The Day of Pentecost/Year B
May 23, 2021
Acts 2:1-21; Romans 8:22-27; John 15: 26-27; 16:4b-15
OPENING PRAYER: Intergenerational Prayer for Pentecost (written by Joanna Harader)
Holy One,
For all of the ways you speak to us –
in rushing wind,
in dancing flames,
in words we understand,
and in all that transcends language,
we give thanks.
Give us courage to speak your love,
everywhere we go,
to everyone we meet. Amen.
We just listened to the scriptures appointed for the Day of Pentecost and a beautiful hymn sung by Sarah, all spoken in a variety of languages … Later on in the service, we will listen to yet another language, as we observe the Lord’s prayer being offered using British sign language…And as I think about the rest of our service….I would venture to say, that we will be listening in other ways to hear about the power of God’s love made alive in our world, through the gift of the Holy spirit given to us, in other languages besides the spoken word…we hear this good news through our music, through the visuals, and as we pray... in silence…when the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words…
It's a strange mix of readings today about the Holy Spirit…we hear of the Holy Spirit coming like a rush of wind and tongues of fire, we hear of the spirit interceding with sighs too deep for words…and we are assured through the words of Jesus, in today’s gospel, that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the Spirit of truth will come among us, to guide us all into the way of truth….the truth of God’s love and power made alive in us, and throughout the world, through the gift of the Holy Spirit given to us…
So, you see…this gift of the Holy Spirit…comes to us in many ways….in many languages….in the midst of the noise and the chaos of our day to day lives… in the stunned silences when we wonder aloud, what is going on? What does all this mean? In the silences, when we pray and pray and pray…and hope and hope and hope….Yet, The truth of God’s love and power is made alive in us, and throughout the entire world, through the gift of the Holy Spirit given to us…in a language that we can all understand and share with one another….the language of love….
Not just any love…but the way of love that Jesus has told us about, and shown us, time and time again, in the stories of his life, death and resurrection…In the way of love Jesus made known to us…in the fulfillment of yet another promise to those who would be left behind to continue the movement he began while walking upon the earth…Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, the Advocate…the Spirit of truth….so that the truth of God’s love and power would be made alive in us, and throughout the entire world, in a language that we can all understand and share with one another….the language of love….God’s love…A love that unites us, in Christ, in the interest of others…Love poured out for all persons, all races and all nations…
On the Day of Pentecost – the fulfillment of this promise was made known to all who were gathered, as we heard in the book of Acts scriptures today..….and the same gift of the Holy Spirit has been poured out for you and I, too… We are sealed by the power of the Holy Spirit in Baptism, and marked as Christ’s own forever.
Throughout this whole time of the pandemic…it’s been a struggle to understand all the varying messages that are out there to help us navigate these uncertain times…and to try and keep up with the dizzying pace with which they are changing and being updated…
So, I am particularly mindful and grateful for this reminder of the gift of the Holy Spirit to us…to help us navigate times such as this…with a clear starting point…
The truth of God’s love and power is made alive in us, and throughout the entire world, through the gift of the Holy Spirit given to us…in a language that we can all understand and share with one another….the language of love….God’s love for all of creation, for all of God’s people…
We are reminded of that good news when we turn to the scriptures often, when we turn our hearts regularly to a time of prayer…especially those times when we just don’t know how to pray anymore….for it is the Spirit, who helps us in our weakness…in our times of not having any words to make sense of all that is going on….it is in the moments of uncertainty…that the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words….
Let us begin again, on this day of Pentecost…giving thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit given to us…to help us love another, understand one another, through the language of love….God’s love… A love that unites us, in Christ, in the interest of others…Love poured out for all persons, all races and all nations…
Rev Julie Platson, Rector
St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church
Sitka, AK
Closing Prayer/Hymn: (H) 512 - Come Gracious Spirit
(Ali Hosford/soloist)
Come, gracious Spirit, heavenly Dove, with light and comfort from above;
be thou our guardian, thou our guide; o’er every thought and step preside.
The light of truth to us display, and make us know and choose thy way;
plant holy fear in every heart, that we from thee may ne’er depart.
Lead us to Christ, the living Way, nor let us from his precepts stray;
lead us to holiness, the road that we must take to dwell with God.
Lead us to heaven, that we may share fullness of joy for ever there;
lead us to God, our final rest, to be with him for ever blest.