JOHN 7:37-39
WHAT FEAST WAS IT WHEN
JESUS MADE THIS STRANGE STATEMENT? IT WAS THE FEAST OF BOOTHS, OR
SUKKOT, ONE OF THE THREE GREAT FEASTS OF THE JEWISH RELIGION, ALONG
WITH PASSOVER AND THE FEAST OF THE ATONEMENT, OR NEW YEAR. THIS
FEAST CELEBRATED HOW GOD LOOKED AFTER THE JEWS IN THE DESERT. IT WAS
CUSTOMARY FOR EACH FAMILY TO BUILD A SHELTER OF STICKS AND LEAVES AND
DURING THE EIGHT DAYS OF THE FEAST, TO SPEND SOME TIME IN THE
SHELTER, IN MEMORY OF THEIR DWELLINGS DURING THE LONG TIME OF
WANDERING IN THE DESERT. EACH DAY A PRIEST WOULD FILL A JUG WITH
WATER, AND THE PEOPLE AND THE PRIEST WOULD CARRY THE WATER TO THE
TEMPLE, WHERE IT WOULD BE POURED INTO A LARGE JUG AND ALLOWED TO RUN
OUT AN OPENING NEAR THE BOTTOM. WHILE THAT WAS HAPPENING THE
ASSEMBLY WOULD REMEMBER HOW GOD PROVIDED THEM WITH WATER, AND THEY
WOULD PRAY FOR SALVATION, FOR RELIEF OF THEIR SUFFERINGS, FOR FREEDOM
FOR THEIR NATION. AND THEN THE PEOPLE WOULD TAKE SOME OF THE WATER
AND DRINK IT.
AND THAT WAS WHEN JESUS
CRIED OUT, LET ANYONE WHO THIRSTS COME TO ME AND DRINK. THE PEOPLE
WERE SEEKING THEIR SALVATION IN A RITUAL, BUT JESUS OFFERS THEM THE
REAL THING. AND HE PROMISES MORE -- “RIVERS OF LIVING WATER WILL
FLOW FROM WITHIN HIM WHO BELIEVES IN ME”. JOHN TELLS US THAT JESUS
WAS REFERRING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO AT THAT POINT HAD NOT YET BEEN
GIVEN TO JESUS' FOLLOWERS.
BUT THE SPIRIT HAS BEEN
GIVEN TO US. AND ON THE FEAST OF PENTECOST, WE NEED TO ASK, “WHAT
ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT?”
I THINK MOST OF US WHO GO
TO CHURCH AREN'T BAD PEOPLE. WE RECOGNIZE WE HAVE FLAWS, BUT WHEN
YOU STUDY THE SAINTS, THEY ALL HAD FLAWS AS WELL. WHEN YOU GET PAST
THE SAINTS OF THE EARLY CHURCH, WHO ARE ONLY KNOWN BY THEIR LEGENDS,
WE MEET REAL PEOPLE. SAINT JEROME USED TO BECOME VERY UPSET WITH
HIMSELF BECAUSE HE HAD A TEMPER AND A SHARP TONGUE. YOU CAN READ
SOME OF HIS SARCASM ON LINE. SAINT FRANCIS WAS SUCH A POOR
ADMINISTRATOR THAT THE ORDER HE FOUNDED GAVE HIM AN HONORARY TITLE
AND APPOINTED SOMEONE ELSE TO BE THE DECISION MAKER. THOMAS AQUINAS
MADE HIS COMPANIONS GO OUT OF THEIR WAY AS THEY TRAVELED BACK FROM
ROME BECAUSE HE WANTED TO TRY A CERTAIN FISH THAT COULD ONLY BE
GOTTEN OUT OF A PARTICULAR RIVER; UNFORTUNATELY WHEN HE ATE THE FISH,
HE EITHER CHOKED ON A BONE OR DIED OF FOOD POISONING – NEVER MADE
IT HOME. THEY WERE ALL VERY HUMAN.
SO YOU AND I ARE KIND TO
PEOPLE, USUALLY; AND WE ARE REASONABLY GENEROUS WITH OUR TIME AND OUR
MONEY; AND WE TRY TO GIVE GOOD EXAMPLE, MUCH OF THE TIME; AND
ALTHOUGH WE MIGHT HAVE MOMENTARY LAPSES, WE TRY TO LIVE LIVES OF
MODERATION. IS THAT WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE THE SPIRIT, TO HAVE RIVERS
OF LIVING WATER FLOW FROM WITHIN?
WELL, YES, IN A WAY. WE
KNOW, AS SAINT PAUL SAID, THAT EVERYTHING GOOD COMES FROM GOD, SO OUR
GOODNESS DOES AS WELL, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THERE PUSHING US ALONG.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED AT PENTECOST? A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM
ILLITERATE, LIVING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FOOD CHAIN, FEARFUL AND NOT
KNOWING WHAT TO DO, SUDDENLY WERE TRANSFORMED INTO GREAT MISSIONARIES
AND MARTYRS, WHO WOULD START A MOVEMENT THAT INVOLVES A THIRD OF THE
WORLD'S POPULATION TODAY.
THAT'S THE SAME SPIRIT –
HAS HE GOTTEN OLD AND TIRED? HAS TIME AND DISTANCE WORN HIM DOWN?
LOOKING AT THE SAINTS AGAIN, WE SEE WHAT THE SPIRIT CAN DO WHEN WE
GET OUT OF THE WAY. SAINT THERESA OF AVILA WAS A MEMBER OF THE
CARMELITE ORDER; SHE AND THE OTHER NUNS ENTERTAINED VISITORS, READ
TRASHY NOVELS, WORRIED ABOUT THEIR APPEARANCE – ALL DESPITE BEING
IN A CLOISTER. ABOUT 15 YEARS AFTER SHE HAD JOINED THIS ORDER, SHE
BEGAN A PROCESS OF REFORMING THE ORDER, A TASK TO WHICH SHE DEDICATED
THE REST OF HER LIFE. JOHN XXIII WAS WAY PAST THE AGE OF RETIREMENT
WHEN HE DECIDED TO LET SOME FRESH AIR INTO THE CHURCH. NO ONE WHO
KNEW HIM WOULD HAVE PREDICTED THAT; HE DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE A
REBELLIOUS BONE IN HIS BODY. ANDRE BESSETTE WAS A SIMPLE BROTHER IN
THE CONGREGATION OF THE HOLY CROSS IN MONTREAL. HIS DEVOTION TO
SAINT JOSEPH AND HIS WELCOMING PRESENCE AS THE DOORKEEPER LED HIM TO
BE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE BUILDING OF THE SHRINE TO SAINT
JOSEPH IN MONTREAL.
EACH OF US HAS SOME
NATURAL TALENT OR GIFT THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN TRANSFORM INTO A
SUPERNATURAL BLESSING, IF WE COOPERATE. MOST OF US, IF WE ARE HONEST
WITH OURSELVES, CAN PROBABLY IDENTIFY THAT GIFT. I KNOW A
PARISHIONER WHO NEVER MISSES A CHANCE TO THANK SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE
HIM EVEN A SMALL FAVOR. HE THANKS HIS KIDS FOR OBEYING HIM, AND HIS
WIFE FOR FIXING HIS MEALS. AND HE IS SINCERE. MY “THANK YOU”
THRESHOLD IS NOT NEARLY AS FINELY TUNED AS HIS. SOMEONE ELSE HAS
DOGGED PERSISTENCE IN HIS DEVOTION TO WHAT HE SEES AS HIS MINISTRY –
DESPITE DISCOURAGEMENT THAT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE ME LOOK FOR SOMETHING
ELSE. ANOTHER PERSON HAS TIRELESS ENERGY SO THAT SHE IS ALL OVER THE
PLACE SERVING SHUT INS, DRIVING PEOPLE TO APPOINTMENTS, BRINGING HOLY
COMMUNION TO THE SICK, AND SERVING ON BOARDS OF CHARITABLE
ORGANIZATIONS. I THINK ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE ALLOWED THE HOLY
SPIRIT TO TURN ON A TALENT OR GIFT WHICH THEY HAVE. WE CAN SEE
LIVING WATER FLOWING FROM THEM. THE TRUE SIGN OF THE SPIRIT IS THAT
YOU BECOME A BLESSING TO OTHER PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO FIND THAT
NATURAL TALENT WE HAVE AND TURN IT OVER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO WILL
HELP US REFINE IT AND MAGNIFY IT AND MAKE IT SUPERNATURAL. MAYBE WE
NEED SOME INSIGHT FROM A FRIEND OR FROM A SPOUSE, TO HELP US FIND IT.
MAYBE WE NEED A DOSE OF COURAGE TO BEGIN EXERCISING THAT TALENT IN A
BETTER WAY. MAYBE WE NEED SOMEONE, LIKE A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR, TO
SHOW US HOW TO GROW THAT TALENT. THAT'S HOW THE SAINTS DID IT. IF
YOU READ THE LIVES OF SAINTS YOU FIND THAT MOST OF THEM HAD SOMEONE
TO WHOM THEY COULD CONFIDE, FROM WHOM THEY COULD RECEIVE ADVICE,
ENCOURAGEMENT, OR CORRECTION. EACH OF US HAS THE MAKINGS OF A GREAT
SAINT IF WE WANT TO BE. WE JUST NEED TO LET THE HOLY SPIRIT OPERATE.
AND HE OPERATES THROUGH OUR NATURAL GIFTS.
SO TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE
THE MOMENT WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT BEGAN THE CHURCH, LET US GRASP THE
PROMISE THAT JESUS MADE, THAT RIVERS OF LIVING WATER WILL FLOW FROM
THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM. MAY THE HOLY SPIRIT DO FOR US WHAT HE DID
FOR THE APOSTLES AND THE SAINTS.
