On the evening of that first day of the week, when the
disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and
said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his
hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said
to them again, “Peace be with you. As
the father sent me, so I send you,” And when had said this, he breathed on them
and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven
them, whose sins you retain are retained.” (John 20: 19-23)
It was days leading to the feast of the harvest and there were plenty of
Jews in town to celebrate the festivities which included farmers, merchants, watchers. As customary, Roman centurions were on the lookout everywhere to the keep merry-making peaceful. Jesus's apostles and followers had gone into hiding for fear of getting caught and put into prison. They would meet clandestinely at night in a different house each day and perform the rites that would become the early celebration of the Holy Eucharist, as Jesus had taught them on the night of the Last Supper.
The apostles wait; Mary comforts
But after the Ascension when Jesus promised to them to send the Holy Spirit, the apostles had decided to stay together in a secret house just outside the city where they would invite less suspicion. The menfolk stayed indoors while the women would go outside to buy food and whatever the apostles needed. It was decided that women were safe to go out simply because of their nature. What could women do? They were practically harmless!
Mother Mary had stayed with the apostles, not just to maintain the house as the other women did for She understood the awesome responsibility that her Son had laid ahead for them, but also to provide comfort and guide to Her sons. Her role as "Mother of all" had in fact already begun. Her silent presence alone had given comfort to everyone in the room as She is "full of grace" whom the Holy Spirit has come upon her (Luke 1:35).
"Do not lose heart my son, God keeps His promises," Mother Mary would say to one apostle. "Let us continue to pray and fast, and await His coming."
"Surely perhaps we are not worthy to receive His Spirit?" one apostle would say.
The Dear and Sorrowful Mother would smile wistfully, "Take courage my son. For we must learn to pick up our crosses to follow Him." She continues to ponder everything in Her heart (Luke 2:51).
And this conduct continued in the community for sometime. Everything was done in secret.
The moment arrives
The celebration of the harvest peaks. Everyone in the room felt jovial but were not allowed to venture out. The apostles were reciting verses from the psalms and praising God's benevolence. It was not a time for sadness, for they hardly were, but a time of rejoicing.
Just as the community had finished reciting the last verse of the psalms, a strong gust of wind had entered the room. At first, the apostles felt fear as the house was all closed and the wind could not have come from the outside. But the wind had become a gentle breeze--the kind of breeze one feels while taking a stroll at the beach--and immediately they calm down. A bright light descends, nothing like anyone has ever seen before. It should have frightened everyone in the room, but it does not. And nobody was ever more joyful than the Blessed Mary. It was the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, who was the Heavenly Spouse of the Blessed Mother, who in turn was His Dove. To Mary, it was a familiar presence that filled Her from the very start of Her life.
The brilliance of the Holy Spirit had created a burning fire which represented God's love and mercy to all. It was a fire like none other, possibly more brilliant than the burning bush that Moses had seen. For the celestial fire included the spirit of the Father and the Son, making its brilliance complete.
The work begins
Peter and the rest of the apostles had fallen to their knees in adoration. As the rays of the Paraclete had rested on each one of them--men and women--in a a form of tongues that burned brightly. Instantly, everyone felt an overwhelming wave of calm and a burning love that seemed to consume them but did not burn them. To an unworthy man like me, it would have annihilated me on the spot. But the same fire was infused with grace that gave them strength and a thirst that could not be quenched. It was a thirst similar to what their Master felt on the cross--the thirst for souls. Immediately, the disciples were filled with an understanding of the whole purpose and message of Christ, and they were filled with this zeal to work to achieve this goal at whatever cost.
What seemed to have lasted for an eternity had finally come to an end. The Spirit had left the room and the tongues of fire which had so visibly been seen had faded. But the fire had rested in their hearts that cannot be put out until they had assumed the tasks they had been given to perform.
At the breaking of the dawn, they had transformed into ipse Christus and began to lay the first foundations of the Church.
A Blessed Pentecost to all!
