Mother's Day & the Pentecost

This year, it was an astronomical event that brought the Mother's Day and the Pentecost together. In 2008, the Spring Equinox (or Vernal Equinox) falls on the 20^th of March, a Thursday. Two days later, it is full moon. Therefore, the Easter of the Western churches falls on the 23^rd of March, 2008.

Deacon Tsang talked about the reality of the Holy Spirit and touched on the Mother's Day as well. He mentioned something that aroused my curiosity. He said that the celebration of the Mother's Day was in fact an emphasis on the contribution of women to the society. For him, it was part of the Women's Right Movement. Then he quoted several significant events in the Church to show that the Catholic Church is not as conservative as most people think. She also has her part to contribute to the recognition of women's right.
The Independence of USA from British colonial rule in 1776 produced the Declaration of Independence, a document that enshrines basic human rights, especially the right to rebel against tyranny. In 1789, the French Revolution produced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. However, women and negroes were still denied the right to vote. Then began the Women's Rights Movement. In 1890, the National American Woman Suffrage Association was formally set up to fight for the voting right of women. In 1903, the National Women's Trade Union League was established to advocate for improved wages and working conditions for women. In 1914, USA declared the first national Mother's Day. Then other issues were raised such as birth control (1921). In broad strokes, I try to paint the background against which Deacon Tsang claimed the Church's contribution to Women's Right Movement.
Deacon Tsang quoted the following. In December 1854, the Catholic Church declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1858, Our Lady appeared to Bernadette in Lourdes. In 1917, she appeared again to 3 peasant children in Fatima. In November 1950, the Church declared the dogma of the Assumption of Our Lady. All these cases involve Our Lady whom the Catholic Church has a long history of devotion. Granted that the Catholic Church recognizes women's contribution to family life, she systematically bars women from holding offices in the hierarchy. I cannot find even the weakest link between the declared dogmas, the apparitions of Our Lady and women's rights. Sorry, Deacon Tsang.
In the gospel reading today, Jesus appeared to his disciples. He greeted them with peace.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20:22-23)
When Simon confessed the Messiahship of Jesus, Jesus renamed him Peter, the Rock on which he would build his church. Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom of heavens and the authority to forgive or retain people's sins.
And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:17-19).
Therefore, after his resurrection, Jesus extended this authority of forgiveness to all disciples, not exclusively to Peter. The Holy Spirit is the key. It empowers the forgivers as well as the forgiven. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to speak in different tongues to proclaim the good news of reconciliation with God to all men. In fact, the same Spirit empowers everyone with different gifts to serve the same Lord (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). Again, forgiveness is the key to unlock this empowerment. We cannot fully realize our potentials because of our human weaknesses. It is through forgiving each other, through reconciliation with God that these precious gifts of the Holy Spirit can be fully put into service. May we then reconcile with God and our fellow men.

My Advocate, may You be our sweet guest and reside in our hearts to warm them up. May You lift up our downtrodden heads to hope for our eternal life which You have prepared for us. Strengthen our feeble arms and legs to fight for the rights of the underprivileged. Amen.
Our Mother in Heaven, you are always around when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers. Pray for us, your miserable children. In your loving motherly care, we entrust our life. Amen.