriate for the dignity of the event being celebrated. To say the least, it rendered insipid what should be a feast of profound relevance.

Today’s feast continues the celebration of the paschal mystery of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection, and return to the Father. It is not just an “after thought” feast, a bringing down of the curtain on Jesus’ life and ministry on earth. We celebrate Jesus’ return to the Father to intercede for us and to make possible the sending of the Spirit for the continuation of God’s plan of salvation for all people, now taken up by the church under the direction of this same Spirit.

Luke’s account of the Ascension places emphasis on the work yet to be done— witnessing to Jesus “to the ends of the earth.” This is further highlighted when the two men in white garments suddenly appear after Jesus is taken up and removed from their sight. “Why are you standing there looking up at the sky?” they ask. Time to get moving.

Mark’s account has Jesus sending them out to “proclaim the gospel to every creature,” and promises that great signs will accompany them. Mark’s final word affirms that “the Lord worked with them.”

Consider/Discuss

Do you understand the feast of the Ascension only as Jesus’ returning to the Father or do you see its connection with the ongoing life and ministry of the Church?
How does Christ continue to work with us? Are we meant to take literally Jesus’ words about being able to pick up serpents and drink deadly poison and heal the sick?

Responding to the Word

Jesus, you ascended to the right hand of the Father to intercede for us and to work with us until we are united with you in heaven. Help us to make good use of the gifts you have given for building up your body, the Church, and for making you known throughout the world.