Pentecost Sunday
Rev. Amy Welin: We baptize on Pentecost because we recognize the power of the Holy Spirit. Imagine a community, moved by that Spirit, in which everyone is safe, and no one is so comfortable that they want to just sit back and admire it.
What do you think was on the minds of the disciples who arrived a little later to the gathering at the apostles’ house in Jerusalem on Pentecost? They may have expected a worship service. I wonder if they heard the powerful rush of the wind as they were walking. Can you imagine arriving at church fifteen minutes late, and walking in to see the entire group gathered, everyone talking loudly in different languages, with little flames coming out of their heads? It must have been exciting, and I doubt that anyone was comfortable.
The original experience of Pentecost has been domesticated for our use in church. I love the hymn about a sweet heavenly dove, but the coming of the Spirit was more like a controlled hurricane.
When the Holy Spirit roars into the lives of the followers of Jesus, everything changes. The little group of disciples is suddenly on fire with passion for the gospel of Christ. And each of them, with different gifts and skills and backgrounds, is essential for the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.
Today we baptize children, marking them as members of the Body of Christ. This is an ancient ritual. And as the world has changed over twenty centuries, participation in spiritual life has come to mean different things. We are confirmed as members of the Body of Christ. But we are not conformed to one model. We are not baptized into spiritual uniformity: the Holy Spirit invites us into our own way of being part of life with God. And the Holy Spirit expects us to do our share of the work.
Holy Baptism recognizes that each of us is a beloved child of God. We are washed in holy water and are marked with a cross. If we use the older term “christening,” we may understand more deeply the meaning of what is happening. This is not just a ritual that is completed by the end of the service. This sacrament marks the beginning of a new life. Each baptized person is invited to become a new Christ, a new incarnation of God’s eternal love for the world.
The adults who present the child, and the members of the parish who voice their support for the child, promise that we will be agents for God’s work. We promise that this will be a safe place for each baptized person to grow into who they really are. This is an enormous responsibility, and if it makes you a little uncomfortable, well, good, that means you are paying attention.
The good news is that we are not alone as we promise these things. The Holy Spirit, who can move into our lives with the force of a gale wind, will give us the strength we need for this commitment and offer us the power to share the life of God with others.
The questions each of us needs to ask ourselves are What sets my heart on fire? How can I use that for God? That is what God needs us to do. That is the practical response we need to embrace, the spiritual expression of new life that will continue after Sunday.
The arrival of the Holy Spirit always brings new life. Our life in church is not the same as it was twenty or fifty years ago. It is new, just as each morning is new. And while some grieve over what we have lost in terms of membership and prestige, many rejoice over what we have gained in terms of commitment, diversity, generosity, and passion. God is still in the house.
Jesus tells his friends that the teaching of God is not complete. The Spirit of Truth will declare the things that are to come. God’s work in the world will continue to evolve. Whenever we perceive a deepening and expansion of the spirit of love, and mercy, and justice, we can be sure that the Holy Spirit is at work. And we can give thanks for that, because a world that embraces love, mercy, and justice is a world into which we want to send our children.
The Kingdom of God has been left in our hands. Jesus has trusted that we would do the right thing. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us and to move us forward. All of us are safe. It is unlikely that we will be comfortable enough to sit back. What new expression of the movement of the Holy Spirit in the world leads your heart to joy? What new expression of the movement of the Holy Spirit will lead you to action for the sake of our children?