Reflection from Deacon Russ for Pentecost

The feast of Pentecost is often called the birthday of the Church. And while that’s true, when we say that we unconsciously think of the church as we know it today. But, when Pentecost happened and the church was born, there was no church as we know it today. There was no papacy – at least not like today. There was no Vatican or St. Peter’s Square. There were no encyclicals; there were no cardinals; there were no church buildings or cathedrals or basilicas. But there still was church. All or much of the organizational growth of the succeeding centuries may have been necessary, but it had the unfortunate effect of making people identify the church with its real estate, bureaucracy, titles, offices and laws instead of with themselves. Remember, the Holy Spirit fell on people that first Pentecost and the church – composed of those inspirited people – was born.

The Spirit fell on unwashed fisherman, peasant carpenters, ordinary housewives, suspect tax collectors, and seedy marginal folk, and glued them together by 3 things: baptism into Jesus, the breaking of the bread, and witness by ordinary people. These were the basics of being church. Jesus breathed on them, and they received the Holy Spirit, they received life. The presumption was that each one upon whom the Spirit fell had gifts to use to spread the Gospel. When you come right down to it, the miracle of Pentecost was not that people could understand what the disciples said in different languages. The miracle was that they could say it in the first place. The miracle was that ordinary people who recently had been hiding and full of fear suddenly were church and were making bold proclamations as the Spirit prompted them.

And the same is true today. What makes us church? It’s the same three things. We have been baptized. We celebrate the Eucharist. And when we witness – at work, in our neighborhood, at school – that makes us church. Baptism, Eucharist and witness are still our defining identities as they were on that first Pentecost when the church was born. Perhaps that is why so many of us have missed the Eucharist in the past two months and why many are still unable to be at Mass.

Here at Holy Spirit, we have traditionally said that Pentecost is the birthday of our parish as well. If someone should ask you, “What is Holy Spirit Church like,” the answer is not found in the building and grounds. No, it is the people. “Holy Spirit is a warm, caring, prayerful and gifted community.” Pope Francis reminds us that faith can only be communicated through witness, and that means love. Not with our own ideas but with the Gospel, lived out in our own lives and brought to life within us by the Holy Spirit. Today’s world stands in great need of witnesses, not so much of teachers but rather of witnesses. It’s not so much about speaking, but rather speaking with our whole lives: living consistently. This consistency means living Christianity as an encounter with Jesus that brings us to others. We are not Christians closed in on ourselves. No, not this! Witness is what counts.

That is our mission as a parish. Jesus has breathed the Holy Spirit into us, calling us to renew the face of the earth. As a community, let us rejoice and be glad. Happy Birthday!

If you have a brief faith reflection on today’s reading that you would like to share, please send it to me at deaconruss@holyspiritunoh.org.