Homily for May 24, 2015 Pentecost Sunday

In the news lately, we hear of multiple tornadoes touching down out west and wreaking havoc all over. Thankfully, I’ve never experienced one, but imagine the devastation that one can do as I am sure you’ve seen in pictures. Getting back to Jerusalem on that Pentecost morning, there was a loud rush of wind that surrounded where the disciples were and in the busy crowed city everybody came to see what was happening. Inside was even more dramatic as fire appeared voe the apostles and disciples as the Holy Spirit came upon them. Imagine, they were so immersed, so overcome they actually couldn’t stand still. They burst out the door proclaiming, witnessing, all in different languages proclaiming Jesus to all in their own language. What a scene it must have been, all the different languages, people from different places hearing the word, the beginning of the church, a multilingual, multinational beginning. That beginning was Christocentric and remains so today. Clearly from Pentecost on, the church belonged to all who received and believed in the Spirit. The body of Christ has many parts and belongs to all, not one nation, not one language, but where Christ and his spirit breathe life into it. Each and everyone of us are servants of each other. It is in serving and loving one another that we fulfill the work of Christ.

The Holy Spirit is Christ’s special gift to the church, who comes to each and every one of us at Baptism and completely immerses in us at confirmation. Sure, we have Christ with us and have his body and blood, but the spirit activates us to do the work of our faith. What is often forgotten is that the Spirit is the one who act and acts where He wants, not where we necessarily want or expect him to. How often in our human condition, do we forget or not even know or understand the whole picture of creation and God;s relationship to us. Just for example, the idea of forgiveness is difficult and unreasonable to many until it is for themselves.

Pentecost began a journey for a new church and many believers. Our oneness is in Christ who recognizes all who gather in his name whether we do or not. Division and separation and infighting come out of humanity’s imperfection. Despite that imperfection, Christ calls and recognizes each of us and with the help of the Spirit brings us to Him.

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