Pentecost Sunday -- Celebrating gift of the Holy Spirit

Dear Friends:  This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, one of the major holidays of the Christian year.  Although it doesn't get the press in the secular media that Christmas and Easter gets, its important to each of us because it celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church community.

 

This Sunday we will be reading both "versions" of Pentecost -- John's version and Luke's version.  In the Gospel of John, we find the Holy Spirit given by Jesus to the disciples on Easter evening.  Jesus appears to them, and "breathes" on them, telling them to receive the Holy Spirit.  This makes little sense until we realize that the word for "Spirit", "wind", and "breath" are all the same word in the original Greek.  John is telling us that the Holy Spirit is part and parcel of the risen Lord, the presence of Jesus with the community in His bodily absence.

 

Luke's version, found in Acts, is far more famous, and probably more accurate, historically speaking.  Here we find the disciples gathered together, just as in John, when the Spirit comes upon them as rushing wind and tongues of flame.  But Luke has another theological axe to grind.  He wants us to know that the Spirit empowers the disciples in their new mission of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Indeed, the worldwide spread of the Church is powered and planned by God, and enabled by the Spirit, working through all of the disciples of Christ.

 

Acts also tells us that the Spirit's power can take two formes:  dramatic/showy, and subtle.  We all know God is present when divine fireworks happen, like on that first Pentecost.  But God works much more often behind the scenes, quietly, empowering the Church to do the Will of God.  Many times it doesn't seem like God is there at all, but His hidden hand becomes apparent later, through the 20/20 vision of hindsight.

 

This Sunday we want to take a closer look at these matters.  I look forward to seeing you in Church!!