Below is an audio recording of the first half hour of todays service with opening hymns, prayers, readings and a meditative reading from John O'Donoghue the full sermon can be watched on the video below. Today being Pentecost Sunday we come to explore the Pentecost Narrative in Acts 2. It is Luke’s story of the giving of the Holy Spirit in contrast to John’s story in John 20. My tendency is therefore not to read this story primarily as history, but rather to read it as a symbolic narrative in which Luke is seeking to express insights into the spiritual life using symbols and metaphors.
I believe that the real heart of the story of Pentecost can be found in chapter 1:14 where we read they were all together constantly praying. This is in response to the command of Jesus to stay in Jerusalem waiting for the gift of God from on High. This I believe is the crux on which the whole story pivots and from which it all unfolds. A stance of prayerful receptivity can open us to the Divine Presence or the IAM Presence which in the Biblical tradition is generally referred to as the Holy Spirit. The word Spirit can mean breathe or wind or breeze. It is the Breathe of God that animates, gives life to and moves in and through all creation. The word Holy, in its original meaning means different. When we are moved and animated by the Holy Spirit or the IAM Presence, we are moved and animated by something different, something other than our normal egoic way of thinking. And this opening up to the IAM Presence or the Holy Breathe of God according to the story come through prayer. The word ‘prayer’ or ‘to pray’ in this verse is the Greek word proseuché (pros-yoo-khay) and it refers to an exchange of wishes; to pray therefore literally means to interact with God or the Divine by exchanging our human wishes and ideas for God’s Divine wishes for us and for the world; exchanging our narrow small-minded egoic desires and wishes in order to be moved, inspired and animated by a Higher Wisdom than our own, as we become open to the IAM Presence which resides at the heart of all things. And so prayer may begin by the expressing of our own human wishes to God, a speaking out of what concerns us and what our own hopes and dreams are, but if prayer is to be an exchange of our wishes and ideas, often arising from our small and narrow egoic minds, it ends with us needing to be open to receiving The Divine wishes for us which come from a higher or a deeper place – perhaps one could even say, from our higher selves. And this requires being open and receptive. Prayer ultimately and logically should lead to silence and stillness, leaving us in an open and receptive place, ready to be open to the Holy Breath of God, open to the IAM Presence from which all deeper or higher inspiration and wholeness comes. As the Psalmist reminds us, Be Still and Know that I am God: Be Still and Know the IAM Presence of God that underlies all of Reality. And in the story of Pentecost there is some wonderful imagery that points to this: Firstly, there is the imagery of the wind. In verse 2 we read that suddenly a sound like a blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the house were they were sitting. That is at least how the NIV translates the original Greek, and most English translations would roughly do the same. But as I explored some of the Greek words behind the English text, there are I believe other possibilities in how to understand these words. In the English text, we read the phrase "a rushing wind". However, in the original Greek, the word used is "pheromenēs" which means to carry or bear or even to uplift. In addition, the Greek word biaios (bee'-ah-yos) often translated a violent can also simply mean strong. In addition the Greek word for ‘wind’ could also be translated a breeze, a gust, or even as breath. And so the wind in Acts 2:2 might indeed be describing not a rushing and violent wind, but rather a breeze or a breathe of air that uplifts and brings strength to those who receive it. This imagery evokes the imagery of two Old Testament passages. Firstly, the idea of the wind lifting up and carrying, is reminiscent of the Isaiah 40:31 which speaks of being lifted up on wings like eagles. Just as an eagle flies high, soaring up on the currents of air, so being open to the IAM Presence in prayerful receptivity or meditation, opens us to the Divine breeze or current that enables us to be lifted up to begin to soar, carried by a current that is greater than ourselves. The other Old Testament passage that it might remind us of is that of the story of Elijah when he encounters the Divine Presence, not in the sound of a tempest, in other words not in the sound of a rushing and violent wind, but rather in the sound of a gentle whisper, the gentle sound of a breath. We have all had times, even if momentarily, for a split second, when we have been able to sink down into Presence. It might be just for a moment staring out the window while drinking a cup of tea, or waiting quietly in a car. And in that moment of quite watching and listening, of open receptivity, our spirits briefly come into contact with a sense of a still Presence. And in that moment we feel a sense of quiet relief and a lightness like a breathe of fresh air has just blown into our spirits. It is surely, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Breathe of God breathing through us enabling us to be momentarily touched by the IAM Presence of God. Secondly in verse 3 we read of the imagery of fire, “...they saw what seemed like tongues of fire which separated and came to rest on each of them.” Again, two Old Testament images come to mind. The first is the image of Moses’ encounter with the IAM Presence of God at the burning bush. It suggests that when we become prayerfully open and receptive so that we begin to touch the stillness of that IAM Presence at the heart of Life, we become like human burning bushes, shining warmth and light wherever we go. Human manifestations of the Divine. And this brings us to the second image from the Old Testament, taking us to the Tabernacle, Tent of Meeting and later to the Jerusalem Temple where a lamp, known as the "Eternal Light" or "Ner Tamid" in Hebrew, was meant to burn continuously, representing the perpetual nature of God's presence in the Holy of Holies. In Acts 2, the flames of fire that rest on the heads of those gathered in prayer, remind us of our Divine capacity to become living temples in which God lives by God’s Spirit, Living Temples animated by the Holy Breathe of God in which the flame of eternal light, the IAM Presence shines both within and through their humanity. As Paul says, do you know know that your bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Breathe, the Holy Presence of God (see 1 Cor 6:19). Is that perhaps what the Pentecost story is pointing us toward – our God given potential of becoming living Temples of the IAM Presence of God. Lastly, in the passage we read of the disciples being enabled to speak in other languages, helping to bridge the divides between people. It recalls the Old Testament sacred myth of the Tower of Babel, where due to human pride, the people become scattered across the world speaking different languages so that they become divided, separated, no longer communicate and understand one another. It sounds a little bit like our world today doesn’t it? A world of division and separation where there is a failure in understanding and an inability to talk and communicate it civil ways. But in the story of Pentecost, as the disciples, together with Mary the Mother of Jesus and some of the other women, gather in prayerful waiting, openness and receptiveness, and as they find themselves being gifted with the IAM Presence of the Divine, the underlying Unity behind all things, they are enabled to become part of the unifying, reconciling, healing work of God in the world and God’s secret plan revealed in Christ in Ephesians 1:10 to bring all things back together in unity. AS Paul says in 2 Cor 5:19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to God’s-Self. When we gather in open, prayerful receptivity to the IAM Presence in all things and in all people, we become partners with God, in the work of healing the divisions and separation of our world as we begin to speak the reconciling language of Christ-like Love. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” And I leave it there: What does this mean? What could this mean for us? Amen.
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Ascension into the Heart of Love
As some of you may be aware Thursday was Ascension Day Today I would like to explore the ascension story in Acts 1:1-11 and to uncover how that story might offer valuable insights and inspiration to us wherever we might find ourselves on our journey through life. In the story of Acts we read how the risen Jesus meets his disciples one last time and instructs them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit, promising them the power to be his witnesses. As they watch, Jesus ascends into heaven, leaving them gazing upward. Two angels then appear, asking why they are still looking at the sky, and affirm that Jesus will return in the same manner he left. 1. As we reflect more deeply on this story, I believe that Firstly, it is a story that provides us with a Symbol of Transformation and Growth The ascension can be interpreted as a metaphor for personal growth and transformation. Just as Jesus ascended to a higher state, so it speaks of our human potential to be elevated through learning, growth and development. This past week Wends and I watched the first episode of the new series of the piano where pianists from the Manchester area were invited to perform in the Manchester station. Seeing a wide variety of people, young and old, expressing themselves on the piano and displaying their musical giftedness was a reminder of the enormous potential that lies in every human being. God has planted seeds of infinite potential in each of us. And just as a pianist needs to devote themselves to practising in order to increase and raise their musicality and piano playing skills our time spent here on earth should surely be more than just about survival and getting through each day. Our time here on earth is surely God’s invitation to each of us to begin to tap into the potential that lies within, raising our life-state. As Bryant McGill writes: Your entire life has unfolded for your heart’s ascension to Love. And in this passage today, this is symbolised by the ascension of Jesus. As Jesus in the story is lifted on a cloud into heaven, so we are invited into a journey of continuous self-discovery as striving, by the grace of God, towards our fullest potential, being raised and lifted up to be bearers of God’s life in the world. 2. Secondly, the story of the ascension invites us to reflect on the importance of Letting Go and Moving Forward: In the story of the ascension, in order to ascend, Jesus must be willing to let go of a former earth bound existence. It is perhaps a reminder that at some point all of us will need to let go of our earthbound existence. As they say, the only two things that you can be sure of in life are death and taxes. When it comes to our taxes, we all need to be willing to let go of a certain portion of our income that it might be used, hopefully with wisdom and care, for the common good. When it comes to death, there will come a point in which each of us will need to let go of our earthly existence. Whether we believe in an afterlife or not, when we release our final breath, it will surely be a profound act of letting go, for in that moment we will need to let go of everything we have owned, every role we have played, every relationship we have valued and nurtured. In that moment of our final breath we will all be forced to let go of everything we have held onto for our security and our sense of identity in this world. The ascension of Jesus is surely a symbol of this. In order to ascend, he needs to let go. He needs to let go of his earthly existence. He needs to let go of all those he has loved and treasured. He needs to let go of his ministry and he has to entrust all of these things into the hands of the Higher Wisdom of God. Will his mission on earth continue? Who knows… he has to let go. The disciples also need to be willing to let go of the one with whom they had shared their lives. The departure of Jesus is a moment of change for them too. From this moment on, their lives will not be the same. It will be for them a moment of growth for they will no longer be able to relate to and rely on Jesus in the same way. And so the act of ascension requires the letting go of the familiar and moving towards the unknown. It is an invitation to all of us in whatever the circumstances of our lives to embrace change, leaving behind old patterns or limitations, and embracing new possibilities. It encourages each of us to courageously step out of our comfort zones and embark on new adventures or challenges into the vast unknown. None of us is able to embrace something new, unless we are ready and willing to let go of the old. 3. Thirdly the story of the ascension is a story that speaks of Legacy and Impact: Jesus' departure and the disciples' commissioning to continue his work can be seen as a reminder of the importance of leaving a positive impact on the world. Regardless of one's beliefs about Jesus, the idea of leaving behind a legacy of kindness, compassion, and service to others is universally meaningful. It prompts reflection on how each of us can contribute to making the world a better place. When it comes time for us to depart, what will it be that each of us will leave behind? Will we like Jesus leave behind a legacy of kindness, compassion and service to others? 4. Fourthly, the story of the ascension invites us to reflect on the values of Community and Connection: The disciples' gathering together around Jesus at the moment of his ascension highlights the power of community and human connection. And after Jesus has left them, we see them continuing to do so, continuing to meet together. It underscores the significance of supporting one another, sharing experiences, and finding strength in unity and in community. It reminds each of us of the importance of building meaningful relationships, fostering empathy, and creating a sense of belonging in our communities. 5. Fifthly, the story of the Ascension is a story of Hope and Possibility: Near the end of the narrative, after Jesus has ascended two angels appear saying: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand there looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” The promise of Jesus' return can symbolize hope and optimism for the future. It reminds us that even in the face of uncertainty or challenges, there is always the potential for renewal, growth, and positive change. Just as the resurrection reminds us that the cross is not the end of the story, so the promise of Christ’s return, however one conceives of that, reminds us that cruelty, hatred, inhumanity and despair are not how the story of life ends. It encourages individuals to maintain a sense of hopefulness and resilience, believing in the possibility of a brighter tomorrow even in the darkest days. And because of this, like the disciples who are asked why they are looking up into the sky, so we are encouraged not to be so heavenly minded that we become no earthly good. If there is hope and possibility for the future, if Jesus is ‘to come again’, at the very least it will surely also be through each of us as we continue in this world watering the seeds of love, kindness, compassion and joy, as we pour our energies into not only our own growth and transformation, but as we do the same for others, helping, inspiring, lifting others up to become people of the ascension, ascending to new heights of possibility in their own lives as the seeds of Divine potential that God has placed within them and us are able to grow like a plant in spring growing up towards the sun, preparing to bear fruit in the world. “People of Galilee, why do you stand there looking into the sky?” As Elizabeth Gilbert writes - “There’s always another level up. There’s always another ascension. More grace, more light, more generosity, more compassion, more to shed, more to grow”. Amen. Seeking and Finding God’s Love
Michael Curry writes: Sometimes it’s hard to feel God’s Love in our everyday lives, especially when life gets turned upside down. In these times we can’t always feel the Divine Presence and we don’t always have a chorus of angels playing background music when chaos descends. But there is good news says Michael Curry. There is a simple way to connect to the Divine anytime you need to. If God is love and love is an action, he says you’ve only got to get out there and do it. He adds, you’ve also got to get out there and receive it. And the easiest way to do that he says is to become part of a community of people whose aim and purpose is to give and receive love. In fact, every day says Michael Curry provides an opportunity to give and receive love as long as you’re not living in isolation. But if you’ve got a loving community, it becomes that little bit easier to be in touch with God’s Love. Bishop Curry writes that community has been an important way in which he has come to know and experience God’s Love. His early experience of that love came first when his mom became sick and then when she finally died. It happened in stages, firstly when she had a stroke and ended up in a coma. They couldn’t visit her because children weren’t allowed in the hospital. But in the midst of that time, a community of people came around their family to begin to support them. He writes that his mother never did wake up from her coma. For years they visited her. Sometimes she would open her eyes, and it would seem like she was still with them, especially in the earlier years. But eventually her body began to shut down. He says that the memory of her death is vague, but he has a vivid memory of the cemetery on the day she was buried. It was the moment when he finally realised his Mom wasn’t coming back. The day was icy cold, and as they lowered her body into the ground he started crying. He was standing next to Mrs Bullock who pulled him in to herself as she rocked him back and forward. He remembers rubbing his cheek on the soft scratchy hairs of her wool coat as she rocked him. He writes that the way Mrs Bullock pulled him in, her coat becoming a soft landing for a boy’s suffering – this was how he and his family lived through the whole period of his mom’s sickness and her death, resting in the loving hands of their church community, which by extension were in fact God’s hands. After his mom was buried they gathered at someone’s house for a meal. And he remembers his grandmother looking around the room at the Bullocks, Josie Robbins (who I spoke about last week) and all the rest who were gathered there, and in her Baptist way, she said: “You know where the Spirit of the Lord is when you see people love”. And she shook her head and smiled. God’s Love is indeed experienced in loving community. In our Gospel passage today, Jesus reminds us of the importance of this… In chapter 15:9 he begins: As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. One of the ways we can abide in God’s Love is through loving community. And this is what Jesus is pointing to in verse 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you”. He is encouraging his disciples to nurture the bonds of loving community – to create a community built around the loving way of Jesus. And that is the value of going to church. I have often heard it said by people that they don’t go to church because you can find God in other places, and especially in nature. And in a way they are absolutely right. God can indeed be found in nature. Psalm 98 echoes this: Make a joyful noise all the earth; break forth into joyous songs… let the sea roar and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it… Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy. We should all be making time to find God in nature… if you look, indeed You will find God there. But sometimes you also need to feel God through flesh and blood, through a warm smile and a hug, and that is why church community can be so valuable. Bishop Curry writes that God may be the source of Love, but people are often the vessels of that Love. When we create a community of love for ourselves and others, he says God shows up, and we find ourselves resting in God, experiencing God’s Love. Not all church communities manage to create communities of love. Sometimes churches fail miserably. There is no perfect church community. I am quite sure there have been times when this church community have failed to be places of love and care, where some members may not have experienced love and care and as a result they have drifted away. It takes effort to nurture a community of love and not simply become a private inward looking club. It is also not to say that you can’t find loving community outside of a church, of course you can, but there is something about a faith community that stand in a unique position, because faith communities are places in which we can find rituals of comfort that connect us with a deeper, wider and more universal Love, the Love of God. The Church has been practising this for centuries, providing rituals of faith and rituals of comfort when normal words are inadequate. Michael Curry writes that While his mother was sick, his family never stopped living the rituals of faith, whether they felt like it or not. His father never missed a church service, and not simply because it was his job as an episcopal priest. Michael Curry writes: I think that is why we prayed good and long each time they visited his Mom – because they didn’t know what else to do. He writes: Those words – Oh help us heavenly father – carried us when we couldn’t carry ourselves. We rested in God’s hands. Community is love, he writes, and intentional spiritual practice provide the scaffolding that makes it even stronger. And having experienced this kind of community especially when his mom was in a coma and later when she died, he says that he did not conclude that the world was a broken bitter and ruthless place, for despite the pain and the grief, he found that he was not abandoned… he was in fact loved. And if he wasn’t abandoned, then neither was his mother, for she was also resting in God’s hands. In Luke’s Gospel, the last thing that Jesus says, is not “My God my God why have your forsaken me” as we read in Mark’s Gospel. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus last words are, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”. They are words from Psalm 31 that Jesus would have known well from growing up with the psalms being read regularly in synagogue. In his dying moments, in agony, Michael curry writes that Jesus leans on the spiritual tradition that had nurtured him. Those words bubble up and carry him through. He rested in God’s hands. And he felt that this was true also for his Mom. She was also resting in God’s hands. None of us know how it all works he says. We don’t know everything. But from being connected with a faith community, this we do know: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Bishop Curry writes that Resting in God’s hands through being part of a community of love is more than just going to a place of worship. It does require active participation – being willing to be involved, to ask for help and being open to receive it when it is offered. You can go there he says, but you still have to do love, putting yourself out there with all the vulnerability that it requires. And indeed, you don’t have to be in a faith community to do these things – You can do these things anywhere, but as Michael Curry says: It takes a lot more courage outside of a community of faith. There are not a lot of places of community in this world where people can find love and support. A few years ago I was speaking to a father whose son was under-going cancer treatment. And he became part of a whats-app group of other parents who were experiencing the same thing. What struck him was that for most of the people on the group, this was the only place where they were receiving love and support. Most of them didn’t belong to a faith community and therefore didn’t have the love and support of such a community. He realised in that experience what a gift his own faith community was. There is a real danger that Churches are dying and many may go extinct. There continue to be records numbers of churches in England that are closing there doors and having to sell their properties. The phrase comes to mind: “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” We should not take our faith communities for granted. If we nurture our faith communities as communities of love, they will be places in which we can rest in God’s hands. Thank you for being part of this faith community, even if your only contact with us is online. |
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