SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST A
THE GOD OF MEMORY
JN 20: 19-23
When a woman’s husband died unexpectedly, the woman determined to keep the clothes her husband wore for the last time. She would look at it, smell the perfume on it, embrace it… hoping that this will revive her memories of her husband. Soon however the remembrance of his looks, his smell, and his physical warmth faded with time.
As the Lord Jesus prepared to return to the Father, he knew how important it would be for the disciples to keep alive many things. They needed to hold on to the words of his teachings, the wonder of his miracles, and the strength of his promises. That was why on the night he rose from the dead, and especially on the day of Pentecost, the Lord imparted to his disciples the Ultimate Gift: Receive the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit comes to keep alive the past experiences with Jesus, and even the remote actions of God in the history of Israel. Because he is God, the Holy Spirit makes present the memory of God’s interventions in the life of his children. In remembering these things, the Lord Jesus remains in our midst, new and fresh each time: Do this in memory of me.
In speaking of the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus emphasized that his task would be to teach and remind. He would be the Advocate who will guide people in remembering, especially when times are tough. And indeed, the disciples of the Lord had to go through many unheard of challenges – oppositions, persecutions, hardships, exile, even death. Going through these trials, it was easy to doubt, question, and even to forget God. It would even be easier if they just gave up on faith altogether. But the Holy Spirit is the God of memory; he makes God live again in our hearts, present again, remain again in the lives of Christians everywhere.
After the glory of the Resurrection, we too, like the disciples wait. While waiting, we live in the world that does not make it easy for us to cling to Jesus. While we experience the “magnalia Dei,” the great works of God, we also face many difficulties and tribulations. How do we hold on to our faith in the Resurrection when personal struggles make us lose our focus on the Lord? It is in such moments that we call on the Holy Spirit, when we welcome the Holy Spirit, when we receive again the Holy Spirit as once Jesus gave him to us. We must say each day: Come, Holy Spirit!
The Holy Spirit accompanies us, lives in our hearts, even in the midst of a life of struggles. When it is easier to become tired, afraid and stop, the Holy Spirit lifts us up and strengthens us. He brings back to our mind and heart the memory of the Father, and the memory of the Son. We will not forget for a single moment that we are in God’s loving hands. The Holy Spirit reminds us of the love and faithfulness of God. Come, Holy Spirit! ourparishpriest 2023
