Feast of Pentecost
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
—Acts 2:1–4
In this Pentecost homily, Father Richard Rohr encourages Christians to recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit as a gift that God has already given.
It’s a shame that the Holy Spirit tends to be an afterthought for many Christians. We don’t really draw upon the Spirit within us. We tend, I’m afraid, to simply go through the motions. We formally believe, but there isn’t much fire or conviction behind it, so there isn’t much service either.
In the Gospels there are two clearly distinguished baptisms. There’s the baptism with water that most of us are used to, and then there’s the baptism “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11); that’s the one that really matters.
The water baptism that many of us received as children demands little conviction or understanding. Some parents simply do it to make their parents or grandparents happy. Until this baptism by water becomes real, until we know and rely on Jesus, and until we call upon, share, and love Jesus, we’re just going along for the ride.
We can recognize people who have had a second baptism in the Holy Spirit. They tend to be loving and lively. They want to serve others and not just be served themselves. They forgive life itself for not being everything they once hoped for. They forgive their neighbors, and they forgive themselves for not being as perfect as they would like to be.
Even though we pray, “Come, Holy Spirit,” I hope you know that the gift of the Spirit is already given. The Holy Spirit has already come. We all are temples of the Holy Spirit—equally, objectively, and forever! The only difference is the degree to which we know it, draw upon it, and consciously believe it. All the scriptural images of the Spirit are dynamic—flowing water, descending dove or fire, and rushing wind. If there’s rarely any movement, energy, excitement, deep love, service, forgiveness, or surrender, we can be pretty sure we aren’t living out of the Spirit. If we’re just going through the motions, we aren’t experiencing our connection to the Spirit. We would do well to fan into flame the gift we already have.
God doesn’t give the Spirit to those of us who are worthy, because none of us are worthy. God gives the Spirit in this awakened way to those who want it. On this Feast of Pentecost, quite simply, want it! Rely upon it. Know that it has already been given and live out of that trust.
Reference:
Adapted from Richard Rohr, “Why Do You Ask for What Has Already Been Given?” homily, June 8, 2014.
Image credit and inspiration: Arman Khadangan, untitled (detail), 2019, photo, Unsplash. Click here to enlarge image. The Holy Spirit kindles our inner fires: enlivening, inspiring, and sustaining all throughout time.
Story from Our Community:
I liken the Holy Spirit to a wild prairie fire that consumes the old dead grasses and transforms them into fertilizer that nurtures new growth. So it is in our lives. When we are energized by the Spirit of Pentecost, we can spread that fire and energize others to do the same, or we can let the flame die. Thanks to the CAC for the reminder that we can be renewed every morning and hopefully keep that energy alive and contagious.
—Florian L.
