The Gospel for the Feast of Pentecost is, in fact, a shorter version of the Gospel for the First Sunday after Easter, which is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. On that occasion the Gospel Enquiry focused on the theme of peace – that reflection can be found here: https://reflections.josephcardijn.com/p/gospel-enquiry-what-if-peace-is-a . On this occasion, the focus will be on the somewhat opposite poles of fear and joy which are both prominent themes in this text.
The setting of the Gospel is the day of the resurrection. Not surprisingly, the disciples are in hiding, afraid that, having killed Jesus, the authorities would now come after his followers. The symbolism of closing themselves in a room call to mind the paralysis of fear where the sufferer is simply unable to act, even for their own good. The appearance of the risen Jesus among them is a transformative moment for the disciples. The text tells us that they ‘were filled with joy’ (Jn 20:20). Immediately after, following his second greeting of peace, Jesus bestows the Spirit on the disciples and commissions them with the gift of forgiveness.
The transformation from a state of fear to one of joy and from a disposition of paralysis to one of mission are profound indicators of the Spirit at work in the lives of the disciples. It is a very pertinent reminder, to today’s disciples, on this Feast of Pentecost, that the Holy Spirit can transform human experience from fear to joy and can impel individuals and communities to act, in the name of God’s Kingdom.
Gospel Text: John 20:19-23
In the evening of the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you’.
‘As the Father sent me,
so am I sending you.’
After saying this he breathed on them and said:
‘Receive the Holy Spirit.
For those whose sins you forgive,
they are forgiven;
for those whose sins you retain,
they are retained.’
See
How does the greeting of Jesus, to the disciples, compare to their original disposition?
What is the impact of the presence of the risen Jesus on his disciples?
How is the relationship between the coming of the Spirit and the idea of mission shown in this text?
Judge
What situations lead to a ‘paralysis’ due to fear in my own experience?
How can the actions of others lead some people to experience fear?
What does it mean to have joy in a world which is so often characterised by cynicism and mistrust?
Act
How can I respond, in my own circumstances, to the call to mission from the coming of the Spirit?
How can I contribute to overcoming fear and in others?
In what ways can I bring joy to others?
Image: https://copilot.microsoft.com/chats/8Ce3yZNERXrZsAcKe8mcU
Gospel Text https://www.universalis.com/Australia/1100/mass.htm
Further Reading: