Mass Readings Audio
https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/2021-05-23-usccb-daily-mass-readings
Pentecost Sunday – May 23, 2021
Happy birthday to Mother Church and welcome to the one hundred and sixty-fifth episode of By Your Life. I’m Lisa Huetteman and I know that you have a hundred different things you could be doing right now, so I thank you for choosing By Your Life.
My goal is to inspire, empower, support, challenge, and encourage you to connect Sunday, with Monday-Friday, in a secular business world. It’s my desire to help you live our Catholic faith in the marketplace. I hope to offer you practical ways to go forth and glorify the Lord by your life.
In this edition, we’ll reflect on the readings for Pentecost Sunday. (Mass During the Day.) In John’s Gospel, Jesus promises to send the Paraclete. He calls him “The Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father.” (Jn 15:26) I’d like to consider both the Spirit and the truth as we reflect on the readings for this week and how to apply them to our ministry in the marketplace.
Come Holy Spirit the Comforter
In his homily for this Pentecost Sunday, when the Holy Father, Pope Francis speaks of the Spirit, he points out that the word Paraclete essentially means two things: Comforter and Advocate. As a Comforter, the Holy Spirit gives true peace to our hearts. Unlike the comforts of the world, that like a pain reliever can only give momentary relief but not cure the illness, the Holy Spirit comes down within us and acts in our spirit. As the very love of God, the effect of the Holy Spirit is not temporary. It changes us to the core.
To understand the impact of the coming of the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis says, “Look at the apostles: they were alone that morning, alone and bewildered, cowering behind closed doors, living in fear and overwhelmed by their weaknesses, failings and their sins, for they had denied Christ. The years they had spent with Jesus had not changed them: they were no different than they had been. Then, they received the Spirit, and everything changed: the problems and failings remained, yet they were no longer afraid of those who would persecute them, nor of any who would be hostile to them. They sensed comfort within, and they wanted to overflow with the comfort of God. Before, they were fearful; now their only fear was that of not testifying to the love they had received.”
The pope then challenges us to embody the comfort the Spirit brings. How can we do this? The Holy Father says, “Not by making great speeches, but by drawing near to others. Not with trite words, but with prayer and closeness.” He goes on to say we must take a positive approach by joyfully proclaiming the Gospel, instead of combatting paganism. We should focus on bringing the joy of the Risen Lord, not lament the drama of secularization. He encourages us to pour love upon the world, and not embrace worldliness. It is time to testify to mercy, not for hammering others with rules and regulations. In short, Pope Francis wants us to focus on what is beautiful, good, and true, and not blast what is ugly, evil, and false. Put another way, “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
At work, you know that when you are coaching or correcting someone if you blast them with negativity, you immediately trigger an emotional reaction. That reaction is either fight, flight, or freeze and anything you have to say isn’t going to be effective. They aren’t open to your comments or suggestions, instead, they are defensive, getting ready to fight back, divert to avoid responsibility, or just shut down completely.
On the other hand, if you make them feel comfortable, they are more likely to listen. If you focus on how to do thing right, instead of blasting them for what they did wrong, if you highlight the positives of an alternative, instead of picking on their failure, or if you show them the possibilities of other options, instead of criticizing the one they chose, they are usually more open to change.
Come Holy Spirit the Advocate
Paraclete also means advocate. Pope Francis said, “In Jesus’ day, advocates simply stood next to defendants and suggested arguments they could use in their own defense. Likewise, the Holy Spirit does not take our place, but defends us from the deceits of evil by inspiring thoughts and feelings. He does so discreetly, without forcing us: he proposes but does not impose.”
An advocate does not control the decision, he does, however, influence it by ensuring a person has the tools to make an informed decision. As such, an advocate is seeking to share the truth.
Come Holy Spirit of Truth
Which brings me to the second part of the reflection for today, the Spirit of Truth. Our culture has become obsessed with policing of the “truth”. The problem is that truth isn’t what is being sought. Rather the culture is trying to control what is portrayed as “truth.”
In an article published in the National Catholic Register, Noelle Mering summarizes the problem as replacing critical thinking with critical theory. She writes:
“The purpose of critical thinking is to arrive at what is true. Because of this goal, a critical thinker welcomes every possible objection to his position. Without this discipline, the human desire to be right easily corrupts our thought processes.
“In contrast, the purpose of critical theory has as its end not truth, but power. This disparate end radically shifts the methodology. Dialogue and intellectual rigor are demanded if one’s aim is truth. Suppression of dissenting voices and coercion are demanded if one’s aim is power.
“If critical thinking is the activity of the free man, critical theory is the activity of the controlled and controlling man.
“That many of us do not realize the distinctions between these two methods leads to a lot of frustration. The great strength of the critical thinker is that he eagerly invites criticism. The great weapon of the critical theorist is that he eagerly provides criticism, but never invites it. One side thinks the norm is still debate and dialogue. The other side does not want to dialogue, but to dominate.
Good leaders know that the best decisions are made when all possible alternatives have been debated. Good leaders are critical thinkers. As such, they invite diversity of thought to expose the truth. However, as Thomas Merton wrote in Faith and Violence, “If we love our own ideology and our own opinion instead of loving our brother, we will seek only to glorify our ideas and our institutions and by that fact, we will make real communication impossible.”
Being Vulnerable
To seek the truth, we must be vulnerable enough to discover we may be wrong. To be open to the truth, means that you must challenge your firmly held beliefs and consider, what if, just for kicks, the other person has a valid perspective. If you discover you are right, your beliefs will only be stronger. If you discover you were wrong, you’ll have grown as a person. The Holy Spirit will lead you to the truth if you are open.
In the end, it doesn’t matter whether or not we are right, what matters is whether or not we are holy. Pope Francis reminds us “We save no one, not even ourselves, by our own efforts.” The spiritual life is not the sum of our own merits and achievements, but a humble openness to God. As the Holy Father said, “the advice of the Spirit is, ‘Put God before yourself’. Only by emptying ourselves, do we leave room for the Lord; only by giving ourselves to him, do we find ourselves; only by becoming poor in spirit, do we become rich in the Holy Spirit.”
As you go to your workplace this week, consider how you may be a comforter in helping others seek a better way. Consider how you may be an advocate of the truth. Consider whether you are putting God before yourself, God’s ways before your ways. Just ask the Holy Spirit, he will help you.
Let’s pray from the Sequence.
Come, Holy Spirit, come! You, of comforters the best; You, the soul’s most welcome guest; Shine within these hearts of yours, and our inmost being fill! Where you are not, we have naught, nothing good in deed or thought. Nothing free from taint of ill. Bend the stubborn heart and will. In your sevenfold gift descend; Give us joys that never end.
May God bless you abundantly this week as you open your heart to the Holy Spirit and may you glorify the Lord by your life. Amen.
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