Notes from the Pastor

In the Scripture Readings for today’s Mass, we hear two accounts of the Pentecost. The more dramatic of the two occurs in our First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1-11) where the Holy Spirit descends upon the Apostles, empowering them to speak in different tongues so that the Jews from different lands who had gathered in Jerusalem could hear the message of Jesus proclaimed in their own language. The second, and perhaps less dramatic account is found in today’s Gospel (John 20:19-23) where the Risen Jesus, himself, appears to the Apostles, breathes the Holy Spirit upon them, and commissions them to go forth and continue the mission of announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God.

Hopefully, by the time you read this bulletin, we will have installed a “Fatima Shrine Stone” in the area of the Fatima Grotto East of the church. This stone was originally placed at the main entrance of St. Joseph Hospital (what is now Lovelace Hospital).

What gives us joy? The beauties of nature, surely! And children. How Jesus rejoiced when little children climbed onto his lap! “Let the little children come to me,” he said. And what joy he must have felt when he brought physical and spiritual healing to people. The deepest source of Jesus’ joy, however, was his loving relationship with his heavenly Father, his Abba. Jesus tells us that wherever he might go, whatever he might do, he remains in his Father’s loving embrace.

Despite any illusions that we are “self-sufficient,” if we are truly honest, we must admit that we cannot “do it all” by ourselves. We will not be useful, productive, or successful unless we go about our tasks and accomplish our mission in and through the power of Jesus Christ. But really, that is a good thing! Having Jesus Christ, Spirit-filled and risen from the dead on our side, and empowered by the gifts of God’s Holy Spirit, is what truly gives value and meaning to whatever we do.

All four of the canonical Gospels use the metaphor of Jesus as shepherd. Indeed, the image is deeply woven into the language of the Old Testament, where God is often described as a shepherd and Israel as his chosen flock. Originally, the people of Israel saw their kings as having been appointed by God to lead the people, as a shepherd would lead his flock. But some of the kings of Israel were so unfaithful to God that they were actually leading the people away from God by their bad example.

Today’s Gospel (Luke 24:35-48) follows the encounter the two disciples had with the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus, where they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Now, these same two disciples have returned to Jerusalem to share news of this encounter with the Apostles who had gathered in the Upper Room where the Last Supper had taken place. All of the Apostles are hidden there, staying out of sight for fear that those who killed Jesus would soon be coming for them.

Healing plays a huge role in our society. As a nation, we spend billions of dollars annually on healthcare. Like our physical health, our spiritual health also needs attention. Throughout the Gospels, physical and spiritual healing are major characteristics of the ministry of Jesus. Some healings are recalled in great detail while others are simply mentioned in passing. Yet all of these healings are signs of the Kingdom of God.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is truly Risen! This proclamation, spoken since the first Easter, reminds us of what this day – the Feast of the Resurrection – is truly all about. In our modern world, Easter is often seen as a one-day event of bunnies, candy, pastel colored eggs, and a sumptuous family meal. But these things alone really miss the significance that this day truly holds.