Is there a solution to the problems of divisiveness in society, and in our times? Has America ever been as divided as it is today in the age of President Trump? I know Donald Trump. I like him and have found him to be one of the most open and spontaneous people I have ever met. But, that was before he became President of the United States. I met him again after he became President at a dinner in his home, Mar-a-Lago. He has changed, and the burdens of the office, it was obvious to me this time, weighs on him. The country has spoken, however. He is indeed our President, and he needs our prayers. The message of Pentecost offers a solution to the problems of divisiveness that plagues our times. It is a message of peace and unity which everyone, from the highest to the lowest, hankers after but find it hard to find.
Jesus was a prophet of peace, and gave His life so that all people might possess this beautiful gift. He tells us there will always be wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6). Is it possible, do you think, to be at peace when all around you there is factionalism, enmity, terrorism and wars? The answer, my friend, is that you can have real peace and real unity in your life if you only accept the Holy Spirit. This is a simple answer to a complex problem, but it is the truth. It is the kind of truth that will change and renew your life if you accept it.
Today, we commemorate that first Pentecost or outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. Before they received the Holy Spirit, the Apostles were a frightened bunch, cowering together in a room for fear of the Jewish leaders, the Romans, and the restless society in which they lived. But, after they received the Holy Spirit, these same people became fearless witnesses of Christ, the Prince of peace. The message of Pentecost is a message of peace and unity; something our society sadly lacks because it’s movers and shakers seek them in all the wrong places, and by all the wrong means.
Before Jesus left this world, He prayed that His followers be united so that their unity would draw others to Him (John 17:1-11). He also offered them His gift of peace. Unity and peace! How we yearn for these qualities today! They cannot be achieved without effort and they need to be waged with the same intensity that others wage war and enmity if we are to change our broken world.
Today, we are challenged to return to the spiritual principle of our unity as children of God: “there are different works but the same God who accomplishes all of them in every one” (1 Corinthians 12:6). God is bigger than all of us, and if we seek Him with a clear heart and a good conscience, following the example of His Son, we will find a meaningful place in His scheme of things.
Unity among us, St. Paul says, is like the unity of different parts of the body: “the body has many members, but all the members, many though they are, are one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:12). Everything we do must be done with a view to promoting the common good because we are all interconnected members of the same body. When one of us hurts, we all hurt; when one of us succeeds, we all succeed. What a vision for today’s world! Co-operation rather than disinterested self-interest! Love rather than hate! And, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. Technology, money, education and drugs can be used to promote peace, unity and love rather than hinder them. No man is an island. We need one another and are all part of the same universe. We either rise or fall together.
It is the Holy Spirit who unites us: “all of us have been given to drink of the one spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Our unity with God enables us to grow harmoniously despite differences in personality, roles and functions. This means that scientific inventions, technological developments, and individual talents can foster the common good and give God the glory when they are cultivated responsibly by people who are conscious of their unity as children of God.
The gift of the Holy Spirit transforms the lives of those who are willing to receive it into a magnet of unity, peace and love.
May this gift of Pentecost inspire you, transform you, and accompany you wherever you roam.
Fr. Hugh Duffy
1 Comments
Lynn Lindell
Father Duffy, your message today, on this Pentecost Sunday is very powerful and surely led by the Spirit. I pray for our President. Yes, the people elected him, and now we must pray unceasingly. I pray for our world, that love can overcome hatred, and peace beyond all understanding can come to our world.
Thank you for your message, and God bless!