Since the beginning of it’s creation MTV has brought about nothing good for humanity. As a concept it began to provide music videos and teen culture programming, but it quickly divested to a camera covering life at its worst. This was then packaged and put into form in the 1992 debut of the first true reality TV show called “Real World”. The idea was to take an assortment of 20 something young adults put them all under one roof in a new city and record them living and working together. The result was anything but “Real World” it was more like Fake Photography as what was depicted is “a showcase of immaturity and irresponsible behavior indicative of the declining morals of contemporary youth.” That is a direct quote from Wikipedia, so you know it’s true. Alas at this moment reality tv was born and now everything from Survivor to Real Housewives of Atlanta and absolutely everything in between exists for your viewing pleasure. The sadness is none of it even scratches the surface of what reality is all about.
Today is the feast of Pentecost, today we celebrate the truth of our church existing for a real purpose. See we are so much like the disciples it embarrassing. Jesus focuses so much of his energy on these 12 men, these guys who followed him around watched Him walk on water, multiply the loaves and the fish, I mean at His baptism in the River Jordan the clouds split open and the voice of the father audibly spoke, “This is my beloved son” for them that know him there is no doubt that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Scriptures, He is the long awaited Messiah, He is who he says He is. Yet these men, his chosen ones, who should know that—don’t actually believe it, aren’t actually changed by it, but simply remain spectators. It begs the question…We who have been Catholic our whole lives how cozy is our faith? Have we actually every stood up for Jesus? How many people are followers of Christ because of our example? Don’t worry if there are no good answers here that you can provide because as we follow the Scriptures we see that we are in good company—the disciples They watched Jesus and ate their popcorn until the reality of Jesus and what he said came to a head, as His Passion began, besides John they scattered and withdrew to a more secure location where they could sit back in their cozy recliners and keep the status quo.
The disciples didn’t have much to take credit for either that is Until THIS DAY, as we heard from the Acts of the Apostles, “They were all in one place together.” The promised Holy Spirit descended upon them and they were transformed from spectators to speakers. They spoke not just the languages of foreign folks but because of the Holy Spirit they lived the language of love. They witnessed to the deepest reality this world has ever know, that Jesus is Lord. We kind of rattle that off like it’s a multiplication table, 2 X 2, but to be changed by this truth, to make it what we are about, changes us from being spectators to becoming Saints. How long have we been watching Mass happen, how much do we complain about the state of the world and how it’s just getting worse, heck now MTV is almost like the Disney channel compared to other things that are out there, but none of it changes so long as we are spectators.
My brothers and sisters today is our opportunity to receive the Holy Spirit to be a part of a new Pentecost, “We are gathered here all in one place together, not because it is a convenient location situated between Troy and Brandt pike, although that is true, but because it is our Upper Room where today we receive the Holy Spirit—may the fire of His love ignite our faith so that we may be the next generation of witnesses who testify by our lives that Jesus is Lord and that my life’s purpose is to make this Reality known in my world.
The sacraments come with power. There are different ways to be reminded of this truth. A week ago today I was present for the sacrament of Holy Orders in the diocese of Toledo. Tony Coci was ordained a priest of God according to the order of Malekezidek. The church rejoices at the gift of his life and service because through his words and actions Jesus will be made present in a multiplicity of ways. Fr. Coci will celebrate sacraments, he will be one who
