Pentecost 

   “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.  Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.” (Acts 2: 2 – 4) 

   Today we celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.  These were the same men who had abandoned Jesus at His arrest; Peter had denied even knowing Him three times.  And yet now they came out and loudly proclaimed the message of Christ to the gathered crowd.  With the one exception of St. John, they would all die a martyr’s death.  This is the power of the Holy Spirit; to take the simple, the weak and afraid, and empower them to speak loudly and without fear in the name of Christ.

   Today we still talk about receiving the Holy Spirit, but we see very few with the courage to spread the truth of the gospel regardless of the dangers and perils it might bring.  Certainly, the Spirit hasn’t grown weaker so why are there not more willing to risk comfort, safety and even their lives for Christ?

   The Spirit is still with us and is as strong as ever.  We are the ones who have grown weak and afraid  We are afraid we might offend others, unwilling to stand for the truths of God.  We fear rejection, persecution or worse. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt 26: 41).

   The Holy Spirit is within all Christians.  He is there, urging us to spread the gospel; by our words, by how we live our lives, and by how we love.  But we must be willing to act, to let the Holy Spirit work through us.