“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and their varieties of service…there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” 1 Cor. 12: 5-6
Eastertide began 7 weeks ago around a blazing fire – a fire from which the Easter Candle was lit: a fire blessed so that: -
‘we may be so inflamed with heavenly desires..’
Eastertide concludes today 7 weeks later with the Easter Candle still burning brightly yet within the Church not adorned in bright gold but with the colour of flame and once again we have heard the Easter Gospel only this time preceded by these words of the Pentecost Sequence: -
“Thou of comforters the best,
Thou the soul’s delightful guest,
Dost refreshing peace bestow.
Thou in toil art comfort sweer,
Pleasant coolness in the heat,
Solace in the midst of woe.”
‘Grasping at Straws’, a friend said as I mused this link between the two celebrations. I don’t believe so! Let’s imagine the scene in Jerusalem on the Feast of Pentecost AD31. The Apostles were in Jerusalem along with thousands of others, they were making their way to the temple musing over “all that had happened”, expectant after the Ascension Day blessing, they had received. The crowds surrounding the apostles, at first think nothing of a group of wayside preachers – even if they were from Galilee! But then the reality hit – the fervour spreads throughout the crowd as, as despite the theatricality of: -
“the divided tongues as of fire…rested on each of them.”
they become aware that: -
“each one of them was hearing them speak in his ow language.”
What of us gathered at this celebration of the event we fondly call ‘The Church’s Birthday’?
The prayer for the blessing of the Easter Fire continued: -
“that with minds made pure we may attain festivities of unending splendour.”
and reflect on the words of today’s Collect as Eastertide concludes with this as our prayer; that will: -
“sanctify his whole Church…with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was proclaimed,”
and what is more that he will: -
“fill now once more the hearts of believers.”
Just what are we looking for as we ask this renewal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit?
- A Dove
- A rushing wind
- Tongues of fire?
These are but symbols of the activity of the Holy Spirit in the early mission of the Apostles, that at the first Pentecost, that celebration of the Giving of the Law in the wilderness becoming the celebration of the fruition of all that it had born witness to – to the work of God in the world – the work of constant renewal of the created with their creator – a relationship that post Easter had been proven to be eternal.
Between the two sections of verses given us from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he has identified certain characteristics of the evidence of the Holy Spirit at work – they are familiar to us all –Wisdom, Love, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsell, Piety, Fortitude, Respect…
Such gifts manifest in the example of the Apostles as their mission spread. We should be grateful to S Paul for assuring us that while we seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit at the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and indeed Holy Orders: that he refers to such gifts as singular, adapted to the ability and gifts of the one called for such generous gifts to be bestowed upon!
Grateful but not complacent! True at our Baptism, Confirmation and Ordination we offered or we were offered to God for work in the Church. Thankfully we are not called to speak in tongues, or most of us to wear mitres of fire! For most of us the Holy Spirit calls usito more simple and quieter tasks – quieter but they remain the essential tool of Christian Mission.
I believe to refer to Pentecost as ‘The Church’s Birthday’ is a mistake – it is Easter, I believe as a whole, stressed in the use of the Easter Day Gospel after reflecting on the Pentecost Event, that should focus our thoughts. Returning to a Liturgical example such as the one with which I began, I turn now to the Pentecost dismissal when once again ‘Alleluia’ is added to the commission at the end of Mass.
The characters that were the apostles changed much in the fifty days between discovering the joy of the resurrection and their going out from Jerusalem. May another celebration of Eastertide as the family of the Risen Christ, once again this year, have renewed in us the same commitment to witness to: -
‘“the mighty works of God.”’
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and their varieties of service…there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.”