Tomorrow is the Day of Pentecost.
The nave of Trinity Church is presently adorned with all manner of glorious red. The red will remind us of the vision of fiery tongues that appeared to rest atop the heads of Jesus' followers at the end of a ten day prayer meeting in an upper room that overlooked the crowded city streets of Jerusalem. Those streets were teeming with pilgrims from all over the known world, who were in town for a religious festival.
I wonder if we will see any fiery apparitions.
At the principle service, the story of the first Pentecost from the book of Acts (chapter 2, verses 1-21) will be read in different languages simultaneously. The resulting confusion will call to mind the way in which those religious pilgrims heard the Good News in their native tongues -- spoken fluently by mostly illiterate country bumpkins from up around Galilee.
I wonder if we will hear any Good News that enlivens us with a passion for God.
After witnessing the destructive power of wind these past few weeks -- in Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia, and in Myanmar -- does the notion of the Spirit as the "Wind of God" unsettle us even a bit?
I wonder if we will leave worship tomorrow with our souls singed by holy fire?
Or shattered by holy wind?
Does the Spirit have a Ghost of a chance?
The nave of Trinity Church is presently adorned with all manner of glorious red. The red will remind us of the vision of fiery tongues that appeared to rest atop the heads of Jesus' followers at the end of a ten day prayer meeting in an upper room that overlooked the crowded city streets of Jerusalem. Those streets were teeming with pilgrims from all over the known world, who were in town for a religious festival.
I wonder if we will see any fiery apparitions.
At the principle service, the story of the first Pentecost from the book of Acts (chapter 2, verses 1-21) will be read in different languages simultaneously. The resulting confusion will call to mind the way in which those religious pilgrims heard the Good News in their native tongues -- spoken fluently by mostly illiterate country bumpkins from up around Galilee.
I wonder if we will hear any Good News that enlivens us with a passion for God.
After witnessing the destructive power of wind these past few weeks -- in Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia, and in Myanmar -- does the notion of the Spirit as the "Wind of God" unsettle us even a bit?
I wonder if we will leave worship tomorrow with our souls singed by holy fire?
Or shattered by holy wind?
Does the Spirit have a Ghost of a chance?
posted by FrGaryB | 6:18 PM
1 Comments:
"The dove descending breaks the air
With flame of incandescent terror
Of which the tongues declare
The one discharge from sin and error.
The only hope, or else despair
Lies in the choice of pyre or pyre—
To be redeemed from fire by fire."
Post a Comment
<< Home