To-day, the Feast of Pentecost, sets us thinking on the transformation that occurred in the thinking of the Apostles when Christ, as he had promised, sent to them the Paraclete, the Comforter, to complete the work of instruction and preparation for their mission to make known God's word to all people. After Christ's arrest and crucifixion, they had broken ranks and fled in disarray. Only John and a small band of women led by Mary, Jesus' mother, remained to stand by Jesus on the Cross. Later they regrouped and took shelter behind closed doors, completely confused and disoriented. The message brought to them by Mary Magdalen that Jesus would meet them in Galilee had not registered. They struggled to come to terms with the risen Jesus on his several visits, but not without questioning. Gradually, however, they accepted the Resurrection as fact; but, then, another crisis overtook them - Jesus was to leave them again! But he would not leave them as orphans. He would send the Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth to comfort and to confirm them. So, here they are again, waiting in a closed room in fear and trepidation of the Jews wondering what the next move should be! And then it happened! True to His promise, Christ fulfilled his promise, and the whole group became transformed and the Church was born. At the centre of this small frightened group was Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Queen of the Apostles. When depicting Pentecost, Christian artists often put Mary at the centre of the picture where she is seen with the flame above her head. She is depicted as the type or image of the Church, filled with the Spirit of Jesus.
This Spirit of Jesus generates zeal, enthusiasm for the mission he has undertaken. On one occasion, noting Jesus' spirited reaction to the abuses he found being practiced in the temple, the Apostles remembered that it had been written -"Zeal for your house will consume me"( John 2.17).
Zeal, or enthusiasm must be sign of our Christian reponse. The Gospels have recorded words spoken by Our Lady on four occasions - the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple, and at the Marriage Feast at Cana. In these words, Mary's zeal for God's honour and glory, for her own sanctification, and for the spiritual welfare of her neighbour can be seen. In them we find a powerful example to follow as we seek to give a Christian response in our own lives.
Let us look at these examples. As she heard the angel Gabriel's message, Mary quickly grasped what was being asked of her; and her response quickly reflected her desire to do God's will - "Be it done unto me according to Your word". Does our response to life's situations so readily reveal our zeal and enthusiam to do God's will? Or are we more inclined to back off and think of excuses to please ourselves rather than to please God?
When she visited her cousin Elizabeth, Mary's enthusiasm for her place in God's plan was again reflected in the "Magnificat", that ancient hymn of praise in which she proclaims "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour". Again we can contrast this attitude with the attitudes of so many for whom their Christian calling is an obligation rather than a privilege; the type of Christian who, at best, can only be described as "reluctant disciples".
And then, for three long days, Mary and Joseph continued their search for the lost Jesus. Their anxiety and anguish is reflected in her question -"Son, why have you done this to us? In sorrow, your father and I have been looking for you!" With humility she accepted his explanatin that he had wider committments, an explanation that she was to come to understand more fully as time went on. May one ask, is that always our attitude when we seem to have lost Christ from our lives and we do not appear to be getting the answers we want? Or do we, rather, incline to be come angry and rebellious, rather than recognising that God's ways are not always our way.
Again, at the marriage Feast, Mary showed her zeal by wanting to help others. It was here that she exercised for the first time her power of advocacy with her Son - "Son, they have no wine"! It was a request made with great confidence and appeared to be met with a discourteous answer. However, her enthusiasm and understanding of her Son, and her advice to the servants -"Do what he tells you" provides a rule of life for all who would be followers of Christ -"Do what he asks".
Conclusion: In general, to be zealous means to be enthusiastic. We can follow Mary's example of zeal and enthusiasm in our attention to daily prayer, however brief it may be; by considering our attention at Mass as a joy, not as something to be endured. Zeal, too, should be present as we set about our daily tasks, using our talents to best advantage and and by not being half hearted in what we do.
Just as she undoubtedly encouraged the Apostles on that first Pentecost, let us pray this afternoon that Our Blessed Mother will help us to grow in zeal ; so that we too can proclaim with her "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour" - Holy Mary, Model of Zeal and Enthusiasm, pray for us!