Allowing the light to shine within us

 After 50 days we arrive at the end of Easter with the celebration of Pentecost. This celebration marks the birth of the Church not just as a physical entity but as a shift in the relationship between God and humanity. It is why Mary is often depicted in iconography as presiding over the birth of the Church just as she presided over the birth of Jesus. This significant moment allows us to ponder more deeply where the light of Christ is called to shine out from within us to set the world on fire with the love of God.

It is poignant that after this particular season, we extinguish the light of Christ that has been focused on the Paschal Candle. The Paschal Candle is only relit at baptism to mark how we are born into Christ through the waters of baptism and how at a funeral we are born into eternity through our own dying to self. The light of Christ is extinguished externally because the light of Christ is called to burn deep within us and transform us from the inside out.

This is at the heart of the passage from the Act of the Apostles 2.1-43. In this reading we seek to hear the voice of God addressed to us in a language we can understand and appropriate. This prayerful listening helps to unlock the wellspring of God's grace within us. The sense of renewal and rebirth can gush forth powerfully in a way that often amazes and surprises us. The descent of the Holy Spirit is not scheduled on our timeline but on God's initiative. 

As we see this allows us to be open to the teachable moment where Peter reechoes the work of Scripture contained in the words of the prophet Joel.  The reality is that in the person of Jesus, we see the law and the prophets fulfilled. Drawing on the Davidic proclamation that we are called to be glad in celebrating the reign of God within us.  This teachable moment touches both our minds and our hearts in welcoming this Good News.

This proclamation is to be shared in the way we live by sharing what we hold in common. Allowing us to break bread with each other and share generously with those in greatest need. The reality is that we are called to be at one with each other so that we can be at one with God.

This is at the heart of synodality as we listen to the voice of God in our own age. It allows us to become teachable in discovering who we are called to become in Christ. Then to provide pathways that most easily allow the Gospel to be witnessed in our own time.