Journey to Pentecost
As soon as I finished my last Easter Mass, I drove 11 hours to Connecticut. My brother and his wife welcomed a new baby girl into the world in early April, and I was excited to meet her. Their daughter is doing well and it is so encouraging and exciting to see my little brother as a father.
As I was driving on Easter Sunday, I listened to different parts of the Bible: the accounts of Our Lord’s Resurrection and the Acts of the Apostles. That time in the car gave me an opportunity to ponder a handful of things.
The risen Jesus regularly tells Peter, Mary Magdalene, and His Apostles, “Be not afraid.” Since He has risen from the dead, fear has lost its potency. If Jesus can conquer sin and death, what possible reason do we have to fear? I thought about all the different times I act out of fear in my life – doing things or not doing things because I’m afraid how people will respond, worrying about my own reputation, fearing how much time or effort something will cost me, and the list goes on. However Jesus invites us to surrender our fears to Him, whatever they are. Our worries and concerns can be surrendered to Jesus who conquered sin and death.
Secondly, when He is risen from the dead, Jesus often tells people, “Peace be with you.” He doesn’t simply want life to be exteriorly peaceful with an absence of conflict. Rather He invites His disciples to have a deep interior peace in the midst of conflict. In the Acts of the Apostles, the apostles are persecuted, rebuked, jailed, and cast out because of their beliefs. In the midst of their conflict, they are confident and resolute that God will carry them through. In their struggles, their faith is deepened. The Lord gives them peace in the midst of challenges.
Lastly, note that the Acts of the Apostles really isn’t about Peter, Paul, James, or John. Even though they are preaching, healing, and leading – it is the Holy Spirit at work. The apostles clearly understand that it isn’t their own power, ingenuity, or skill that brings about transformed lives; it is God at work. The Holy Spirit animates the Church, not human skill, ingenuity, and ability. Of course the Apostles are faithful to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, yet they are secondary to God’s activity.
As we journey through the Easter Season and approach the great feast of Pentecost on June 5, these are three things to keep in mind. After He rises from the dead, Jesus tells His disciples to not be afraid and to receive His peace. As the Church carries out its mission, it is the Holy Spirit who leads the Church, not the particular people. The Apostles are simply called to fidelity to the Lord.
May the joy of the risen Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit carry us through the Easter Season.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Sean Wilson
