It is now fifty days since the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead. St Mark tells us that even after that time, Jesus had to upbraid the disciples because of their hardness of heart and lack of belief in his resurrection. Humanly speaking, it was almost impossible for them to truly believe what has happened and that this Man, Christ Jesus, is truly the Son of God, raised from the dead!
Even more for ourselves who have not seen the risen Lord, yet we are called to believe. But Paul tells us in the second reading that “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit”. That Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, has been given to us in Baptism, in Confirmation and in every sacrament we have received. Yet even with all that, we are like those whom Paul asked if they had received the Holy Spirit. They answered: “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit”. We may have heard, but have we truly believed? Do we realize that we cannot even believe that Jesus is Lord apart from the Holy Spirit dwelling within us?
At one point the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. For us, Jesus teaches us by giving to us that Holy Spirit who dwells within us and who constantly cries out “Abba, Father”. We are adopted as children of God because we have that same Spirit dwelling in us. Just as when Jesus breathed on the disciples, telling them “Receive the Holy Spirit. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” We are empowered as children of God because of the action of the Holy Spirit within our hearts, breathing on us and sending us as children of God to spread the message of God’s Love for all, of God’s forgiveness of all. We are so empowered if we but believe. But like the disciples, we are slow to believe.
We celebrate this gift of the Holy Spirit at a particular time in history when the whole world is faced with a terrible virus which has already taken the lives of over 100,000 persons just here in the United States. But Jesus tells us, as He told his disciples, “Fear not! It is I!” Just as He promised the disciples that they would pick up serpents and not be injured, so He assures us that if we have faith, the power of the Spirit of Jesus who has been given to us is more powerful than any virus. We are to believe this not only for our own sake, but perhaps particularly for those who do not believe in the Holy Spirit – for those who are afflicted by illness or even death whether of themselves or their loved ones.
And so today we can pray in a special way: “Come, Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of the faithful’”. Give Wisdom and proper discernment to leaders of nations – particularly to the leader of our own nation. Help us all that we may truly believe in Your powerful presence in our midst. Bend the stubborn heart and will, Melt the frozen, warm the chill, Guide the steps that go astray. On the faithful, who adore And confess you evermore. In your sevenfold gift descend. Give us your salvation, Lord. Give those joys that never end.”
May that Holy Spirit descend on each one of us – on each of those who would be with us today – and on those who are afflicted by this mysterious virus. That is the Gift of God that we all stand in need of – faith in the power of that Spirit of God who dwells in each one of us and who constantly calls out: “Abba, Father”.