Pentecost Vigil, 2013

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.