Pentecost is the day we celebrate the arrival of the Holy Spirit, the part three of the Trinitarian God-approach to loving us back to life. I don't really have any tremendous insights or great revelations. But the main thing that came to my mind as I listened to the familiar reading from the Acts of the Apostles is the notion that total strangers entered into the upper room to hear this group of Gallieans speaking in native languages of the foreigners. And what they were communicating was the Good News of Jesus Christ in a way that each individual could hear it.
I think this is part of the winds of change blowing through the church right now. I think there is greater recognition that to communicate the gospel, the Church must be willing to speak in languages that can be heard and understood by all, so that all will know that they are included in the kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven." The central language all those people were speaking in that upper room is the language of Love. Having been given the words, and the tongue to communicate with people, the next mission was to go out of the safety of that room and keep spreading the good news. Had they not done this, the "Church" would never have grown and been able to set more hearts on fire with the Love of God.
That's the task that is before us, the Church, today. We must be willing to speak with strangers, share who we are and the seed of God planted in each of us, and allow that anyone, and I mean anyone, can participate in this great commission, not just the few, the proud, the clergy. That's the way to keep the Holy Spirit, and the birthday candles, burning bright.
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