The Spirit’s Gift of Courage in the New Normal

Homily: Solemnity of Pentecost

31 May 2020

John 20: 19-23

Metro Manila is set to be on General Community Quarantine starting June 1. When the news broke, reactions were divided. Some heaved a sigh of relief while others took to social media to express their fears that the city had inadequately prepared for the transition to GCQ. In Twitter, #Survivor Philippines trended, another comic jab at our experience such as the MMGCQ or Matira Matibay General Community Quarantine. Yet others joked that after making it through nearly 3 months of a large scale ‘Pinoy Big Brother’ (PBB) scenario, we are now being hurled into the Endgame where we are teased: “May the best immune system win!”

They may seem funny to us but if you think about it, it subtly reveals that society is actually scared for its safety! Filipinos are rather known for making light of difficult situations. In fact a British friend of mine recently remarked: “As if the coronavirus crisis were not enough, you now battle a strong typhoon! And yet I see smiles on the faces of suffering Filipinos in the news.” We make jokes but it does not mean we do not worry. Sometimes it merely veils our fears. 

In the early stages of the pandemic, we have seen and heard countless accounts of panic buying and rude behavior in grocery stores. Sometimes, even the educated and the wealthy, from whom you would expect more civility, displayed impatience, irritabiliy and selfishness because fear had gotten the better of them. Remember the toilet paper crisis and the hoarding of alcohol and disinfectant? Who would have thought it would come to the point of rationing these items? While this pandemic has been an occasion to show the best of humanity, it has also exposed their unpleasant side. 

As we go into GCQ, the excitement of finally being free of our home prisons is diluted by yet another fear. Under stricter circumstances, the protocols to keep society safe were easier to implement but as the public surges back into the world, one wonders how to ensure everyone practices social distancing and proper hygiene. There is even a newly-coined term for people who misbehave or act with abandon, oblivious of their own safety or of those around them. These “covidiots” ignore warnings for public health and safety, and who hoard goods, thus denying access to those who also need them. To be honest, it is this reprehensible behavior that scares even me! I can not imagine how I can reintegrate myself into the world burdened with these fears. People often tell me, that as much as possible, they’d rather stay home till a vaccine is available or a permanent solution to the pandemic has been found. Till that time comes, are we just supposed to hide?

The Gospel of John relates to us a similar atmosphere of paralyzing fear experienced by the disciples after the crucifixion of Jesus. They all gathered in the Upper Room and locked their doors for fear that they would be arrested and they may meet the same fate as Jesus. They were afraid that they would no longer be free to do the simple things that they used to do or move about as they pleased because they could be identified as followers of Jesus. This crippling fear even led them to doubt what Jesus had revealed to them that he would rise after suffering a painful death. In their fear, they allowed the darkness of Jesus’ death to cloud their minds and hearts, preventing the light of Jesus’ resurrection to break forth. Then, Jesus appears!!! We imagine that the sight of Jesus, alive and well would by itself, dispel their darkness and fill them with a renewed sense of courage. However, the gospel confirms that even this marvelous moment of truth, was insufficient to embolden them. Courage only came to them upon receiving the Holy Spirit, a gift that Jesus promised them as he ascended into heaven. Jesus encouraged his fearful disciples with a greeting of peace and an invitation to take courage: “I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33) In the Pentecost account in the Book of Acts we see these disciples, once gathered behind locked doors, have found the guts to get out into the open and speak in a public place proclaiming that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, and all other such wondrous things God has done through Him. They do this now without fear of the danger to their lives.

This Pentecost, let us ask the Holy Spirit to come to us and bestow on us the gift of courage. Courage we will need as we transition into GCQ and adjust to the changes and inconveniences of the new normal. We ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with a fearlessness that is not arrogant (“maangas”) but one characterized by mindfulness of actions, knowing that our personal choices affect others. St. Paul reminds us in the Second Reading: “As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body.” If we read further in this letter, Paul would say: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it, if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Cor 12:26). Having been brought together as one in the Risen Lord, we strive to look after one another. We choose always to act with compassion and consideration not just for the benefit of our loved ones but also for the people around us because we bear in mind that they too are treasured and cherished by their loved ones. As we pray the words of the Sequence, we ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen us inwardly… “to bend our stubborn heart and will, to melt the frozen, warm the chill and guide the wayward home once more!”

Do I seem to advocate that we all dare to go out into the world tomorrow? Don’t get me wrong. I am merely saying, our fears should not keep us from doing what is necessary. We, as individuals, have unique gifts that we share with one another, contributing to the collective of society, in the hopes of elevating humanity. We all have a mission in life, that we strive to accomplish as we live and breathe. We are fathers, mothers, workers, students, employers, law enforcers, media practitioners, medical workers, leaders, etc…. We still have a role to play in society. The gift of fortitude from the Holy Spirit helps us realize that although the threat of Covid 19 is real, life has not come to an end and we should not be paralyzed by our fears. St. Paul reminds us that we who have been filled by the Spirit of Jesus are not to live in fear but rather in hope. We believe that the One who raised Jesus from the dead will also make us rise above our present woes and lead us toward fullness of life.

Tomorrow, the government allows us to unlock our doors. As we assimilate back into the world, let us invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts, to fill us with the courage we need to discover our place in the new normal with people who have suffered with us in this pandemic. May we become brave enough to continue the pursuit of our mission in life all for the glory of God!

Photo of Taize stained glass on the Descent of the Holy Spirit from http://www.pinterest.com