Pentecost Sunday
The Power to Speak
“Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.” As we sing this refrain from Psalm 104 this weekend, are we ready for the wind and the fire, the presence of the Holy Spirit among us? Most of the time, we hold firm or lean into the wind to resist being blown over. We run from fire or do everything we can to put it out. But in the Acts of the Apostles, the wind—the breath of God—and the fire—the tongues of fire that led to common understanding—lead us to overcome our fear and to work to renew the face of the earth.
Like the disciples, we receive the gifts of wisdom, understanding, right judgment, courage, knowledge, reverence and awe in God’s presence. We receive them in a special way at the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation. Pentecost reminds us that we have those gifts; perhaps it is time to open them! Perhaps it is time to use them for the benefit of ourselves and others!
The coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples changed their fear into power, the power to speak with great courage and freedom. That same Spirit is dynamic and constant in all of life. Are we confident enough to invite the Spirit to work through us and in us to change things that need changing—to renew the face of the earth? Climate crisis? Hunger? Living wages? Immigration? Gun violence? Racial bias? Human trafficking?
When the Holy Spirit came, all began to speak different languages. And they all understood! In our community, we also speak different languages. We do that when we don’t see things the same way. We speak different languages in expressing love and affection. Do we understand? Do we seek to understand? Or do we hide, barricaded with only those who speak the same language? Do we believe in the promise of unity among God’s people, brought together by the power of the Spirit?
At home, in our families, at work, at school, in our neighborhoods, in our city, and in our parish, where and when and how is God’s Spirit offering us wisdom to change our perceptions of “the other”? Understanding to curb our denial of racism, sexism, and ageism? Right judgment in the face of bad choices? Courage to do and say what I fear doing and saying? Knowledge to open our minds and hearts to truth? Reverence to help us to love what is pure and beautiful? Awe in God’s presence?
The gifts are in our presence. They are all here. Gifts are intended to be opened! Gifts are meant to keep giving! Let us rejoice in the gifts of the Holy Spirit!