PENTECOST

From fear to faith.

Introduction:  Pentecost is a feast of fear and gifts, from locked in to fearless and zealous.  We might listen to the readings to get in touch with our fears and gifts, where we feel locked in and what we want to be released from.

Jesus Resurrection words to his followers were, “Peace be with you.”  To this very day we use these words every time we gather to celebrate our Eucharistic meal.

These words of Jesus have power and promise.  For the apostles the words of Jesus turned their fear into faith.  From anxious and doubting followers they were transformed into believers and proclaimers.  They are a reminder to us that Christ still turns our fears into faith.

To Jesus locked doors were no obstacle.  He became present, “Peace be with you.” They were in hiding, afraid, confused, some may have been hopeless.  Jesus comes and says, “Peace be with you.” In the Acts they were again all gathered in one room and through wind and fire God makes his presence known.  We call this presence the Holy Spirit.  Again God calls them from fear to faith.  He moves them to be able to preach “the marvels of God.”

The promise of Pentecost is ours too.  God calls us from fear to faith.  He wishes to move us to be able to preach about the “marvels of God.”  One of the marvels of God is the giftedness of each and every person.  Ours is a call to a church in which there is cooperation of gifts not competition.  Today we are called to reflect on our fears but also on our Gifts.  In the past I have asked a group to identify their gifts.  The response was slow in coming.  Than I asked them to identify their fears, they came fast and furious.  When parents are asked to identify negative behavior of their children they can quickly make a list.  Can they as quickly make a list of positive behaviors?  Our promise is that Jesus and the Holy Spirit will do for us what he did for the early church.  The Holy Spirit wishes to help us to get loosed where we are stuck.  The Spirit helps us to get released when we feel locked in.  God is calling us too from fear to faith.