Pentecost – Solemnity By Tobe Eze

Pentecost – Solemnity

FIRST READING

Acts 2:1—11

SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 12:3b—7, 12—13

 GOSPEL

John 20:19—23

THEME: THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES MANY GIFTS TO US BUT NOT SPIRIT OF FIGHTING.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. 

Ọkwanụ ofu Alahaji ka anyị n' achịrị efi. The Holy Spirit of God is a spirit that gives many positive gifts to the people of God. Many persons are now adding are now adding many other gifts saying that they come from the Holy Spirit. Gifts like:

Group learning how to speak in tongues

Gift of falling down at the slit of any prayer

Gift of fighting etc. Continue Reading

1.       Group learning how to speak in tongues: In my place there is this prayer ministry that every Wednesday they go to Ugwu (mountain) to learn how to speak in tongues. They will pray for sometime and the leader will shout, START! And you will be hearing rrararararara! Hehehehehehhe! Chahachacjschacha! and so on. In today’s first reading, the apostles were speaking not shouting and everyone around there understood them in their different languages. They were speaking meaningful words, but these days we deceive ourselves with all sort of noise making. When the holy spirit of God comes, it will explain everything to you. These are words of Christ. Speaking in languages no one on earth not even the person speaking them understands them, is it the explanation the Holy Spirit will give us? The truth remains that there are some who speak the real speaking in tongues but how do we know them? Let us also leave life of sin or sinful life we live and we will understand the real speaking in tongues as those who heard the apostles today understood them.

2.       Gift of falling down at the slit of any prayer: There is this video of a prayer gathering or adoration that people started falling because the spiritual director was dancing. If people fall became the spiritual director is dancing, what will they do when he prays? From the Bible and from the first reading of today, we are meant to understand that we must not fall to receive the Holy Spirit. Apostles did not fall down before receiving the Holy Spirit. Falling down is not one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Ihe nile abughị ada. Once a prayer section is being started, you see thousands of people falling. Let know it that Holy Spirit can also meet us when we are standing, sitting, peaceful lying down and kneeling down not only when we fall down.

3.       Gift of fighting: In our traditional Catholic prayer we ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle our heart with the fire of love (munye ọkụ nke ịhụnanya). But these days we only use the fire of the Holy Spirit to fight. Once we have problem with anyone, the next thing will be HOLY GHOOOOOOST FIRRRRRREEEEEEEE? Ọbụrụ etua ka Mụọ Nsọ si eregbu ndị mmadu, mmadu ole ga afọdụ n' uwa? We don’t use Holy Ghost fire to fight rather we use if to bring peace, love, charity etc. Mụọ Nsọ bụ Mụọ nke udo, ọbụghị nke esemookwu. The light that were on the heads of the apostles did not consume them to death but it consumed their sins and made them Holy.

The only gifts of the Holy Spirit are these:

Word of wisdom.

Word of knowledge.

Faith.

Gifts of healings.

Miracles.

Prophecy.

Distinguishing between spirits.

Tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)

The fruit of the Holy Spirit are:

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is a biblical term that sums up nine attributes of a Christian life according to Paul the Apostle in his Letter to the Galatians: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Gal. 5:22-23)

Outside these gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit, every other one is manmade which is fake.

In the gospel Jesus breathed on the apostles and they received the spirit of forgiveness. Let us today also receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and fruits of the Holy Spirit. THANKS AND HAPPY PENTECOST.