Pentecost
“ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Overview
Pentecost
Pentecost marks the start of something radically new in the story of our salvation and so both of our readings echo the story of the very beginning:
Acts 2:1-21 echoes the Spirit moving over the waters of creation “and suddenly there came … the rush of a violent wind.”
Whilst in John 20:19-23, Jesus breathes on the disciples in an echo of God breathing life into the very first creatures of dust and earth.
In general though, human beings are fearful of change. Change involves letting go and moving into the unknown. Soo it is not surprising that our readings also both speak of fear and bewilderment: In John the disciples are huddled behind locked doors because they are afraid. In Acts 2:1-21 the arrival of the Holy Spirit is something sudden and violent.
Yet the readings have something else in common, each begins with the disciples gathered together. Whether they are experiencing fear, bewilderment or joy, they are experiencing it as a community.
God continues to offer us new beginnings, the Spirit is constantly at work bringing fresh order out of the disorder of our lives and our world. Whether we find these new beginnings thrilling or terrifying, the important thing is that we explore them together, for it is together that we are sent out to take the gifts of the Spirit to a world in need to renewal.
FIRST READING
Acts 21:1-21
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Fellow Jews and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit,
and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
GOSPEL
John 20:19-23
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained
