This Sunday between the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost Sunday leads us to consider the experience of the Apostles during that period of prayer and preparation 2000 years ago. The Introit sang those beautiful words of longing from Psalm 26, “Hear, O Lord, my voice calling to you…I seek your Face, O Lord, do not hide your face from me” This Psalm perhaps puts into words the ineffable sentiments of the Apostles, gazing toward heaven, filled with longing for the Lord to return—hoping to see him once again, face to face.
As long as our earthly pilgrimage lasts, we share their sentiment—our hearts yearn to see God face to face. But, we must not remain idle while we await the end of our pilgrimage. In the Epistle, St. Peter teaches us what we must do to make our life on earth a real preparation to meet God: “Watch in prayers. But before all things, have a constant mutual charity among yourselves.”
This is exactly what the Apostles did as they waited for the Holy Spirit: together in the Cenacle they persevered in prayer in the unity of fraternal love.
Last week, I spoke of the importance of prayer, daily prayer, gathering for prayer with fellow Christians, offering petitions for the needs of the world and the needs of the Church. Praying with Our Lady, like the Apostles did in preparation of Pentecost.
Consider, this week that second instruction of St. Peter: “have constant mutual charity among yourselves.” Mutual Charity. Mutual Charity is to be one of the hallmarks of the Church. Charity toward each other, toward your fellow Christian. Charity that treats fellow Christians and true brothers and sisters in the Lord. They will know we are Christian by our Love, says the old spiritual.
Charity of course is not just a feeling. When Peter says, have mutual charity, he’s using that word in the same sense as St. Paul when Paul writes says, “charity is patient, it is kind, it bears all things, forgives all things” Charity requires being patient when we want to be impatient, being kind when we want to be selfish, enduring and persevering when we want to give up, being humble when we want to be pompous, forgiving when we want to brood over injury.
Is there a fellow Christian that just rubs you the wrong we, we not to take utmost care to practice Charity toward them. That might just mean keeping our lips shut when we are around them, but it might mean, going to them in private and seeking to make peace with them. Correct in private, praise in public. It certainly also means remaining vigilant against feelings of resentment and bitterness—backstabbing or ruining their good name behind their backs.
Rather, we are to be encouraging one another in good works, again not standing around idle, the Lord wants us at work, engaging in the works of charity, helping each other cultivate virtue, practicing kindness and forgiveness.
St. Paul goes so far to say that if you go throughout life without Christ-like love, then you are like a resounding gong, a clashing cymbal; in other words, you are just going through life making a bunch of noise. The world is noisy enough, we shouldn’t be adding to the problems of the world by failing to love each other as we’re supposed to. It’s even kind of scandalous when Christians fail to love one another.
Rather, charity, St. Peter says today, covers a multitude of sins. In other words, practicing true Christian charity makes up for so many of our faults and shortcomings and selfish behavior. This coincides with the Lord’s own teaching that those who practice mercy, will be shown mercy by God.
In the Gospel, the Lord reiterates His promise concerning the descent of the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s promise of the Paraclete must have resonated with the Apostles prayerfully preparing for Pentecost.
At morning Mass next week, I will be administering the sacrament of Confirmation to a number of our youth. I’ve been encouraging them to prayerfully prepare for Pentecost as well. I’ve encouraged them to examine their lives and consider which of the Spiritual Gifts they think they need to grow in: wisdom, understanding, right judgment, fear of the Lord? Which of the fruits of the Spirit do they see lacking in their life: patience, joy, fortitude? And after considering what is lacking, pray for the Holy Spirit to strengthen you in these things.
Today, the Lord particularly speaks of how the Spirit will grant courage to the Church to testify to the Gospel, something all of us need to be strengthened in. As we pray together and for one another, as we practice mutual charity toward one another, they are emboldened by the Holy Spirit to do quite amazing things—even to become martyrs for the faith.
As we await the feast of Pentecost, may we make our lives and our families fertile ground for the Holy Spirit who gives us courage to witness to the Saving Gospel of Christ—through prayer and mutual charity for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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