“We tend not to think that way, and yet there it is: the power, presence, guidance, and love of God found physically everywhere in the cosmos, as well infusing and surrounding you.”
Pastor’s Perspective
By the time you read this, we will be at the very end of the church year. It begins with the first Sunday of Advent back in December, and concludes with two of the lesser Christian festivals, Pentecost and then Trinity Sunday, which this year coincides with Memorial Day Weekend.
The “pente” in Pentecost stands for five, in this case being fifty days after the Resurrection.
Pentecost was the time when the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus at the Ascension, was poured out upon the people. it therefore is considered the birthday of the church.
I mentioned above that it is one of the lesser festivals. It in no way compares with Christmas or Easter. There are probably multiple reasons why, but one of them has to do with our general non-understanding or misunderstanding of the Spirit.
Throughout twenty centuries of Christian experience, only a tiny fraction of all those sermons, articles, and books have been about the Spirit. Really, only in the 20th Century did this begin to change, notably with a book on the Holy Spirit by Billy Graham (1978).
Perhaps also it is a different and difficult way of thinking to realize that divinity is literally everywhere, yet invisible.
We tend not to think that way, and yet there it is: the power, presence, guidance, and love of God found physically everywhere in the cosmos, as well infusing and surrounding you.
The Psalmist wrote, “Where can I flee from your presence?” and mentions both heaven and hell, but no, God is there as well. Jesus said at his Ascension, “Behold, I am with you always, even to those close of the age.”
Several symbols have been used over the centuries to help us apprehend such thoughts. The Spirit has been likened to a dove (bringing peace and newness as in the story of Noah) which is why the uppermost stained glass on the rear wall is of a dove.
The color for Pentecost is red, symbolizing the flame of fire as at the day of Pentecost recounted in the Book of Acts. Clergy wear red stoles at an ordination, as a prayer that this new minister would be guided and filled by the Spirit throughout his or her ministry.
But the best symbol is our very breath. God breathed upon Adam and Eve and they became more than clay, but living beings. Jesus breathed upon his disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Even the very word in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin for spirit also means breathe, or wind.
But thinking of the Spirit as infinitely present, yet invisible, yet also the very manifestation of God’s power and love, is just plain difficult.
We tend not to think about our breathing. It is automatic, and our mind is elsewhere. But when you do find yourself thinking about your breath, perhaps in meditation, or perhaps you’re trying to swim the length of the pool without surfacing, think also of the presence of God. Our creator, redeemer, and sustainer is inescapable, with us to the close of the age.
Blessings upon you all,
The June Forecaster also includes news of the Trustees presenting an initial design to create an access ramp from the parking lot into the facility through new doors placed where the current library windows are located.
FCC also participated in this year’s Sacred Sites TourPreservation Association of the Southern Tier coordinated by the .
The June Forecaster also includes news of upcoming musical (and other) events scheduled for the coming Summer months.
(June Forecaster coming soon in PDF for download)