Winning. (2024-05-19, Pentecost)

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 [version_05 ]    Homily, Pentecost, 2024-05-19 (year B)  ●●Acts 2:1-11 ●● Psalm 104 ●● 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-7, 12-13  ●●+John 20:19-23 ●●

[__01__]     Do you like to win, to get a victory? I do. Winning feels great, whether it's in a competitive game or sport or daily struggles.

Pope Francis described Easter as the "victory of life over death, the triumph of light over darkness, and the rebirth of hope amid the ruins of failure."

Today, we celebrate Pentecost, derived from the Greek word “Pentekoste,” meaning 50th, marking the 50th day after Easter. Similar to a 50th wedding anniversary, it's a time to reflect on the journey, the memories, joys, and hardships leading to this moment of victory.

 **Journey Through Lent**

Our journey began with Lent's 40 days leading up to Easter, a period of renewal through love, prayer, and fasting. These hardships and the hunger we experienced weren't meant to divide us but to unite us with our Savior and each other.

This unity and shared experience signify our victory. Isn’t it a "win" when we can love each other through difficult situations or be present to someone even when words fail us, when we do not know what to say?

The 40 days of Lent were not about losing but about winning through sacrifice, prayer, fasting, and charitable giving.

 

**Miracle of Pentecost**

Pentecost, the 50th day after Easter, is about another form of winning.

The apostles became international superstars, proclaiming the Gospel in many languages without any technology.  But they did have a “signal”, the Holy Spirit.

The true miracle of Pentecost isn't just the proclamation but the fact that the Gospel was heard and understood through the Holy Spirit.

In our relationships, we don’t win by saying the right thing but by hoping the right things are heard. Have you ever felt misunderstood in a conversation? Pray to the Holy Spirit for translation and understanding.

**Spirit and Community**

We often use "spirit" to describe motivation and enthusiasm, like "school spirit" or "team spirit," which give us identity and community.

During the 2024 NCAA March Madness men’s basketball tournament  a team was in search of “spirit”.

          They did have “externals” players and coaches and equipment, and basketballs and uniforms. 

          But they lacked necessary band and musicians for their “school spirit” with trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and drums.

          The band contributes to the “spirit” of the whole game experience.

          The band increases the cheering and unity of the crowd.

          Yale– from Connecticut – was scheduled to play a game against a much stronger opponent – Auburn. The game was being played in the NW USA, in Washington State, 3,000 miles from CT.  The band for Yale could not get there.

          Yale did the next best thing and reached out the University of Idaho and the U. Idaho band played for the game. Yale U gave them T-shirts and other logo wear.

Yale U did cover the cost of transportation, but the band were Idaho student volunteers and not paid.  Yale also supplied them blue Yale T-shirts so they could look the part.  They also bought them pizza. They’re in college. There is always pizza.

So, this “volunteer temporary” band learned all the necessary music, wore the T-shirts and Yale defeated Auburn in a major upset.

[__06__]  In this case, Idaho and Yales have a beautiful 2024 memory.

Our discipleship and love for God is more, however, than memories or anniversary parties. It is a daily practice, sometimes a daily grind toward winning our salvation.

There's a temptation to merely “wear the T-Shirt” without true  enduring commitment. Jesus, visiting his disciples on Easter, challenged them to keep their relationship with Him alive and to seek true victory.

 **True Love and Victory**

Jesus taught that true love and victory mean loving those who don't love us back, acting as volunteers when there’s no immediate reward. Do we love voluntarily, even when it seems there's nothing in it for us? This means seeking inherent value in our actions, ourselves, and each other. This is true victory.

 

**Correcting and Forgiving**

Sometimes, loving your child or friend or family means taking a stand for his or good, even you are understood.

We may are called to correct each other lovingly, which includes forgiveness. Accepting correction doesn’t mean we’re no good but that we can grow and change. This is the path leads to personal conversion, true peace, and victory through the Holy Spirit.

 **Conclusion**

Faith is a real practice and journey Just as the apostles were empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel, we too are called to live out our faith with enthusiasm and commitment.

It is through the Holy Spirit that we can perceive and we can practice and get better each day to be attentive to what the Holy Spirit as the source of God’s love for us:

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.