Sixth Sunday of Easter: Veni Sancte Spiritus

May 20, 2017

“Jesus said to his disciples: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments… Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.” Jn 14: 15, 21

What is power?

There are different kinds of power.

A dictator has power. The fear he relies on bends people to his will.
The military has power. The military can kill, bomb and destroy.
An infant has power. She can make you get up in the middle of the night to feed her. She can draw everyone in the room to her. She can be the center of your life in a way that the dictator and soldier never can.

So, what is power? Dictators and the military have the power to destroy. The power and vulnerability of an infant touches us at a deeper moral place. The power of a child makes a parent want to be a better person. Power can destroy and power can makes us want to change.

The Advocate:

Everyone needs representation!

The Holy Spirit, is described as “power from on high.” Lk. 24:49. The Holy Spirit is represented by symbols of a dove, water, wind and fire. A dove is gentle. Water drowns and destroys what is vulnerable. The wind blows away that which is not solid enough. Fire burns and consumes what is fragile. The Spirit is also called the Advocate and the Consoler. Advocates prosecute and defend. The Spirit knocks things down, destroys some things and makes it possible for the love of God to grow. The Spirit is the Advocate, the power of truth. In the Gospel, Jesus talks about the Advocate, the spirit of truth that the world cannot accept. St. Paul spoke about the spirit of truth. If the Spirit is to dwell in us, that contrary to the Spirit must be destroyed.

"I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ [Jesus] have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.” Gal. 5:16-25.

This is the preaching of the early Church. Jesus, in the Gospel, instructs us that the Spirit is sent to those who keep his commandments. The reading today begins and ends reminding us that the Spirit of God resides in those who keep his commandments.

The Priest Scandal:

The Advocate tears down and builds up!

Our Church in America is a good example of the work of the Holy Spirit, both tearing down and building up. The Sex Abuse scandal, the worst crisis we faced in the history of the Church in the United States, is not over or forgotten. Several bishops, Minneapolis and Kansas City come to mind, have been forced to resign over the last couple of years, because of the irresponsible manner in which they responded to the abuse crisis. Internationally, the Church is still struggling. One member of the Holy See’s commission on sex abuse resigned as a protest drawing attention to resistance to change in the Curia.

As difficult as our Tucson experience was, our local Church has developed an excellent response to our challenge. At our recent priest convocation, our Diocesan safe environment leader detailed what has been done in our diocese. Eight volunteers diocesan wide have had their clearances rescinded for violating our safe environment standards. Misuse of social media by some employees in other parishes have led to their termination. In the seminary, safe environment also has a very high profile. Our seminarians are very concerned about the issue of safe environment because their training emphasizes awareness of the issue.

Why do I think this is a great example of the work of the Holy Spirit? The sex abuse crisis has been painful for all of us. Now, we openly talk about the problem of sexual abuse of children. Pay attention to the newspapers whenever a public school teacher is charged with a violation of safe standards. How often do you remember those stories before our own crisis? It is an example of the Advocate knocking down sinful structures and attitudes that undermine the work of the Spirit. Before grace can take root in us, sin must be repented from both personally and institutionally.

The apostolic preaching recounted in the first reading is still the work of the Church today. We must, as individuals and as an institution, repent of sin to prepare a place for the Spirit of God. There is one prayer that God never refuses to answer, ‘veni Sancte Spiritus.’ Be careful what you pray for, I warn you. The Holy Spirit is ferocious and dangerous. God’s love knocks things down and cleans things out so that the fruits of the Holy Spirit may flourish.

Come Holy Spirit!