May 23, 2010: Pentecost

Pray to the Holy Spirit for the courage to communicate God’s love through your words and actions.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting. There appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2:1-4)

Today as the Easter season ends we celebrate the feast of Pentecost. We remember the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and disciples. The Spirit filled them with courage and many fruits and gifts. They went out and continued Jesus’ good works.

The story of the first Pentecost tells us that although people were speaking in different languages, everyone understood everyone else. In an episode of the show Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, a father and son have problems communicating. Finally the son invents a device that operates as a universal translator. He puts it on his father’s chest and then the father is able to communicate his love and concern for his son. We know God loves us. All we have to do is look around us to see and hear God’s love communicated to us in creation, in people, in all our blessings.

Action:

Tongues of fire – signs of the Holy Spirit – are often pictured over the heads of the followers of Jesus at Pentecost. Wear something red, orange and/or yellow today. Pray to the Holy Spirit for the courage to communicate God’s love through your words and actions.