The apostles, the disciples and the women who followed Jesus with Mary, his mother, are gathered in the same place to await the power of the Holy Spirit. Being united, praying together, in the intimacy of a house, facilitates the coming of the Holy Spirit. Ephrem the Syrian, in a homily on the day of Pentecost, imagines the college of the apostles "like torches waiting to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit to illuminate the whole of creation with his teaching". He imagines them as a womb waiting to be fertilized, "as sailors whose boat is anchored in the harbor of the Son and is waiting to receive the breeze of the Spirit.". The fantasy of the Spirit chooses to unite its arrival to the impetuous wind, the fire and the word. The prophecy of the Baptist is fulfilled: "He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire."although in different ways and at different times than he thought.
The house, the Church and each one of us, is filled by the Spirit. A house: the Spirit arrives in normality. He has no need of the temple. Saul will receive it in the house of Judas, from the hands of Ananias. The Spirit speaks with Peter on the terrace of the house of Jaffa. With Peter's words, he will descend in the house of Cornelius, a pagan centurion, in Caesarea. In Ephesus, in a house or in an open field, he descends upon twelve disciples who did not know him, by the hands of Paul. He kindles them with his fire, with his wind he scatters them throughout the world, with his inspiration he gives them the word with which they will proclaim the Gospel.
Of the five promises of the "another Comforter" that are in the fourth gospel, today we read two. Jesus calls him "the Spirit of truth"not the logical or metaphysical truth of the Greek world, but the truth that is synonymous with the Gospel, which is Jesus himself. From this living truth, the Spirit will be "witness" and will help the disciples to be so, before the tribunal of the world and of history. So much so, that they will not have to fear if they are handed over to the Sanhedrin or synagogues, governors or kings: "When they lead you away to betray you, take no thought what ye shall say, but speak that which shall be given you at that time: for it is not ye that shall speak, but the Holy Ghost.". He "will lead you to the whole truth", because we would not be able to carry the weight of the many things that Jesus should tell us.
It is the Spirit who guides the Church throughout history to deepen the mystery of Christ and his Gospel. It is not another revelation, because "he will take of what is mine and announce it to you."but a new understanding. It is the path that every disciple also takes: Jesus says to Peter "you don't understand now, you'll understand later", "you can't follow me now, but you'll follow me later", "you can't follow me now, but you'll follow me later"..
Homily on the readings of Pentecost
The priest Luis Herrera Campo offers its nanomiliaa small one-minute reflection for these readings.
