Pentecost thoughts

Tomorrow is Pentecost – when the church remembers the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the first disciples, young and old, male and female, rich and poor. The Spirit who blows where she will, God’s presence, God’s power expressed here on earth.

On the day of Pentecost things were unpredictable, people were gathered from across the world and heard and experienced that moment, they took that message home with them and the story of Jesus began its journey around the world. They hadn’t gone to have that experience, to meet God in that dramatic way – but God met them in his time and choice of place.

In the 2000 years that have followed people have sought to predict God, to box him into one type of church or another. Yet at the same time people have craved something more, something like that first outpouring. Revivalism emerges regularly and some of us owe the roots of the ‘way we do things’ to groups who had moments like that. But should it be something we seek?

There is a lot of web debate in the places I loiter about events at a church in Cwmbran, not that far from where I grew up.  Meetings are running every night, crowds are gathering and there are reports of a great sense of God’s presence. I am happy to affirm that God is present – even in Cwmbran – and I celebrate anywhere that lives are changed, but I am uncomfortable with the level of hype, and the concept of rushing there to meet God. 

It feels like a hunger for the quick fix, a chasing after someone else’s story and moment. The day of Pentecost came to those who were gathered but not expecting it – they didn’t crowd there because they heard of Peter’s blessing services. The story of Acts, the messages and debates of the letters of the New Testament were about working out the call of the Holy Spirit and move of God in each new place.

I want to touch God and see the Holy Spirit changing lives where I live and work, among those I meet who need to learn of hope and love and a reason to be. That means being willing to get my hands dirty, to glimpse the diamonds in the dust, to be vulnerable myself – that is where I have found myself closest to God.

I offer these closing thoughts on Pentecost Eve – picked off another facebook circular (attribution theirs)

May God bless you with a restless discomfort
about easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships,
so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.

May God bless you with holy anger at injustice, oppression,
and exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for
justice, freedom, and peace among all people.

May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that
you really CAN make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with God's grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.

And the blessing of God the Supreme Majesty and our Creator,
Jesus Christ the Incarnate Word who is our brother and Saviour,
and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Guide, be with you
and remain with you, this day and forevermore.

AMEN
a four-fold Franciscan blessing