June 8, 2025 at Saint William and Saint Peter Parishes in Naples, FL
Acts 2: 1-11 + Psalm 14 + 1 Corinthians 12: 3-7, 12-13 + John 14: 15-16, 23-26
Most of us who went to Parochial Schools can surely remember being prepped for Confirmation. We were told that the Bishop would come to ask questions, and the sister or the teacher drilled the answers into us. She told us it would be like a test. Then she told us the answers making me feel as though we were cheating. I always wondered: is it right to know the questions and the answers before the test? It never made any difference in the end however. It may have been the same for you, because when he came and asked the questions, no one raised their hand to answer except that one who always answered the questions whether it was her turn or not. My memory tells me that it started off easy with a question about how many sacraments there were. Then you had name them. After that came the challenge of naming the Holy Days of Obligation. Then, the big question came at the end. We had to name the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. I sat on my hands afraid I would mix up the Gifts of the Holy Spirit with the Corporal Works of Mercy!
That whole focus on gifts is at the root of today’s great feast and the message of this Gospel. Jesus enters that locked up room and enters those hearts locked up by doubt, confusion, and fear to give them one great gift, peace. Think of this. These were the very people who had vanished when he needed them most, who denied him, ran when there was trouble leaving him alone. These were the ones who, it would seem from some of their conversations, were with him only for what they could get out of it. “We want to sit at your right hand” they whined. These were the ones who complained that there might not be enough for them when he told them to feed the people. I’ve always thought that they had the doors locked, not for fear of the Jews, but for fear he might really come back and look them straight in the eye. Suddenly there he was. He came with a gift, the gift of forgiveness, the only gift that can bring peace.
We are a people richly blessed with more gifts than we can count. The consequence of this easily allows us to forget that there is a difference between material gifts and spiritual gifts. A really mature person of faith always knows that difference. They have the gift of Wisdom knowing which gifts endure and are the most precious. They know how to use their gifts for the good of all. They understand that only truth can set us free. They can judge right from wrong with the courage to speak up for justice. They have a holy respect for life and for all creation, and every day they stand in awe of a God whose love is everlasting.
And so, Jesus stands once again among us breathing that Spirit into us, not just upon us. He stands before us as he did in that locked up room with a heart of forgiveness and mercy. He gives us the greatest of all gifts, forgiveness, the only gift that can bring us peace. Anyone who refuses to give that gift cannot receive it, and they will never know peace. Where peace is needed, forgiveness is needed more. Where people of peace live, forgiveness will be found. We cannot pray for peace if we do not pray for forgiveness and give what we have been given.