THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
The Day of Pentecost marks the shift in the Church Calendar from God’s Story to Our Story. After the months of remembering and entering into the grand narrative of God’s saving work, we now begin to explore the implications for us, and how we can become participants in the Reign of God. But the key moment of transition is the outpouring of God’s Spirit. In keeping with the biblical principle of “passing the mantle” from prophet to disciple, Pentecost is the moment in which Jesus “passes the mantle” on to us. We have learned from him what God’s mission is, and now we have received his Spirit in order to continue his work. So, Pentecost is a gift, but it is also a preparation, an empowering, for the work ahead.
As we seek to follow Christ in this world, we will face many challenges that are beyond our ability to overcome. We will encounter many people whom we would not naturally be able to love. We will confront many aspects of ourselves that we would rather deny than heal. But we do not have to deal with these issues alone. The gift of the Spirit empowers us to find creative solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems. The Spirit fills us with the love of Christ and enables us to reach out even to our enemies. And the Spirit reveals what needs to change in us and brings God’s healing and transforming grace into our lives. What an amazing gift this is!
This week our meditations seek to open us to receive God’s gift of the Holy Spirit again.
To download this week’s reflections in PDF format, click here.
