ADVENT OF THE HARVEST

Each end gives way to new beginning. The end of Easter season today gives way for the beginning of new ordinary time, new way of living. The outpouring of the spirit commences the new life, new way of living the covenantal life. The harvest is the end of hard work and beginning of new life. The coming of Holy Spirit ends the revelation of God and begins the harvest of revelation – procuring members for the kingdom of God. The spirit begins the harvesting of people for the church, for the kingdom. The first reading from acts 2:1-11 narrates the Pentecost event. Until this event there had never been any idea of Holy Spirit neither in the Jewish circle nor in any religion. Jesus spoke about the coming down of the Holy Spirit, in the Old Testament we have mentions of God’s Spirit working in holy people and prophets but this is the first time that the world witnesses the God’s Spirit coming down as fire with wild wind sound to rest upon everyone. In the Jewish circle Pentecost is the harvest festival. On this day the Jews offer the first fruits of their harvest to God. It is on this day, the Holy Spirit comes down to bring out the first fruits of Jesus’s coming, the first fruits of the church - the first believers, the first members of the church. The Pentecost event gives birth to the church and inaugurates the kerygmatic mission of the church. It is in Jerusalem that the Holy Spirit comes down because Jesus foretold that it is from Jerusalem that the message about His kingdom will be carried out to the entire world.

The purpose of Holy Spirit’s coming is to empower each human being with his/her unique gifts. In the second reading (1Cor 12:3-7) St. Paul tells that though it the same spirit comes down to rest upon all, the gifts of the spirit are vary. As believers we are called to live in community, in a family, in a common society where in we have to share our gifts with each other. The different gifts in each one is to help the society to grow with common vision. Thus, giving of all gifts to all will make us to be individualistic and rivals to each other. The variety of gifts of the holy spirit in each person will make our life more interesting, more communitarian and worth living. The Holy Spirit is not going to make us super humans, rather the holy spirit will enable us to discover the unique human gifts in each one of us to serve the Lord in various ways.

Jesus told the disciples to begin the proclamation of the kingdom of God after the reception of the Holy Spirit. The content of the proclamation is ‘peace.’ Jesus through His coming to the world manifested God as loving God for whom we need not fear. He proclaimed God as merciful father who wants harmony among his creatures. The world that is ruptured by economy, domination, idealism… can only be recovered by showing forgiveness and establishing peace. As Christians we have to live the life of peace. Our weapon to lead this peaceful life is forgiveness – forgive not seven times but seventy seven times!. When there is harmony among human beings and creatures there are no rupture in God’s creation. This harmony will restore the peace of Eden garden where humans and creatures lived in perfect harmony. The whole of Christian life is to imitate and bring back the life of Eden garden – harmony with each creature. The Holy Spirit is our aid in doing this establishment. Jesus through the Holy Spirit has empowered the church to forgive sins and grant reconciliation.

As we conclude this Easter season, let us introspect and see in what ways do we utilize the gifts of the Holy Spirit in creating peace and harmony with our neighbours and other creatures. This pandemic has ruptured the world with economic crisis and the increase of poverty. The merciful look toward the debtors and compassion toward the poor can remove the suffering in the world. The goal of life is not to lead a rich life but a peaceful life. Sharing of one’s material gifts may bring down the wealth of some but they in no way disturb the peace of the person. May the Holy Spirit come down upon us to relive the life of Eden garden. In doing so we proclaim the message of Jesus – peace be with you (Jn 20:19, 21).