What is fear? Encyclopedias say that fear is “an unpleasant emotion caused by being aware of danger or threats.” Fear can also be caused by the possibility of being punished. It is probably the latter that St. John has in mind when he says that “he that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Nicodemus, who came to Jesus under cover of night, said reverently and at first glance even humbly: “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” However, Jesus’ response to Nicodemus was somewhat unexpected, even harsh: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Essentially, this means that Jesus is telling Nicodemus that he only thinks he knows who Jesus is, but in reality he knows nothing and is not capable of knowing or understanding, because “we speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.”

Some people who have had the opportunity to fly in a hot air balloon have mentioned as one of the most interesting experiences the fact that there is no wind at all up there – contrary to what they had expected. In fact, of course there is wind – but they didn’t feel it, because the hot air balloon moves with the wind.

This analogy helps us to understand what happened at Pentecost, and it opens up an interesting perspective on some of Jesus’ words. For example, in John chapter 3, Jesus says to Nicodemus: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended to Heaven. His disciples no longer saw Him, but that did not mean that He had abandoned them. On the contrary: He came back to them, He even came into them, through His Holy Spirit, th Spirit of Truth, who testifies in their hearts and through them of the great love of God.

He testifies of love, which become true within us and manifest itself in our lives as charity. This is exactly what Saint Peter says in today’s Epistle: “Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Although these words of St. James are an excellent guide whenever we are asked to move from words to deeds and act decisively, the Apostle has in mind first and foremost the Word of God and His will, which we must not only hear, but do. If we knew God’s Word perfectly but did not follow it, then knowing the Word and will of God would not be a blessing to us, but a sin, just as Jesus once said to the Pharisees: “If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.”