GIFTED FOR ACTION
Today, we stand in awe before one of the most powerful moments in the life of the Church: the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This moment fulfills the will of God from the beginning of creation. In Genesis, God breathes life into Adam. In today's Gospel, the risen Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit upon his disciples. The disciples are huddled behind locked doors, paralyzed by fear. Their teacher has been crucified, and their hopes crushed. Yet, Jesus comes, walking through their fear, not with rebuke, but with Peace: "Peace be with you." Then He breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
This breathing of the life-giving Spirit is a restoration of what was lost by Adam when he disobeyed. While this breathing of Jesus signals new life, Pentecost brings something more: a definitive, public, and powerful outpouring of the Spirit, transforming the once-timid disciples into bold proclaimers of the Gospel.
In both John's Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit is not merely a comforting presence. He is the divine empowerment that transforms fear into boldness, silence into proclamation, and hiddenness into witness. The Spirit is given not just for comfort but for mission. The Holy Spirit does not arrive to help the disciples stay hidden behind doors but to propel them out into the world—to move, to speak, to forgive, and to reconcile.
As it were, the Gospel tells us the Spirit of God has been given, and it is possible to receive him for a mission. Acts 2 shows us what happens when the Spirit truly takes hold. With wind and fire, the Spirit fills the room, and suddenly, the disciples are outside, in the streets, proclaiming the mighty works of God in languages they have never learned. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is not a private possession but are intended to serve the common good of the body of Christ—the church (1 Cor. 12:7).
God does not give us the Spirit simply to feel good but to do good—to bear witness, speak truth, bring justice, forgive sins, heal wounds, and build the Church. This now becomes a great challenge to all of us who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us to take action, to do something for God's mission in the world.
This truth is especially relevant in our time, when it’s easy to view church as something we attend, rather than something we are. The gifts of the Spirit challenge us to move from consumers to contributors—to come not just to receive a blessing, but to be a blessing. As 1 Peter 4:10 instructs us, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
When we serve using our spiritual gifts, something beautiful happens: the Church is built up, believers are encouraged, and the love of Christ is made visible to the world. This is how the Church grows, not just in number, but in maturity, unity, and love. This is the will of God. So, let us not bury our gifts or underestimate their value. Whether public or unseen, every gift matters in the eyes of God. Let us stir them up, use them faithfully, and offer them in service to one another.
We are not here today to receive the Holly Spirit anew; we already have him. Instead, today’s celebration invites us to stir into flame the Spirit already within us—to allow God to rekindle and renew His gifts in our hearts—not merely for personal blessing but for public witness, not simply to comfort us but to commission us.
So, let us ask God today at this Mass to inspire us to rise with boldness—to avoid sin, to proclaim the truth of the Gospel, and to serve our neighbor with the love and power of the Holy Spirit.
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