The Manifestations of the Holy Spirit: Sound and Tongue

 Reflection on Today’s Readings, Pentecost Sunday, June 5th, 2022

Texts: Acts 2:1-11; Psalm104:1ab.24ac.29bc-31.34; Romans 8:8-17; John 14:15-16.23b-26

Today we celebrate the Pentecost, which comes fifty days after Easter every year. Pentecost also marks the end of Easter period. As from tomorrow we begin the second part of Ordinary Time. Pentecost was not associated with the Holy Spirit from its beginning; it celebrated the feast of Weeks, the Weeks of harvest. It was during the celebration of the feast that Holy Spirit came down on the disciples of Jesus Christ. Since the coming down of the Holy Spirit during the celebration, Pentecost has been associated with the coming of the Holy Spirit. Today’s first reading recounts the events of Pentecost.  

The account of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles reveals two actions of the Holy Spirit. It is said, “And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” The Holy Spirit manifested to the apostles in forms of sound and tongue.  The two forms are tied together: the tongue produces sound but ear detects it. However, it is not only tongue that produces sound; the sound heard by the ear could come from another source. The manner in which the sound came, which is as of rushing mighty wind, tells us that it came with power. The Holy Spirit manifests in the form of sound to break our deafness, to make us hear the voice of God. He comes with power to break our deafness.  

The problem of man is deafness of ear; he often resists the voice of God. This was clear at the martyrdom of Stephen. It is said, “‘Look,’ he (Stephen) said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him’” (Acts 7:56-57). They did not want to hear the voice of God so that they would not change. It might also be because they did not want to feel guilty. Some people today have taken to drug abuse and drinking so that they will not hear the voice of God. The Holy Spirit has come to heal us of this deafness, the unwillingness to hear the voice of God. The Holy Spirit manifested in the form of sound to give us ability to hear the word of God. Word is formed from sounds.  

The Holy Spirit also manifested in the form of tongue. The Greek word, ‘glossai’, from which tongue is translated, refers to language naturally unacquired. This means the Holy Spirit has to employ all languages in proclaiming the faith in Jesus Christ. Hence, it is said, “And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?’” This is the calling of all nations to faith in Jesus Christ. This action of the Holy Spirit continues to manifest in the Church, which is present in all nations and speaking their languages. This also manifests in the printing of Bible in different languages. Many nations can now read the words of God in their own languages.  

The first reading also helps us to know that the resting of the Holy Spirit on believers is on going. This is clear in the words: “And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them.” The distribution is an action completed in the past but the resting is on going, it is a continuous action. The word, resting, is from an aoristic verb, a kind of verb that is in the past without reference to whether it is completed, continuous or repeated. However, it is clear in the words of Peter that it is an on-going action, as he says, “For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him” (Acts 2:39). Apart from the fact that the Holy Spirit is extended to all believers, He continues to fall afresh on us, He continues to renew us.

The Holy Spirit has come to make us pleasing to God and God’s children. He makes this possible by turning us away from the works of the flesh. In the second reading, Paul says, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, you are in the spirit, if the spirit of God really dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” He adds, “For all who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship.”  

Jesus Christ reminds us, in today’s gospel reading, that it is by keeping His commandments that we receive Holy Spirit. He says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor, to be with you for ever.” He puts it in another way thus: “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Do you want the Holy Spirit? Keep Jesus’ commandments. Do you want to enjoy the communion of the Trinity? Keep Jesus’ word.  

O God, who by the mystery of today’s great feast sanctify your whole Church in every people and nation, pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth and, with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed, fill now once more the hearts of believers. Amen (Collect)

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke