Pentecost Sunday
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.
MP3 Homily: The Holy Spirit
As a child one of my favorite movies was The Karate Kid. I think I must have practiced the famous crane kick over a hundred times. Some of the most classic scenes in the movie are the interactions between Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-son. The real attraction between the two came was when the young teen was saved by Miyagi from a group of bullies. “How could such a simple old man have such power and skill?” This leads Daniel to request that the Japanese born handyman train him in karate.
The next few scenes are filled with irony as Daniel is asked to do simple menial tasks around Miyagi’s home. He is told to sand the floor, paint the fence, and wax the car. Why? This question hounds Daniel and the audience. Time is of the essence and this old man has our hero doing stupid odd jobs! The reason, we discover, is that Daniel must grow first in the virtues of humility and discipline in order to handle strength with honor.
Divine teaching
This teaching model is very much like the one employed by the divine instructor, the Holy Spirit. We hear in the Gospel today, “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when He comes, the Spirit of Truth, he will guide you to all truth…” Our Lord is giving us a glimpse into the ways and methods of the Holy Spirit. He works through attraction, slowly drawing us to truth while at the same time stripping away our self-love. Over time, without our knowledge, we begin to grow in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the infused virtues. By stretching our desires, God grants us the capacity to receive the greater gifts He wishes to bestow.
This same method of the Holy Spirit is to be used as we seek to bring the Good News to others. Each of us at our Baptism and Confirmation receive the call to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Mt. 28:19). This is in essence the New Evangelization: to bring the Gospel to those who have never fully experienced its beauty. In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and the other disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit and go forth with new found courage to preach the Good News. They do not condemn or look down upon those they encounter, but rather bring the message that truly God has brought us “good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Lk. 2:10).
God created us in love as His Image. The Father sent the Son into the world to die for our sins and rise again. This is the “attraction” like what caught Daniel’s attention about Mr. Miyagi in the movie. The young teen was not ready yet to embrace the full message of honor and respect that the old man needed to teach him. Only with time and maturity will Daniel become skilled and honorable like Mr. Miyagi. The same is true of evangelization in our modern times. People need time and attention from us to embrace the complete message of Christ. Therefore, we must first allow the inherent beauty of the Gospel message to shine brightly. The essential message must be proclaimed loudly since it truly attracts and fulfills all the longings of the human heart.
How will it end?
This basic Gospel message is found in the Creed which we recite each Sunday. That message of Good News and mercy is so attractive and welcoming. Then with time, the person can learn to develop the virtues and respond to the Grace given to live the Christian life. This radical love in action is in perfect harmony and flows from the 10 Commandments.
Everyone wants to know how the story will end. But we are not ready to see the future. The future is God’s. What we need is patience and docility to the Holy Spirit so that we can be prepared for the gifts He wants to bestow on us.
The Holy Spirit, who is the best of all teachers, guides us gently in the ways of holiness. The life of those living in the Spirit shine brightly in a world of darkness. Their life invites others to enter into the same journey. May the Holy Spirit work powerfully in our world to bring the Good News of Salvation to our nation.