Pentecost Spirit
Recently we have experienced Aurora Australis, bright colourful lights in the night sky that appear as spectacular moving colours of reds, pinks, purples, golds and blues. The reason for these awe-inspiring appearances is complex and is due to cosmic storm activity. How strange that a whirling storm of air and matter can put on such a brilliant display of rainbow brilliance.
In the story of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, allusion to upheavals of energy and the cosmic forces of wind and fire depict the dynamic energy of God at work. This story and images describing a felt sense of God demonstrate how the Holy Spirit transformed the early faith communities’ lives, they became enthused and amazed and renewed to witness about Jesus and God’s love to the world. God’s Spirit experienced could equip people to speak and witness beyond their known circle and into the world.
We who listen to these ancient stories centuries later, might find them difficult to understand. Indeed, the observers in the story thought that those affected by this Spirit from God might have drunk too much. Yet the meaning of the event as attributed to the ancient prophet Joel, was that God’s Spirit had been poured out upon all flesh and the barriers of culture, gender, and age were broken down. Like in the surprising happenings of the coloured Aurorae in the sky, people came to see this and were amazed, for it was mysterious and wonderful.
This message seems as relevant today to include all the people and to see the wonderful richness that can appear. The wider implied meaning suggests that people from different nations now understood that they were part of God’s community and that the mission of Jesus to share the good news had expanded beyond its narrow reach. The Spirit of God had created a new community of rainbow colours, of people from across the nations and no discrimination could bar inclusion for the Spirit connected people and breathed into despondent communities new life and hope.
Christian faith communities who follow over the centuries, who celebrate the Pentecost story often wear the colour red on Pentecost Sunday to symbolise the powerful energy of the Spirit like fire amongst us. The Spirit whose breath can be wild like wind and fire, can also be gentle like the quiet breath when Jesus breathed on his disciples saying, “peace I give to you”.
In the Church Season of Pentecost we might listen, observe, and wonder how and where we see and feel God’s energy for life and mission today. And consider too how can we be agents of transformation, breaking down barriers of race, gender and age to tell the good news, God is here, God’s love and Spirit still lights up the darkness and speaks to our hearts inviting us to shine forth God’s rainbow so that others may come and see and know they are included.
It seems opportune also that on the feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit felt by those present was an enlivening presence. So too as we express our faith in acts of hospitality and service, we might know God’s Spirit overflowing and generous like in the verse in 2 Corinthians 3: 17, that “where the Spirit is there is freedom, where the Spirit is there is life”.
Happy Pentecost.
Rev Dr Lynette Dungan