Pentecost

May 24, 2026

John 20:19-23

In a Reader’s Digest’s article, Fr. Simplicio Apalisok in his book, tells how of a child, was captivated by the sight of an old man prayerfully peering into an old cistern. Intrigued about what the old man was looking at, so the boy edged up to the cistern and tried to see over the ledge. The old man held him with his shovel-like hands helped him over the ledge of the wheel. “Do you know who lives there?” the old man asked. The frightened boy shook his head. “God lives there. Look!” but the boy only saw his reflection in the still water. “But that’s me,” said the boy. — “That’s right,” said the old man. “Now you know where God lives.” God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are dwelling within us right now.

We fail to appreciate the infinite worth of the Holy Spirit living within each of us, sharing His gifts and fruits and charisms with us. On this major feast day, we are invited to experience and appreciate the transforming, sanctifying and strengthening presence of the Holy Spirit within us. This is also a day for us to renew the promises made to God during our Baptism and Confirmation, to renew our profession of Faith, and to begin again to practice it faithfully every day. 

This treasure of the Holy Spirit is with us, even if we often do not see it. We tend to look for only the flashy gifts, the ones that would make us stand out, that would make us noticed.

As individuals and as communities of believers, we are sometimes like the Corinthians in today’s reading. We use the gifts we have received from God to divide rather than unite. We prize some gifts over others. We think that more extraordinary gifts like ‘speaking in tongues’ or being a brilliant preacher or teacher are better evidence of the Spirit’s presence than the more ordinary gifts of administration or leadership either in the parish or in tending the sick, feeding the hungry, or comforting the sorrowing. By our personal and corporate scandalous behavior, we obscure the gospel message and make it difficult or sometimes impossible for non believers to accept.

Today’s readings, then, come both as a sober reminder and as a great relief! We have been created and re-created by the breath of God. We may not have the gift of ‘speaking in tongues’ or being understood by people who do not speak our language, but we speak in a new kind of tongues: the tongues of our right behavior, of our kindness and genuine concern and care for our brothers and sister in the faith, and for those outside it. We speak honestly and with compassion about the needs of others and then about God’s Good News. All these things proclaim the deeds of God so that all can understand and believe. It is more difficult to see the gold beneath the dirt of ordinary living.

We work for unity by putting an end to competition, strife, and divisions among us, and value each other’s God-given gifts. We can exercise the same power over sin that Jesus did, especially by the authentic and inviting witness of lives lived according to the truth about God, revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We need to look into the well and see in our reflection God living in us.

All this may be accomplished when we are thankful for our dependence on God, rejoice that Jesus is Lord, accept Jesus’ Advocate in our lives to guide us, and offer ourselves willingly to help renew the face of the earth. And, all this is what bringing the Kingdom of God into existence is all about.

Fr. John Tran