Pentecost (B)
Plural 'you'
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First Reading: Acts 2:1-11
Responsorial: Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 (Alternative Galatians 5:16-25) Gospel: John 20:19-23 (Alternative John 15:26-27; 16:12-15) |
In New Testament Greek class at the Catholic University of America, the professor assigned each of us to read and translate passages from the Greek New Testament. When expressing the Greek text in English, differences between the two languages sometimes presented difficulties. For example in Greek, there are different forms of the word “you” that distinguish the singular and plural. My classmates, many of whom came from the South or Midwest would make the distinction in English by reading “you” or “ya’all.” Being a good New Yorker, I could not bring myself to say “ya’all.” My solution to the dilemma, using the more New York “youse guys,” cracked them up every time. It may seem a small point, but distinguishing where the Greek text uses a plural “you” has theological consequences.
In the gospel passage from John, the Risen Jesus appears to the disciples in the locked room. He addresses himself to them with the second person plural: “peace be with youse guys...,” “so I send youse guys...,” “whose sins youse guys forgive...” You get the idea. Jesus’ gift of the Spirit involves them as a group rather than as individuals.
In fact, in John the gift of the Spirit has already begun to take place. Many times in John, Jesus has promised them that when he returns to the Father he will send them an advocate. This advocate, the Spirit, will be his ongoing presence in the world. And he never does leave them even for a moment. At the very death of Jesus, John tells us that he gives over the Spirit. Notice the use of the article “the” rather than the phrase we might expect: “he gave over his spirit.” And this occurs just after Jesus has established his new family by charging his mother and the beloved disciple to care for one another. It comes just before the pouring out of blood and water from his side, calling to mind the way that the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist will make him present to the community. In John, Jesus’ death and the gift of this new mode of presence are almost simultaneous.
Today’s passage is more commonly identified with the gift of the Spirit, but in a sense it is making explicit the reality which is already occurring. Jesus now empowers them with the effects of his ongoing presence. Just as his ministry defeated the power of sin, so they will now share in that mission. And remember that the empowering is for the group, this new family of Jesus, the Church.
For different reasons, Paul also emphasizes the communal nature of the gifts of the Spirit. He acknowledges that individuals may receive particular gifts, but he reminds the proud Corinthian Christians that such gifts exist for a common purpose, the proclamation of Jesus as Lord, and for the building up of the Body of Christ. Their power to unite is the test of the authenticity of such gifts.
Luke-Acts adds another dimension to the gift of the Spirit. Here in this passage from Acts, the disciples are gathered in prayer on the Jewish feast of Pentecost. An overwhelming event occurs: there was a noise like a great wind, over them rested something like tongues of fire. Then they begin to speak in different tongues. In this case, it does not appear that the gift is one of ecstatic speech, but the capacity to speak in various human languages. Jews from all parts of the known world are able to understand them. In this moment, the Spirit empowers the Apostles and the Church for their task of witnessing to Christ. It is a moment of remarkable communion as linguistic differences fall before the unifying power of witness to Christ. And the moment foreshadows the universal proclamation of Christ to every time and nation.
The Holy Spirit does give gifts to individuals, but only for the sake of the community. The Spirit is not mine, the Spirit is with us. This Sunday, as we celebrate the gift of the Spirit, perhaps it would be a wise thing for us to look around our churches at those around us and give thanks. We need one another if we are to find God – the folks with us in that Holy Communion are a gift to us to help on the way to the Father. And I just have to say it: God bless youse guys!
In the gospel passage from John, the Risen Jesus appears to the disciples in the locked room. He addresses himself to them with the second person plural: “peace be with youse guys...,” “so I send youse guys...,” “whose sins youse guys forgive...” You get the idea. Jesus’ gift of the Spirit involves them as a group rather than as individuals.
In fact, in John the gift of the Spirit has already begun to take place. Many times in John, Jesus has promised them that when he returns to the Father he will send them an advocate. This advocate, the Spirit, will be his ongoing presence in the world. And he never does leave them even for a moment. At the very death of Jesus, John tells us that he gives over the Spirit. Notice the use of the article “the” rather than the phrase we might expect: “he gave over his spirit.” And this occurs just after Jesus has established his new family by charging his mother and the beloved disciple to care for one another. It comes just before the pouring out of blood and water from his side, calling to mind the way that the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist will make him present to the community. In John, Jesus’ death and the gift of this new mode of presence are almost simultaneous.
Today’s passage is more commonly identified with the gift of the Spirit, but in a sense it is making explicit the reality which is already occurring. Jesus now empowers them with the effects of his ongoing presence. Just as his ministry defeated the power of sin, so they will now share in that mission. And remember that the empowering is for the group, this new family of Jesus, the Church.
For different reasons, Paul also emphasizes the communal nature of the gifts of the Spirit. He acknowledges that individuals may receive particular gifts, but he reminds the proud Corinthian Christians that such gifts exist for a common purpose, the proclamation of Jesus as Lord, and for the building up of the Body of Christ. Their power to unite is the test of the authenticity of such gifts.
Luke-Acts adds another dimension to the gift of the Spirit. Here in this passage from Acts, the disciples are gathered in prayer on the Jewish feast of Pentecost. An overwhelming event occurs: there was a noise like a great wind, over them rested something like tongues of fire. Then they begin to speak in different tongues. In this case, it does not appear that the gift is one of ecstatic speech, but the capacity to speak in various human languages. Jews from all parts of the known world are able to understand them. In this moment, the Spirit empowers the Apostles and the Church for their task of witnessing to Christ. It is a moment of remarkable communion as linguistic differences fall before the unifying power of witness to Christ. And the moment foreshadows the universal proclamation of Christ to every time and nation.
The Holy Spirit does give gifts to individuals, but only for the sake of the community. The Spirit is not mine, the Spirit is with us. This Sunday, as we celebrate the gift of the Spirit, perhaps it would be a wise thing for us to look around our churches at those around us and give thanks. We need one another if we are to find God – the folks with us in that Holy Communion are a gift to us to help on the way to the Father. And I just have to say it: God bless youse guys!
