Saturday of the Sixth Week in Easter
In a little more than a week we will celebrate the great feast of Pentecost, when the disciples receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit, who guides the Church in continuing the work of Christ. This feast is the conclusion of the fifty days of the Easter season. For now, we continue to celebrate the great mystery of Easter. In one way, though, as we move through the Easter season, we reflect upon the effects of Pentecost. As you may have noticed, we’ve been moving through the Acts of the Apostles, which chronicles the earliest work of the Church in Christ’s earthly absence. In Acts, the resemblance of the apostles to Christ is striking – they preach with eloquence, perform miracles, and even lay down their lives – what a contrast to their confusion, fear and thick-headedness in the gospels!
Their newfound courage can only be attributable to the Holy Spirit whom they have received. It is appropriate that along with wisdom, understanding, piety, patience, right judgment, and reverence, courage is one of the traditional “gifts of the Holy Spirit.” Today’s readings lead us to reflect more deeply upon courage.
In the gospel reading, Jesus exhorts the disciples to have the courage to petition the Father because of the Father’s love for them (John 16:24, 27). It just so happens that Jesus’ encouragement comes after he announces to them the coming of the Holy Spirit (see John 16:13-15). It is God the Holy Spirit, the Gift of Jesus, who gives the disciples courage to ask anything of the Father.
In today’s first reading we see courage in action among the disciples of Paul. As the Church continues to grow, more people are coming forward to preach the gospel. We hear today of Apollos, who was a Jew, expert in the Jewish Scriptures. He has come to recognize Jesus as the Christ and speaks accurately of Him, but his knowledge is limited (Acts 18: 25). Fellow Christians Priscilla and Aquila, therefore, pull him aside and help him to understand more accurately. Apollos demonstrates two aspects of the gift of courage: he speaks and teaches “with ardent spirit” and is, nevertheless, open to fraternal correction.
See, courage is traditionally contrasted with fear on one side and with foolhardiness on the other. Apollos isn’t fearful because he’s willing to preach about Jesus. Yet, he isn’t foolhardy or reckless because he doesn’t attempt to preach about what he doesn’t know and is open to the instruction of Priscilla and Aquila. Further, we know that Apollos’ courage is holy precisely because it brings people to God. After he is then encouraged to go on preaching by his fellow Christians, his efforts bear much fruit (Acts 18:27).
Today, let us try to be courageous in at least one act. That is, let that act be neither fearful or reckless, but let it be directed toward the greater glory of God.
—Tim Gabrielli