Jun 9, 2011
I was recently listening to two sports commentators rant and rave about a baseball team who has gone from the worst team in their division a year ago to first place this season. If you’ve ever been on a losing team you know the gut wrenching feeling of losing day in and day out (especially in baseball where the season drags on for 162 games in a season). The commentators talked about the “changes” that the team made in the off-season to improve their roster. The changes weren’t anything major, but necessary for the team to get better. These pieces (adding a pitcher, speed on the bases, a hitter and a middle infielder) where all they needed to go from last place to first place. Once these pieces where added the team began to gain confidence in themselves, in each other and the direction they wanted to go as a unit. Ultimately these pieces put them on the winning track. There is nothing like the feeling of victory!
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The ole “worst to first” story never seems to get old for us. We are all intrigued to some extent with stories of people who have persevered through hard times only to come out on top. Stories are written and movies are made about those who have risen to the top of their game/life after being the underdog or overcoming odds. I admit, if I need a good cry or a good motivation I just put in the movie “Rudy” and I’m good to go.
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We often hear in scripture Jesus talking about how “the first shall be last and the last shall be first” (Matt 19:30) or “the greatest among you must be your servant” (Matt 23:11). Does this mean that we are called to sit back and not do anything? Do these passages mean that we should sit on the bench and not get in the game and give everything we have? Does being a servant mean we should be “so” hidden that we aren’t operating in the gifts and talents that God has given us? The early disciples during the time of Jesus sat around the table as Jesus washed their feet and called them to a new type of leadership. Jesus modeled “servant leadership” to his followers and taught them how to do the same in their life. Yet does servant leadership mean we should be passive in our faith, a doormat? Jesus was a true servant, yet he was anything but passive. He was maybe a loser in the world’s eyes but victory was always in his vision. The cross is serving with boldness…it’s winning by losing…it’s gaining by giving up…rising by dying…living by trusting…it’s the greatest victory ever! It’s leading by doing what God asks no matter the cost. His boldness, courage, strength, knowledge came not from his own strength but from his heavenly Father. So how do we as believers operate with this same boldness as Jesus did? How do we get in the game and fully participate on the team?
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We see a major transition in the lives of the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven. Jesus promised the disciples that he would never leave them nor forsake them. He promised them that the “Advocate” the “Holy Spirit” would come to give them what they needed to live, serve, and live their mission. I’m often fascinated by the image of the apostles sitting in the upper room huddled in fear for their lives. They had the uniform on but were sitting on the bench. They were meeting, praying, strategizing but they weren’t going out into the world as Jesus asks them to do. Jesus was explicit with them about their role and call…………“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19). This is a pretty clear commission by Jesus. Yet, they were living in fear, worry and doubt. They were really good people, with really good intentions, but they were not operating with purpose, passion, courage, vision, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, faith, hope and the list goes on. They needed a few changes to their roster to help them get better, to help them respond and rise to the occasion. For goodness sakes as Christians victory as already been won!
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Jesus states in Acts 1:8, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth”. I want this power. Don’t you? I want, need and desire more strength than what I can muster up on my own. Don’t you? The disciples were the same. They desired, intended and wanted to go out there and live their life to the fullest. Yet, something was missing. Fifty days after Jesus resurrection, the time of Pentecost came when the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples. “At Pentecost the glorified Jesus Christ poured out the Spirit in abundance and revealed him as a divine Person so that the Holy Trinity was fully manifest. The mission of Christ and the Spirit became the mission of the Church which is sent to proclaim and spread the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity” (CCC 738). The life of God became a living reality inside each person. Pentecost radically changed the world. It radically changed each disciple and it can radically change you and me. From that point on the disciples left the upper room and began to live in total freedom in Christ as they spread the Good news to the world. The world has never been the same. Pentecost is the greatest “worst to first” story of all time. Yet be aware that winning in the world’s eyes looks different than claiming victory through Jesus Christ. As Christians we walk in this victory, boldly, yet serving and loving each person through the strength of God.
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The great news is that you and I have complete and total access today to the same Spirit as the disciples did. We receive the Holy Spirit at baptism. The very real power of God is inside of us. We also receive the holy Spirit at confirmation. We no longer have to rely on our own strength. God has given us everything we need; his total self is living inside of us, so that we can live in freedom, with purpose. We have access to all the gifts of the Spirit (wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, mighty deeds, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation of tongues, 1Co 12). Pentecost is celebrated in the Church each year to remind us, to call us and to encourage us, to ask the holy Spirit to take over our lives and give us the strength we need to follow Jesus. Pentecost calls us to get off the bench and to get in the game. Jesus is calling us all to move forward, not on our own strength but relying on his strength…living in the power of the holy Spirit.
