We are between the Feast of the Ascension and the Feast of Pentecost. The first Pentecost empowered the Apostles to be witnesses: “But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). In today’s first reading from Acts we see Paul empowered by the Spirit to proclaim the Gospel in Asia Minor and Greece. When Paul arrives in Ephesus in Asia Minor, he finds some disciples who have been baptized but only with the baptism of John and have not yet received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul enters a dialogue with them:
Paul: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”
Disciples: “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
Paul: “How were you baptized?”
Disciples: “With the baptism of John.”
These people were in fact disciples of John the Baptist not yet of Jesus. Since they had faith in Jesus Paul “baptized [them] in the name of the Lord Jesus…. laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”
We see in today’s first reading that, much like today, people come to faith in Jesus and to baptism in many ways. Some are baptized as little babies, some as young adults or as adults. Baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit is open and offered to all who put their faith and trust in Jesus and want to become his disciples.
We are a church are empowered by the Spirit and have been commissioned by Jesus:
Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).
Next Sunday as we celebrate the feast of Pentecost, we recall that each of us through Baptism and Confirmation has received the gift of the holy Spirit. We also pray for those members of our parish who received the Sacrament of Confirmation this past Saturday. Let us all be guided and challenged by the Spirit.
Image: “Descent of the Holy Spirit” by Lawrence OP is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.