^9
The Message -- for Catholics of Southwestern Indiana
Commentary--
' The return of Jesus: The giving of the spirit
commentary for May
Pentecost Sunday,
gospel reading
of the first
Sunday, the disci-
themselves in out of
suddenly stood among
greeted them with the
alachem!" maning
his
WOunds of his crucifix-
to see him. He
alachem!" Then
their mission. "As the
so do I send you." Then Jesus
and said: "Receive the Holy
shall forgive, they are for-
sins you shall retain, they are re-
By FATHER
DON DILGER
COLUMNIST
L day the Church celebrates the coming
Spirit to the disciples of Jesus. We
than "apostles"
nor Luke limit the giving or
the 12 apostles. Only Luke
an election to bring the number back to 12
of the Spirit, but when the Spirit
description there are 120 people
It may be interesting to read-
connects the coming of the Spirit
feast of Pentecost. For the Jews the
a joyful festival celebrated on
the offering to God of the first
(barley) cut from the field. This offer-
Passover time. Thus the cele-
observed on the fiftieth day after
us, it is the fiftieth day after Easter.
The word "pentecost" is derived
from the Greek ordinal number
"pentecoste" meaning "fiftieth."
Luke sets the coming of the
Spirit to the Church on that Jew-
ish festival. He must have had
some reason for doing so. Either
there was some stupendous event
enlivening the disciples of Jesus
on that day, or he did it for a sym-
bolic reason. The symbolism may
be that of harvest. Since the Jew-
ish people connected this day with
the first grain harvest, Luke may
have thought this day particularly
appropriate to show as fulfilled the
words of Jesus in Luke 10:2, "The harvest is plen-
tiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to
the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into
his harvest." With the coming of the Spirit the
harvest begins immediately as Luke describes it
in Acts of Apostles.
When we cast doubt on the coming of the
Spirit to the Church on the Jewish feast of Pente-
cost we do so with good reason. The Gospel of
John which we read today has the giving of the
Spirit by Jesus to the disciples on the evening of
the day of his resurrection. Luke's story in Acts of
Apostles tells us that after Jesus rose from the
dead, he remained with the disciples 40 days, as-
cended to his Father, and 10 days later sent the
Spirit; John, however, describes, the resurrection,
ascension, return of Jesus, and giving of the Spirit
all in one day. We may also point out that in
Luke's first book, his gospel, He speaks of Jesus'
resurrection and ascension to the Father on the
same day. So even Luke has two different times
for the ascension of Jesus. We are therefore on
solid ground when we try to interpret the story of
both Luke and John not as an historical event but as
symbolic of a spiritual reality.
The Holy Spirit of God does indeed rest upon
and guide the Church. Both Luke and John want to
teach that point to their readers and hearers, but
they go about it very differently. Luke reaches back
to the Sinai event, when God revealed himself to his
people with an awesome display of nature including
fire. Thus Luke speaks of the rush of a mighty wind
and tongues of fire resting upon the gathered disci-
ples. John thinks of a new creation throughout his
gospel. He began his book with the same words with
which the creation story began in Genesis, chapter
one, "In the beginning." In Genesis 1:2 creation be-
gins when the Spirit or breath of God moves over the
waters. Thus John describes the breath or Spirit of
God given to Jesus' disciples when Jesus breathes
upon them and says: "Receive the Holy Spirit."
Whatever the symbolism may be, something big
happened to turn ordinary people into a dynamic
group who were willing to face death to speak pub-
licly about Jesus and their mission to continue his
work. Some dynamic force seized them and changed
them. We call that Force the Holy Spirit. The Spirit
of God is still at work today. Though most of us go
about our work as Christians in a more quiet way,
there are still among us people as full of zeal and en-
thusiasm as the disciples in Luke's story. Perhaps we
are more like the disciples in John's story. They
didn't seem to do much about it after Jesus breathed
the Spirit of God into them. They went fishing. Could
we at least combine Luke and John in ourselves and
go fishing for people with the forgiving love which
Jesus on this day ordered his disciples to exercise?
Readings: Acts 2:l.ll; 1 Corinthians 12:3.
7,12-13
Synod
Continued from page 1
the chancellor, all members of
the council will serve three
year terms. After three years,
new members will be selected.
The guidelines proposed by
the Synod Implementation
Team are to be considered as the
standard working document for
the beginning of the Diocesan
Pastoral Council -- but the
council members may decide to
make changes as they develop a
Constitution and By-Laws.
Names of people being nomi-
nated for council membership
must be submitted by July 5.
The first meeting of the new
council will be a weekend of
orientation and recollection,
August 12 -- 14.
i ii
Other concerns
of the Synod
Synod Motion 8.1 directed
that eight additional issues
raised during the synod plan-
ning process be given to the
Synod Implementation Team
for further study, reflection
and follow-up. Those eight is-
sues are: expectations/role/sup-
ply of priests, deacons and reli-
gious; the role of women in the
church today; healing and rec-
onciliation; administration and
management; justice; evange-
lization-outreach; stewardship,
and family.
Synod Motion 8.2 directed
that material prepared on the
Council of Religious, Dia-
conate, Commission on Women
in Church and Society, Health
Care Ministry Commission,
and Social Concerns Commis-
sion be given to the Synod Im-
plementation Team or Dioce-
san Pastoral Council for
further study, reflection and
action.
At its last meeting, the
Synod Implementation Team
agreed that this issues and
material mentioned in the mo-
tions should be forwarded to
the Diocesan Pastoral Council.
Some of the concerns -- such
as stewardship and family
have already been given atten-
tion. The Office of Stewardship
and Development will continue
to lead efforts toward total
stewardship. Family concerns
are assigned to Catholic
Charities.
(Campbell) Hurst will celebrate their
with a Mass of Thanksgiving
of VOws May 22 at Holy Spirit Church,
House, hosted by their children and
, Will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the school
requests no gifts. They were married
are the parents of six children: Starr
and Mary Davis, both of Evansville,
I.. and Cynthia Pugh, both of Newburgh,
Iiurstof Sturgis, Ky. Their son, George,
have nine grandchildren. Mr. Hurst re-
with Small and Schelosky Company in
is a homemaker.
U
IN
