RENEW THE FACE OF THE EARTH, REMOVE THE SIN OF THE WORLD.

PENTECOST SUNDAY. YEAR A.
May 11, 2008.
(First reading: Acts 2:1-11) (Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34)
(Second reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13)
(Gospel reading: John 20:19-23)


RENEW THE FACE OF THE EARTH,
REMOVE THE SIN OF THE WORLD.

Pentecost is the celebration of the coming of the Spirit of the living Christ onto the human race. Pentecost is the celebration of the liberated man's reception of the Spirit of the living God. Pentecost celebrates the joy and peace of the people who have been renewed. Psalm 104:30 says: "When you send forth your breath... you renew the face of the earth".

The gospel emphasizes that with his resurrection, Jesus gives his Spirit to all human beings, with whom he will continue the work his Father sent him to do. "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (John 20:21) says Jesus.

The Spirit we receive at pentecost remains alive in us eternally, just as Jesus lives eternally in the Father. Thus, the power of Jesus to continue his Father's work remains alive in us, active for ever, always renewing the world.

The Spirit liberates humanity.
Those who receive the Spirit of Christ become freed from the structures of sin, the structures of an oppressive, unjust, decaying world.

Those who receive the Spirit of Christ take on the life of the Spirit, that is, the ever present renewal of human life that knows no death; a life of unity, peace, truth, mutual respect and justice for all.

What happens when we refuse to renew the face of the earth?: "Sins are retained"!
Our "sins are retained" because we condemn ourselves to live in a decaying, sinful, disfigured world; a world in which human beings exploit and destroy other human beings. Those who promote or tolerate this sinful world are the ones "whose sins are retained" (John 20:23).

What happens when we renew the face of the earth?: "Sins are forgiven"!
Our "sins are forgiven" because we liberate ourselves by removing the sin of the world, by bringing an end to the structures of injustice, falsehood, oppression, destruction, division and death.

The face of the earth is renewed only by restoring man to his original state of being the image and likeness of God, that is to say, by restoring unity, truth, justice and peace. Those who embark on renewing the face of the earth are the ones "whose sins are forgiven" (John 20:23).

As we receive the Holy Spirit, let us renew the face of the earth; let us remove the sin of the world.