ON THE Feast of Pentecost we hear the Gospel of St. John say: “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me; and let the one who believes in me drink, for the Scripture says: Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water”.
Jesus was referring to the Spirit, which those who believe in him were to receive; the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.
Mary who had been listening to these words began to say, “This the Prophet”. Others said, “This is the Christ”. But some wondered, “Would the Christ come from Galilee? Doesn’t Scripture say that the Christ is a descendent of David and from Bethlehem, the city of David?”
The crowd was divided over him. Some wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
Regarding the communication of the Spirit, in Wisdom 1:7 it says: “The Spirit of God fills the universe”. Actually God never ceased communicating himself. His Spirit enters into a person’s spirit whom he awakens, animates and impels. At all times he has been active in the artists, thinkers and heroes, and is also present in the spirit of people of upright heart.
The Spirit is not poured out like water. The Spirit of God becomes one with the spirit of the one who receives him. As long as we do not know God in truth, the Spirit comes “over” us, as occurred with the liberation of Israel, who did not necessarily become better for having been an instrument of God (Jdg 11:29. Only after Jesus had entered into his Glory could he give his Spirit to those who would be united with him.
Spirit had not been given. Many manuscripts read: There was no Spirit. In fact the meaning is the same. In this second way speaking spirit refers to the manifold communications of God’s Spirit.
This ambiguity sounds strange to believers, who consider the Spirit to be a divine Person. Of course, the Spirit is as much person and as much God as the Father and the Spirit are, but the Spirit’s manner of being God and person and One is not the same. The Spirit is “communication of God dispensed” to all creatures through all times. He is somehow able to distribute himself, dwelling in each creature with different gifts; then he brings them back to unity in God. Because of this, Scripture sometimes says: “the Spirit”, at other times: “spirit” (Lk 1:15; Acts 6:3), or even: “the spirits” (Rev. 1:4; 3:1).
Out of him shall flow rivers of living water. Compare 4:10. Bread and water: the Body of Christ and the Gift of the Holy Spirit. In verse 38 we read: Out of him shall flow rivers of living water.
Such is the story of Pentecost according to the Bible.
On another note, our modern way of communication is through cell phones, phase-book and email. These keep us busy 24 hours a day and distract us from sitting down and reflect on the fact that the Spirit of God is communicated to us and be aware of the presence of his Spirit in our world and our everyday life. This is more important than all the other communications.
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