A: Pentecost Sunday (4 June 2017) - BIRTHDAY OF THE CHURCH - Jn 20:19-23

Happy Birthday to all of us! I say this because today is the known birthday or beginning of the Church of the followers of Christ when 3,000 souls were converted and had themselves baptized as attested in Acts 2:41. Since we are the Church, we do celebrate today our own spiritual births.

Speaking of birthdays, I just notice that in almost all cultures, there are three things that are common and almost always present on this occasion. Under the acronym “b.c.,” they are: 1) birthday cake, 2) burning candle, and 3) blowing ceremony. I see the same things as allegorically present too on this Solemnity of the Pentecost.

Birthday Cake. The disciples in both our first reading and gospel are both gathered inside the house, which traditionally is believed to be the Upper Room, the place where Jesus instituted the Eucharist in the breaking of the bread. They may be gathered again in this place to “break bread” in remembrance of Jesus’ commands. The Eucharist is indeed a meal of unity; take notice of the word “comm-unity.” Like a cake that is compact and sliced to indicate a friendly partaking, the Eucharistic bread represents the loving fellowship among all those present. Similarly, the Pentecost is a time of unity, when peoples from different nationalities and ethnicities are united into one. Let us then ask ourselves: Do we allow ourselves to be agents of unity in our own contexts? Or do we set barriers against those different from us (e.g., Muslims, tribal groups, socio-political sects) away from our Christian society?

Burning Candle. In Acts 2:3, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples was in the form of “tongues of fire.” It is with this fire that actually filled their hearts as they went outside of the room, courageously facing the crowd in the open, not anymore fearful of being identified with the tagged criminal Jesus. They were more concerned now of spreading this joy that they have. They were overflowing with this Zeal for Souls. Like a burning candle that lights a birthday celebration, our zeal is something that is not contained in ourselves alone. It should be spread in the open so that others may be brightened too in their situations of darkness. Let us then ask ourselves: Do we bravely face the crowd to stand for what we believe is right and justful? Do we hold high this torch of truth without being daunted by social pressures, criticisms and rejections in return?

Blowing Ceremony. In Jn 20:22, Jesus is described as “breathing on the disciples” to send them off to their mission of spreading the news of forgiveness. This actually was preceded by a greeting of Jesus which he mentioned twice to his weary disciples: “Peace be with you” (vv.19,21). This address which is derived from the Hebrew “shalom” is not only a wish for peace, but it includes the concept of “well-being, good fortune and protection” as well. The semantic root of this word (“s-l-m”) has subtle traces in the Filipino word “salamat” and clearly in the Arab salutation “salam alaikum.” The idea hence of “shalom” is imbedded in the Filipino culture from North to South. Just as the blowing ceremony in birthdays suggests a wish for long-life, happiness and prosperity, the “shalom” in the Pentecost propagates an air of universal tranquility and peace. Let us then ask ourselves if we support ecological, economical, religious and political policies that promote this value? Or do we contribute to the worsening of inter-ethnic/regional conflicts by our inappropriate remarks and/or actions?

On our birthday then, I wish and pray that we will all have these 3 gifts realized in all of us: unity, zeal, and peace. And in my special way of concern on the current Philippine crisis, I pray then for unity of Christians and Muslims in Mindanao, zeal amongst the Filipino people to stand for the gospel values, and peace among various sectors divided by their political ideologies.

- Rex Fortes, CM