Pentecost Yr C 2025

Title

The Spirit is More than Pentecost

Outline

We can say three things about the Spirit:

We know the Spirit comes at baptism

No one can make a true baptismal confession except by the Spirit. “no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the holy Spirit.” That is, the Spirit comes with his seven-fold gifts at baptism and forms one into a Christian. Failing to recognize this causes great confusion and scandal in the Church. Here we have the needed character to look like Jesus.

The Spirit gave the Church the authority to function as the body of Christ.

This is a Johannine interest. The event is the evening of Easter. The Church has already reformed in the upper room, for the core was gathered mulling over reports of the resurrection, if in fear. Jesus comes and speaks peace and sends them on his mission, although not yet worldwide. Then he gives them authority by the Spirit to function as he did, to function as his body: “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” We might include here some of the spiritual gifts of 1 Cor ch 12, noting that there are differential functions within the body. I am not generally gifted as an evangelist, but the Spirit can give me that ability when he wishes.

The Spirit thrusts the Church into specific missions

The disciples already knew about world mission; the Church was organized and using its authority; and they were “praising God in the Temple” which surely resulted in growth (there were 120 on Pentecost, not just 12 and a few women). But it was limited to Jerusalem and no one knew when or how the outward mission would start.

God waits until he has gathered people from the world within their worldview to Jerusalem; he creates the spectacle of the Church excitedly praising God for his mighty acts in different languages. This draws a diverse crowd and the fact of Galileans speaking the same message in various languages draws a crowd and authenticates the message, as Peter’s speech will make clear, creating almost instant evangelism, i.e. 3000 baptized who will return to all those places with the message that has transformed them. Speaking in foreign languages was the right tool handed to the waiting Church at the right time to produce God’s desired results.

My point, dear Sisters, is that we need all three aspects of the Spirit in the right order at the right time.

One must be a Christian formed in the character of Christ to be molded into the body of Christ that has authority to represent Christ to the world before God can empower and equip one for a specific mission. Get the order wrong and one has disaster, a Caiaphas giving a true prophecy to a group unable to grasp the Spirit’s meaning at a time that leads to the crucifixion of Jesus, but nevertheless is, of course, used in God’s providence. One can get leaders who shame the Church and result in people leaving. But get the order and emphasis right and one can have a new Pentecost, but perhaps with different gifts and certainly with different timing.