Acts 2
All of us have heard what happened to the apostles when they received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. As the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak. But each spoke a different foreign language. Now, God-fearing foreigners living in Jerusalem at that time heard them and understood them in their own languages. The apostles spoke all kinds of languages but delivered the one and the same message of the Gospel of Christ.
I wonder if you tried to look up the readings of the vigil Mass of today’s Solemnity. It tells us about the story of the Babel Tower. Very interestingly, the Old Testament explains how there came so many different languages all over the world. And also, it tells us why there are many people scattered all over the earth. In the beginning, there was only one language for the whole human race. But, as they developed civilizations, somehow, they wanted to build a town and a tower with its top reaching heaven. At this attempt, God was very displeased and he confused their language and scattered them all over the world.
These two passages are in stark contrast. In the Old Testament, people were scattered all over the earth with the confusion of their common language. Now in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit gathers all peoples by their different languages into the same Gospel.
What does the Bible teach us here?
When the ancient people decided to build the town and tower of Babel, cried out: “Let us make a name for ourselves, so that we may not be scattered about the whole earth.” The word, ‘name’ in the Bible does not mean a mere label or title for something. It often means ‘nature’, ‘power’, ‘glory’, and ‘authority’ as we see when we make the sign of the cross – “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” When the ancient people shouted that they wanted to make a name for themselves, this was a declaration of self-worship or idolatry of humanity. In other words, those men wanted to become their own heaven by building their tower reaching heaven. Their conceit and arrogance dishonoured God. They played God. But their own glory brought disasters upon themselves. Although the Old Testament describes God scattered men out of concerns, we know their pride brought the disintegration and destruction of their own civilization. As we experienced through history, when the man was at the height of his self-worship and playing God, he brings social disintegration and wars. People distrust and hate one another and are scattered.
What was the first command of Jesus when he breathed his Spirit into his apostles as we heard from the gospel today? He told them to forgive. The Holy Spirit gives the power and courage of forgiveness. And forgiveness brings people together. It gathers rather than scatters. This is demonstrated in the Pentecost event by bringing all peoples of different tongues. The true language of the Holy Spirit is humility. Humility speaks forgiveness and healing. Humility gathers people through the language of forgiveness and healing. This is how the Holy Spirit creates unity among men and between God and men as he creates the perfect unity among the Trinity. The Holy Spirit breaks down the tower of Babel – the symbol of human pride. He builds up the community through the power of humility and forgiveness.
