Today on this great feast of Pentecost, we celebrate the Holy Spirit – the greatest gift from the Risen Christ. We relive the outpouring of the Spirit upon Mary and the Apostles gathered in prayer in the upper room 2000 years ago. We celebrate God’s Spirit living among us and within us today.
Over the past few weeks in our daily scripture we have been hearing segments of Jesus’ “farewell discourse” from John’s gospel (John 14-17). It is remarkable reading. You really get a sense for how deep Jesus’ love is – how much Jesus loved his companions and all those who would come after those first disciples – namely us. In this discourse we hear Jesus assure us that God loves us dearly, that God is attentive to our needs, that God will guide and protect us, and that – when our time comes – God will have a place in heaven prepared and waiting for us.
Maybe the most significant point Jesus makes in his farewell is the promise that God’s Spirit would be sent into the world, sent into each of us. Think about what Jesus says as he’s trying to calm and soothe his friends – “it is better for you that I go, for if I do not go the Spirit will not come to you, but if I go I will send the Spirit to you.” Just think about this. There was Jesus – our God and Savior – living in our midst, walking this earth, journeying with us, teaching us, healing us. What could possibly be better than this? What could possibly be better than the gift of Emmanuel – “God with us”. What could possibly be better than God living among us? Jesus gives the answer – only one thing – God living within us. And this is what we celebrate today, and every day – that God loves us so much that he breathes his own Spirit into us, to live within us, to strengthen us, protect us, comfort us, and bring us to perfection. Maybe most importantly, Jesus tells us that the Spirit living within us will help us come to know and love God more and more, and help us become intimately united to God. Just think about it – God’s Spirit living within us, working within us, right now, allowing us to share in God’s divinity, to love as God loves, to be one with God, to be one with each other. What a great gift. What a great and loving God.
Today, on this great feast of Pentecost, we celebrate God’s Spirit, coming into the world, coming to each one of us.
“Come Holy Spirit,
kindle our hearts with your love,
so that we may grow
in the depth and breadth and the glory
of our friendship with God.”
– Bishop Francis Xavier Ford