(The eigthteenth in a series of meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary by Rev. Addisalem T. Mekonnen, Spiritual Director of the Philadelphia Senatus.)
How the Mystery of Pentecost could be Defined as an Epic?
The dictionary defines an “epic” as a long narrative poem recounting heroic deeds of a hero and it also has been loosely used to describe novels. Before the development of writing, epic poems were memorized and played an important part in maintaining a record of the great deeds and history of a culture.
Later, they were written down and the tradition for this kind of poem continued. Epics often feature the following: a hero who embodies the values of a culture or ethnic group; something vital that depends on the success of the hero’s actions; a broad setting, sometimes encompassing the entire world and intervention by supernatural beings. The prime examples of the oral epic are Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.
The book of Genesis is a theological narrative that recounted how God created Adam and Eve for Himself along with the entire universe. Although it isn’t a poem in the strict sense of the word, nevertheless it does illustrate themes that create an atmosphere of mystery and hidden truths that draws the hearer or reader to comprehend the divine values in the context of a tangible human life. It is at Pentecost that the Catholic Church is revealed as the new earthly and Heavenly reality that God calls humanity to become citizens of through the Sacraments of Initiation.
In this epic adventure, God created creatures with a free will which was a huge risk because it gave both humanity and angels an opportunity to freely accept or reject God’s infinite love and life. God reveals Himself both in Genesis and the Acts of the Apostles as valuing both eternal life and love. They are in a certain sense book ends in that God, the Blessed Trinity, recreates humanity but not without humanity again freely choosing to accept the gift of this eternal life and love which is a participation in sanctifying grace. The originator, perfecter and ultimate end of holiness is God alone which is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Therefore, on Pentecost, St. Peter and the apostles preached about the epic Paschal Mystery that all are called to accept through the Sacrament of Baptism. The Paschal Mystery is the suffering, death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus and this is an epic narrative in which the listeners are called to have a participation in holiness so that they may become the living tangible oral tradition of this Salvation History.
The life of St. Peter and the apostles became different chapters of the same epic narrative as the Holy Spirit began to reveal how they can allow the mystery of Pentecost to inspire them to be faithful witnesses of the Gospel good news of the Paschal Mystery. It is through both the teachings and Sacraments of holy Mother Church that more heroes and heroines are participating in this epic narrative of Salvation History. It is the hope of Jesus our Savior, who embodies everything that our Heavenly Father desires for humanity, to not lose this opportunity we have to live a life in the Spirit that we may reveal this epic narrative in our own journey of faith.
Fr. Addisalem Mekonnen