Message from the Pastor - Archive
June
We all have encountered some kind of spirit in our lives and we know they come in all kinds and shapes: perhaps as a distillated beverage, a ghost, a state of mind, a characterization of something, the third person of the Trinity, there are high spirits, the spirit of a time, acting in a certain spirit, and much more. But in which ever way we talk about the spirit, there is always something vague about it. We can describe it, but not necessarily nail it down.
When we celebrated Pentecost a few weeks ago, we celebrated the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, which caused a number of different reactions. Some made fun of those who were moved by the Spirit (“They must be drunk…”), others were more fearful and overwhelmed, and others realized that this is what Jesus talked about earlier, namely that he would send the Holy Spirit among his disciples to remind them of his teachings and to teach them everything they needed to keep living without Jesus. The Holy Spirit turned the disciples’ spirit of desperation into a spirit of hope and courage. They were enabled to go out into the world and face its realities.
It is still the same Spirit that surrounds us today, giving us creativity and energy. Unlike other spirits that might easily change and be unpredictable – for example, a spirit of generosity can easily turn into a spirit of stinginess when circumstances change – we can trust that the Holy Spirit is around us, an advocate send by Jesus to remind us and to teach us what life in our community is about.