“And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were…And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 2:1-5)
During the Last Supper on the night before he dies, Jesus promises the disciples that God the Father will send the Holy Spirit to dwell among them. Several weeks later just before his Ascension, the now risen Christ assures them that the Spirit will arrive soon. A few days later in Jerusalem on the Jewish feast of Pentecost he makes good on his promise.
It happens in the same Upper Room where the Last Supper occurred, as the disciples, still confused and frightened over the crucifixion, wait and pray for the promised coming of the Spirit. Their prayers are answered in spectacular fashion, like something out of a Steven Spielberg movie -- described in today’s reading from Acts. A mighty wind from the sky with thunderous sound sweeps through the room shaking the rafters; tongues of fire appear, part and come to rest on each of their heads. And they are filled with the Holy Spirit – an overwhelming sensation of God’s presence.
(I believe that if God the Father had a kitchen refrigerator, he would proudly display on its door a 3x5 photo of the Holy Spirit, right next to one of Jesus at his bar mitzvah. Here’s what the Spirit one would look like enlarged!)
The supernatural outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost dramatically transforms the disciples. Immediately they begin to understand each other clearly, though many speak different languages. Suddenly their confusion disappears and certain basic truths are revealed to them -- 1) Jesus is Lord; 2) His mission is now their mission; and 3) God’s way of dwelling among them henceforth will be in the Spirit.
Along with the wind and fire come various spiritual gifts. The gifts of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding dispel their confusion and reveal the truth about God; the gift of courage dissolves their fear. These and other gifts empower them to preach the Good News with authority; to perform miracles in Jesus’ name; to witness, prophesy; and speak in tongues.
Peter, who denied him, finally finds his courage and becomes a dynamic preacher and fearless leader of the fledgling community. Others who abandoned him on Good Friday also perform heroically, beyond their wildest dreams. Of the apostles, all but John are martyred and many more go willing to their deaths for the faith.
After Paul is converted and assumes the roles of theologian and missionary, baptisms occur at record pace. Despite widespread persecution, the early Church grows by leaps and bounds as disciples filled with the Sprit proclaim to all who will listen -- love is to be the building block of God’s kingdom on earth. Incredibly, a hand full of rag-tag followers of an itinerant preacher crucified as an enemy of the state spark a Jesus movement that spreads across the ancient world, becoming the world’s largest religion. Two thousand years later, the same Spirit is alive and active; still empowering believers as before.
The Spirit comes to each of us in the waters of baptism, descending now unnoticed, not at all like the first time in the Upper Room. The Spirit is with us always, in all the circumstances of our lives, consoling, comforting, inspiring – in the touch of a friend, the sharing of a meal, a passage of Scripture or music, a newborn baby, quiet time on a park bench, and when we reach out to one another in love. For those attuned to the Spirit, the presence of God is experienced all around them.
But most of us have to work at being open to the Spirit because the mighty wind of the first Pentecost is now experienced as a gentle breeze; the thunderous sound, as a whisper; and the blazing fire, as a flicker. And we have to work at it because we’re all so busy and distracted with the stuff of every day life. Generally, spirit filled moments are muted and understated, which is the reason they’re so easy to overlook -- but they’re no less awesome than that first time at Pentecost.
There’s a delightful story about a mother who bought a ticket to a concert by Paderewski, the great Polish pianist. She took her five-year-old son with her, hoping the experience would encourage him in his own young efforts at music. She was delighted to see how close to the stage their seats were. Then she met an old friend and got so involved talking with her that she failed to notice that her son had slipped away to do some exploring. When eight o’clock arrived the lights dimmed, the audience hushed to a whisper, and the spotlight came on. Only then did the woman see her five-year-old on the stage, sitting on the piano bench, innocently picking out “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” She gasped in total disbelief. But before she could retrieve her son, Paderewski walked onto the stage. Walking over to the piano, he whispered to the boy, “Don’t stop! Keep playing!” Then, leaning over the boy, Paderewski reached out his left hand and began to fill in the bass. A few seconds later, he reached around the other side of the boy, encircling him, and added a running obbligato. Together the great maestro and the tiny five-year-old mesmerized the audience with their playing. When they finished, the audience broke into thunderous applause. Years later, almost all those present forgot the pieces Paderewski played that night solo, but no one forgot “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” duet.
That image of the great maestro and the tiny five-year-old at the piano makes a beautiful image of the Holy Spirit and you and me; an image of how the Spirit unites with us to make glorious music. The five-year-old boy, you see, resembles the disciples. When Jesus leaves them and ascends into heaven, they’re like spiritual children. Their knowledge of God and of how live to according to God’s plan is slight, like the little boy’s knowledge of music. And, of course, the great Polish maestro resembles the Spirit coming upon the disciples at Pentecost, encircling them with love, whispering encouragement to them, and transforming their feeble human efforts into something wonderful.
There’s a tremendous lesson here. We look at the world and see so many seemingly insoluble problems. We also look at our own meager talents. How inadequate they appear to be in the face of such daunting problems.
For example, we see the vast number of poor people in the world and ask ourselves: “What could I possibly do to make a difference?” Or we see the immensity of hatred and anger in the world and ask: “How can I even hope to scratch the surface of all this?”
That’s when we need to recall the images of the little boy and Paderewski. Musically the little boy’s skill was minimal. But Paderewski built upon it and turned it into something extraordinary; something that completely mesmerized the audience gathered in the concert hall that night. In a similar way the Spirit can take whatever we have – no matter how small—build on it and transform it into something spectacular.
Do you recall the lyrics* of the Frank Sinatra hit song “High Hopes”, from the 1957 movie “A Hole in the Head;” specifically what the ant with “high hopes” does to the rubber tree plant, or the ram with “high hopes” to the billion kilowatt dam? Well, you in the Spirit can also do what seems impossible. If you don’t know the lyrics, perhaps because you’re younger than 50, let me illustrate with imagery from a poem by Mexican poet and mystic, Amado Nervo, adapted somewhat.
Alone we are only a spark, but in the spirit we are a fire.
Alone we are only a string, but in the spirit we are a lyre.
Alone we are only a molehill, but in the spirit we are a mountain.
Along we are only a drop, but in the spirit we are a fountain.
Alone we are only a feather, but in the spirit we are a wing.
Along we are only a beggar, but in the spirit we are a king.
In other words, don’t sell yourself short. You and the Spirit can work miracles too, just like our ancestors in the faith after Pentecost.
Anthony J. Sciolino
Pentecost Sunday
May 29, 2004. (Cycle C)
Acts 2:1-11
Corinthians 12:7-13, 12-13
John 14:15-16, 23b-26.
*High Hopes
Frank Sinatra
Writer(s): Cahn/Van Heusen
Next time you're found, with your chin on the ground
There's a lot to be learned, so look around
Just what makes that little old ant
Think he'll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant, can't
Move a rubber tree plant
But he's got high hopes, he's got high hopes
He's got high apple pie, in the sky hopes
So any time your gettin' low
'stead of lettin' go
Just remember that ant
Oops there goes another rubber tree plant
When troubles call, and your back's to the wall
There's a lot to be learned, that wall could fall
Once there was a silly old ram
Thought he'd punch a hole in a dam
No one could make that ram, scram
He kept buttin' that dam
'Cause he had high hopes, he had high hopes
He had high apple pie, in the sky hopes
So any time you're feelin' bad
'stead of feelin' sad
Just remember that ram
Oops there goes a billion kilowatt dam
All problems just a toy balloon
They'll be bursted soon
They're just bound to go pop