The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:52
In every moment I have the option to rejoice in God’s gift of the Holy Spirit.
May I remember to turn to the light in hard times. May I ask the Lord to guide me in the way of wisdom, understanding, compassion, forgiveness, peace, and kindness.
Pentecost
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord. 1 Corinthians 12:4-5
Today I will use my gifts to bless the people in my family, community, country, and world with love and peace.
May I embody God’s compassion with every breath I take.
A street of Pillars at the ruins of the city Samaria
PALÄSTINA und das OSTOJORDANLAND (Julius Hoffmann, Stuttgart, 1925)
[Jesus said to his disciples:] “I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.” John 14:20
Time passes, life events impact us, we adapt, grow, develop, move on.
But our union with God never changes. We are forever entwined with God, eternally in harmony with kindness, compassion, reverence, joy, and love.
“Tame” does not describe the Holy Spirit. Be prepared to be surprised, overwhelmed, consumed, humbled, delighted by the movement of the Spirit in your life.
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2-4a
JESUS MAFA. Pentecost, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. [retrieved May 20, 2018]. Original source: Librairie de l’Emmanuel
May the language I choose always express God’s Spirit of love and compassion.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Acts 2:4-6
I have had the experience of trying to join a group, but no one welcomed me because I was new to the area, an unknown, someone who might not be a good fit.
With the Lord to nurture me, compassion is the fruit that grows from times of rejection: compassion for the stranger, the newcomer, the misfit, the one who is different, the one—like me—who is a child of God.
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. Acts 9:26
Ed de Guzman
Pentecost
gouache on special paper, 2014
Today the wind is a bit wild. I think the Holy Spirit is visiting and, I hope, blessing me with the gifts of the Spirit.
Here’s how the Loyola Press describes those gifts:
Wisdom helps us recognize the importance of others and the importance of keeping God central in our lives.
Understanding is the ability to comprehend the meaning of God’s message.
Knowledge is the ability to think about and explore God’s revelation, and also to recognize there are mysteries of faith beyond us.
Counsel is the ability to see the best way to follow God’s plan when we have choices that relate to him.
Fortitude is the courage to do what one knows is right.
Piety helps us pray to God in true devotion.
Fear of the Lord is the feeling of amazement before God, who is all-present, and whose friendship we do not want to lose.
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Acts 2:2-4
A force of Nature
Wind and fire are forces of nature that command our attention. The Holy Spirit is a force of God’s nature that demands our attention.
The Holy Spirit pushes us, compels us, directs us, and sets us on fire to imitate Jesus. The Holy Spirit fuels our passion for justice, our desire to forgive, our impulse to reach out with compassion, and our commitment to love.
Be swept away by the wind. Feel the heat of the fire. Trust the movement of the Spirit in your life.
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2-4a
Mary Ann McSweeny 