05/31/2026

Throughout history, societies throughout the world have embraced various religions and forms of spirituality—some simple, some sophisticated. Many of them seem similar, at least on the surface. In the past few decades, however, the number of people who claim affinity with the mainline Christian denominations and the Jewish faith has shrunk dramatically. In Bridgeport alone, I’m not sure how many Protestant churches have closed; at least one has become a Buddhist temple, and seven Catholic churches have closed. Yet despite this decline, there remains in our time a strong religious sensitivity, however unfocused it may be.

There are not many bookstores around anymore, but I remember when I used to visit them and see shelves and shelves devoted to religion and spirituality. Even now, there are YouTube videos, podcasts, blogs—and yes, still books—that focus on ancient mysteries, the occult, and the supernatural. In that sense, one could argue that despite all the talk of secularism, we remain in a very religious age. Conversations about spirituality abound.

There has always been a fascination with angels, miracles, and unexplained phenomena. Those who study these things say it reflects a deep spiritual pull within the human person. Yet, let’s face it: very often it becomes a kind of religiosity without cost, spirituality without conversion. Keep things vague and loosely mystical, and you can sell books, attract listeners, and get plenty of likes on Facebook and Instagram.

The reality is that many people prefer religion that requires little personal change. If religion criticizes “the world,” it is often welcomed as a needed message. But if it calls me to accountability, then suddenly the response becomes, “No, thank you.” If a religion requires society to change, many embrace it; if it requires me to change, it becomes much less attractive.

One of the hallmarks of Christianity, however, is its insistence on transformation, its challenge to change, its call to conversion. Think of John the Baptist: to prepare people for their encounter with Jesus, he called them to repent. Jesus Himself consistently spoke about leaving aside the old and taking up the new. Becoming a Christian is not simply a modified version of a pre-Christian life with a few adjustments here and there. It is about becoming a “new creation.”

Pentecost reminds us that we are not called simply to admire Jesus. Jesus does not want admirers. What He wants are disciples who will take Him seriously and follow Him with their lives. Are we willing to step away from “group-think” and accept being unpopular, or perhaps even shunned, in our effort to discern Christ’s will and live according to it? Are we willing to make personal sacrifices in order to live out our discipleship? Where do we draw the line? Are we willing to help shape a society that conforms more to the Kingdom of God than to the kingdom of Lucifer?

To be sure, one person’s disciple may well be another person’s fanatic. Ask yourself: if you met the Apostles on Pentecost day, would you have been fascinated and attracted, or would you have run for the hills? When others around us begin talking about their personal faith or powerful spiritual experiences, does it make us uncomfortable? What kind of faith-sharing compels us rather than repels us?

You might be surprised at how willing and open people around you are to adult conversations about their relationship with Jesus and the practice of the Catholic faith. Some years ago, I got a dog, and suddenly all my parishioners wanted to talk to me about their dogs. When I had shoulder replacement surgery, I started hearing about everybody else’s joint surgeries. Last weekend I was hobbling around with plantar fasciitis and immediately started receiving emails recommending treatments and therapists. And whenever someone in a casual setting discovers that I am a priest, they almost always want to talk about religion. People in OCIA regularly report that when coworkers discover they are becoming Catholic, it opens the door to conversations they never expected to have.

There is nothing wrong with faith being deeply personal. But Christianity, by its very nature, is not truly Christianity if it remains entirely private.

At Pentecost, the Apostles went from being a confused group of followers to an inspired band of witnesses. With the Holy Spirit in us, we move from being interested observers to active participants. With the Holy Spirit in us, we move from being students of Christianity to practitioners. With the Holy Spirit in us, we move from being merely friends and admirers to true disciples of Jesus.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
Amen.
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-Rev. James F. Hurlbert

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