PENTECOST: “WHEN YOU SEND FORTH YOUR SPIRIT, THEY ARE CREATED; AND YOU RENEW THE FACE OF THE EARTH”
This line from Psalm 104 on Pentecost Sunday reminds us that the power of the Holy Spirit brings about renewal. All of creation is imbued with recreative power. We see it everywhere, surrounding us. I go to bed at night and my garden is tired looking. I awake the next morning and the bleeding hearts are in full bloom. We cannot even comprehend the mystery and awesome power that the Holy Spirit brings. The Spirit is the healer of broken hearts, the spark that ignites a friendship, the inspiration to write a song and the feeling of love that is manifest in the gifts that we bring to each other. It is an unspeakable mystery and is woven through the beauty of our lives. I cannot even imagine the feeling of those who were present during the experience of Pentecost. I am sure that the sound of that violent wind and the tongues of fire were frightening at first, but hearing the words in their own language brought fear to amazement. This is God’s work, not a trivial event, but miraculous. Miracles break rules. They go beyond the ordinary and the practical. Pentecost is a huge rule-breaking moment!
Recently, seven young people were confirmed in my parish. Each individual has a unique story. They listened and related to the Pentecost story. One boy’s response was: “They needed this to spread the message.” I thought a lot about rules and our current challenges in the church community. Our parish is very diverse with many ages and cultures coming together in joy and faith. It is important to recognize that although we are one body, we are many unique parts. For example, we assume that everyone has to have the same formation leading up to a sacrament. Some individuals who are new to Canada have had a rich faith life and community and are knowledgeable in the tenets of the Catholic faith. And yet, we often march them through a series of lessons that are created for everyone. Do we sometimes plan parish events without considering the needs of parishioners with regard to culture, socioeconomic status, age or ability? As in many facets of society, many are coming to appreciate that a commitment to recognizing diversity is important in parish life just as it is in education, health care, etc. The Holy Spirit gives us the tools to be a church for everyone.
What does Pentecost mean for us today? The Holy Spirit continues to create the world anew. The Good News went far beyond the community of the disciples of Jesus as they were empowered to go outside the ordinary. They went outside the box and maybe bent the rules. The Holy Spirit has no boundaries, no select group. May the Holy Spirit continue to inspire us to embrace diversity and set no limit when it comes to spreading the Good News. My bleeding heart bushes continue to expand, created anew.
Come Holy Spirit, set our hearts on fire to reach out to everyone.
Jan Bentham is a retired Religion Coordinator with the Ottawa Catholic School Board. She is a musician, serving in music ministry at St. Ignatius Parish in Ottawa. She currently works at St. Paul’s University with the Catholic Women’s Leadership Program.
