As Christians 2,000 years removed from the early Church, it is easy to underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit. We tend to think of the Spirit only in relation to the sacraments – and indeed, he is active in each of them. But we who received him in baptism and confirmation can continue to call upon him as we strive to live out our vocations each day.
In the Book of Genesis, God spoke or breathed creation into existence. The Hebrew word for this creative force can also be translated as “wind.” It is no coincidence that Jesus arrives on the scene in today’s Gospel and breathes on the disciples to impart the Holy Spirit. He is creating them anew and giving them power to accomplish marvelous things for the kingdom of God.
We see some of these marvels in the first reading. People are so eager to meet an Apostle, they even lay the sick in the streets so that Peter’s shadow may fall on them. In addition to working miracles, the Apostles passionately share about Jesus as risen Lord, and great numbers are converted. Indeed, the Holy Spirit was alive and active through them.
In today’s second reading, John is caught up in spirit. Usually when we use the term “getting caught up,” it refers to being busy or distracted by something, often something insignificant. What if we daily were caught up not by work or household chores, but in the spirit? For John, this experience entailed a profound awareness of the resurrected Christ, who appeared to him in glory. John is terrified by the power before him, yet Christ reminds him to not be afraid.
The disciples also had been timorous. They were hiding behind locked doors, terror-stricken that they, too, would end up dead at the hands of the authorities. In the face of adversity, one of the marks of the Holy Spirit is peace, though not in the sense of a heartwarming feeling or emotion. The peace of the Spirit manifests itself as the confidence and endurance to carry out the work of God, even in the face of persecution or hardship. Immediately before imparting the Spirit, Jesus tells the disciples, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. Jesus sent the disciples out amid wolves, so to speak, yet they accomplished their work by the power of the Holy Spirit.
For us, “getting caught up in the Spirit” will not require us to leave aside our real responsibilities – our jobs and daily chores – but instead will mean calling upon the Holy Spirit to help us do all these things for the sake of God’s kingdom. The Latin phrase age quod agis – “do what you are doing” – applies here. We do what God has called us to do, and we do it well for his sake. And in this, we contribute to the upbuilding of the Church and we point others to the kingdom of God.
(Fr. Michał Pająk, OMI, April 27, 2025)
