Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, MSpS, homily on the Vigil of Pentecost May 19

Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, MSpS, homily on the  Vigil of Pentecost May 19 

Five years ago we gathered at San Fernando Cathedral on Pentecost to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and to proclaim a Pastoral Vision for the Archdiocese of San Antonio: Encountering Christ, United as Church, Sent by the Spirit! This evening we gather on the Vigil of Pentecost with hearts filled with joy and gratitude for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit throughout these five years — and the three hundred years of life and faith here in central Texas!

Our Archdiocese is consecrated to the Holy Spirit. Each of us needs to develop the inner freedom to accept the many, diverse gifts of the Spirit. We need to continue to call upon the Spirit’s guidance in our life as a community of faith. We also need to listen attentively to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and to respond appropriately as individuals and as members of the Body of Christ.

Jesus says to us today: “Whoever believes in me…’rivers of living water will flow from within him.’ He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive” (Jn7:28-29). The Holy Spirit comes to us in Baptism and Confirmation. He leads us from inner drought through life-giving water to produce abundant fruit as missionary disciples of the risen Lord.

Our first reading describes Babel, a place of chaos, alienation, and inability to communicate. These are consequences of sin. They lead to isolation rather than community, waste of precious resourcesinstead of stewardship, divisions and polarization. We need to be able to dialogue with one another in order to solve our common problems. Dialogue demands mutual respect. Dialogue requires integrity; it does not expect us to abandon our beliefs and values but to listen to another’s understanding of what is happening. None of us has the full truth. Mutual respect, in turn, demands that we trust one another to tell the truth! The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth!

We are bombarded these days with misinformation, falsehoods, and lies — in the public forum, in some of the public media, and in social media. It is time for all of us to stop bullying, lying, and demonizing others. As Catholic Christians, we are challenged to allow the Spirit to come into our daily lives, giving us the courage to seek and speak the truth. Our Lady of Guadalupe is with us. She teaches us how to say yes to God always, to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit! Ven, Holy Spirit, Ven !