Not
less wonderful, although more hidden, were some contrary effects produced on
that day by the Holy Ghost in Jerusalem. By the dreadful thunders and violent
commotion of the atmosphere and the lightning accompanying his advent, He
disturbed and terrified the enemies of the Lord in that city, each one
according to his own malice and perfidy. This chastisement was particularly
evident in those who had actively concurred in procuring the death of Christ,
and who had signalized themselves in their rabid fury against Him. All these
fell to the
ground on their faces and remained thus for three hours. Those that
had scourged the Lord were suddenly choked in their own blood, which shot forth
from their veins in punishment for shedding that of the Master. The audacious
servant, who had buffeted the Lord, not only suddenly died, but was hurled into
hell body and soul. Others of the Jews, although they did not die, were
chastised with intense pains and abominable sicknesses. These disorders,
consequent upon shedding the blood of Christ, descended to their posterity and
even to this day continue to afflict their children with most horrible
impurities. This chastisement became notorious in Jerusalem, although the
priests and Pharisees diligently sought to cover it up, just as they had tried
to conceal the Resurrection of the Saviour. As these events, however, were not
so important, neither the Apostles nor the Evangelists wrote about them, and in
the confusion of the city the multitude soon forgot them.
The
chastisement and terror extended also to the depths of hell, where the demons
felt themselves seized with new confusion and oppression for three days, just
as the Jews lay on the earth for three hours. During these three days Lucifer
and his demons broke forth in fearful howling, communicating new terror and
confusion of torments to all the damned.
The
divine Spirit, in coming for the first time upon the Apostles and the others
gathered with them, intended it as a pledge and testimony, that He would confer
the same favour on the rest of the children of the Church, of light and of the
Gospel, and that He was ready to communicate his gifts to all, if all will
dispose themselves toward receiving them.
On
account of the visible and open signs, by which the Holy Ghost descended upon
the Apostles, the whole city of Jerusalem with its inhabitants was stirred to
wonder. When the news of the astounding events at the house of the Cenacle
spread about, the multitude of the people gathered in crowds to know more of
the happenings (Acts 2, 6). On that day was being celebrated one of the paschs
or feasts of the Jews; and as well on this account, as on account of the
special dispensation of heaven, the city was crowded with foreigners and
strangers from all parts of the world. For to them the Most High wished to
manifest the wonders of the first preaching and spreading of the new law of
grace, which the incarnate Word, our Redeemer and Master, had ordained for the
salvation of men.
The
sacred Apostles, who were filled with charity by the plenitude of the gifts of
the Holy Ghost and who knew that all Jerusalem was gathering at the doors of
the Cenacle, asked permission of their Blessed Virgin Mary to go forth and
preach to them. They all left the house of the Cenacle and, placing themselves
before the multitudes, began to preach the mysteries of the faith and of
eternal life. Though until then they had been so shy and seclusive, they now
stepped forth with unhesitating boldness and poured forth burning words, that
like a flashing fire penetrated to the souls of their hearers. All the people
were filled with wonder and astonishment at these events, the like of which had
never before been heard or seen in the world. They looked at each other and in
consternation asked each other, saying: “What is this that we witness? Are not
all these that speak Galileans? How then do we hear them speaking in the
language in which we were born? We Jews and Proselytes, Romans, Latins, Greeks,
Cretans, Arabs, Parthians, Medes and all the rest of us from different parts of
the world, hear them speak and we understand them in our own languages? O
greatness of God! How admirable is He in all His works!”
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| The people could hear the apostles in their own language |
This
miracle, that all the men of so many different tongues then assembled in
Jerusalem should hear the Apostles in their own language, joined to the
doctrine which they preached, caused great astonishment. Yet I wish to remark,
that though all the Apostles, on account of the plenitude of science and of
gifts gratuitously received, were able to speak in the languages of all
nations, because that was necessary for the preaching of the Gospel, yet on
that occasion they all spoke the language of Palestine. Using only this idiom
they were understood by all the different nationalities there present, as if
they had spoken in the several idioms.
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| Saint Peter preaching to the people on the day of Pentecost |
This miracle the Lord wrought at the
time in order that they might be understood and believed by those different
nations, and in order that Saint Peter might not be obliged to repeat in the
different languages of those present what he preached to them concerning the
mysteries of faith. He preached only once and all heard and understood him,
each in his own language, and so it happened also with the other Apostles. For
if each one had spoken in the language of those who heard them, and which they
knew as their mother tongue, it would have been necessary for them to repeat
what they said at least seven or eight times according to the different
nationalities mentioned by saint Luke (Acts 2, 9). This would have consumed a
longer time than is intimated by the sacred text, and it would have caused
great confusion and trouble to repeat the same doctrines over and over again or
to speak so many languages on one occasion; nor would the miracle be so
intelligible to us as the one mentioned.
