Christ reveals his Church through the Holy Spirit
When the Son of God became man, he spoke and acted humanly. People could meet Him, see him, touch and talk to Him. How Christ is revealing himself today ?
Christ reveals his Church to the world for the first time
Listen, what does St.. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles :
“When the day of Pentecost has finally come, they were all in the same place together. Suddenly there was a noise from the sky, like a blast of a violent wind, and filled the whole house, in which they were staying. Tongues as if made of fire appeared to them, which split up, and one rested on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign tongues, as the Spirit let them speak.
Pious Jews of all nations under the sun were then in Jerusalem. So when did this noise arise?, they flocked in crowds and were amazed, because everyone has heard, how they spoke in his own language. «Do all of you, who speak, they are not Galileans ? »- they said with amazement and admiration. «How then each of us hears our own mother tongue ? - Parthians and Medes, the Elamici, and the people of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Frygii oraz Pamfilii, Egypt and those parts of Libya, which lie close to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs - we hear them proclaiming God's great works in our tongues »" (Dz 2, 1-11).
Astonished, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and pilgrims from all over the world flocked to surround the Cenacle. Then they saw Christ's disciples gathered together, who went out to meet them and told them about it, what happened here. They stood before them as eyewitnesses of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They spoke convincingly about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and about it, that at that moment He had sent the long-promised Holy Spirit. He just gave their words strength and power. The audience faithfully accepted these words, and the Apostles baptized them with St.. That day with the apostles around 3 thousands of new followers of the risen Christ. God's word is proclaimed with power, the faith and growth of the Church - these are the fruits of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. All, what the apostles did, they did not by their own power, but by the power of Christ, who worked in them by sending the Holy Spirit. St.. Łukasz writes, that this action was accompanied by various phenomena, e.g.. wind noise, tongues like fire. Here is Christ, risen and glorified, revealed his Church to the world that day. The Apostles, of the disciples and women gathered in the Upper Room, the Holy Spirit made a living sign, that the risen Jesus Christ lives and continues to save people in and through the Church.
The Solemnity of Pentecost in the Church
50 days after Easter, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Pentecost. This holiday ends the Easter season. The faithful all over the world gather in temples, which are like today's Cenacles. The Holy Spirit is present and working the same as on the day of the first coming, renews the Church of Christ, gives him his gifts, it enlivens the love of God. It cleans it, that it may become an ever clearer sign of the presence of the risen Christ. It encourages, that he may proclaim the mighty works of God with power and faith.
In the readings of this celebration, Christ calls us, that we may become more and more aware of our responsibility for it, that we belong to the Church.
The Solemnity of Pentecost, celebrated every year, it allows us to get to know the mystery of the Church more and more deeply, in which Christ lives. He is not visible, as he was not visible at the time of the first apparition of the Church. A visible sign of the risen Christ to all, who wish to be saved, is the life of individual Christian communities, that is, parishes scattered all over the world. When believers gather on Sunday and holidays, when they participate in various celebrations, pilgrimages, as they fulfill Christ's Gospel in their lives, then they give witness to the whole world of Jesus Christ. *
* For example. in Poland, during the solemn celebrations of the visit to the image of Our Lady of Częstochowa, the whole parish shows its faith and devotion to the Mother of Jesus and His Church. When representatives of various states and professions greet or bid farewell to the symbolic sign of the Mother of God or her image and receive the bishop, then they publicly express their faith. And the Holy Spirit reveals the Church of Christ through them.
Thus the Holy Spirit makes of the Church a living and visible sign and reveals it in various ways, that Jesus Christ, who died and rose again, lives and saves in the Church.
The Holy Spirit reveals Christ's Church through, gifts and charisms
The Holy Spirit gives gifts to the faithful for the good of all people. We call these gifts charisms. They get them, whom the Holy Spirit chooses to perform difficult and great tasks. With their lives and activities, these people contribute to the renewal of the development of the Church, and the institutions they founded, zakony, betting, continue the work of renewing the Church throughout the world that has begun. By the martyrs, saints, founders of religious orders, great men and women, The Holy Spirit reveals the Church to all people at all times.
Such an extraordinary gift was, for example,. the gift of tongues, which you learned from the story of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit endowed the Apostles with still other extraordinary charisms : mocą uzdrawiania chorych, raising the dead, deliverance from evil spirits. But also in our times the Holy Spirit gives great gifts to people : a gift of extraordinary wisdom, the gift of the word, the gift of a strong and living faith, etc.. The Holy Spirit also gives ordinary gifts : apostolic zeal, the gift of serving and serving others, the gift of consolation, governance skills, etc.. Each of us receives some gifts from the Holy Spirit - these are different skills, passion and abilities. We should discover them in ourselves, get to know and develop. This is how the Holy Spirit works in us. He encourages us, that we use his gifts for the good of the whole Church, that it will grow and be revealed to people.
How will I answer God ?
In Poland, especially in the countryside, there is an old custom of decorating houses for Pentecost with green branches and calamus. Green is a symbol of life. It reminds us, that Jesus Christ lives in the Church, that the Holy Spirit animates and reveals the Church of Christ.
You belong to the Church, which is a sign of the presence of the risen Christ. So can you belong to him in secret and in secret? ? No ! You are jointly responsible for this, whether the Church today is for others a clear sign of Christ. How can you testify of Christ ? Maybe by serving others ? Perhaps by faithful participation in Church ceremonies ?
Gratitude for sending the Holy Spirit, who also lives in you, you can express with prayer :
“Truly worthy and just, right and salutary, that we may give thanks to you always and everywhere, Lord, Holy Father, almighty eternal God, through Christ our Lord. He ascended above all the heavens and, sitting at your right hand, sent the foster children of the promised Spirit. That is why all peoples throughout the world are drowning in an excess of joy " (Preface on the Holy Spirit).
■ Think :
1. Kiedy Chrystus zesłał Ducha Świętego?
2. Co objawił Bóg w tym wydarzeniu ?
3. What Christ is calling us to do, as we listen to the readings on the Solemnity of Pentecost ?
4. What does it mean, that the Church is a living sign of Christ ?
5. Jakimi darami Duch Święty obdarza ludzi ?
6. W jaki sposób Duch Święty objawia Kościół dzisiaj ?
■ Remember:
48. Kiedy Chrystus po raz pierwszy objawił światu swój Kościół ?
Christ revealed his Church to the world for the first time on the day of Pentecost.
49. Przez kogo działa Chrystus w swoim Kościele ?
Jesus Christ works in his Church through the Holy Spirit.
50. Of which the Church is a sign ?
The Church is a sign, that Christ glorified still saves people.
■ Task :
1. Jakich znasz wybitnych ludzi w Kościele, who made Christ known to others by their lives and activities ?
2. Jak możesz okazać, that you are responsible for the Church ?