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Header graphic for coastal parishes. Shows images of the three church buildings, the coastal parishes logo, and text 'Coastal Parishes North Devon' and 'The church of England in Woolacombe, Mortehoe and Lee', with a background image of Woolacombe Bay. Overlayed image of St Sabinus - Woolacombe Overlayed image of St. Mary's - Mortehoe Overlayed image of St. Matthew's - Lee

June - Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers were gathered together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Tongues of fire spread out and touched each person there....tongues of fire, enabling them to move out from Jerusalem into the world to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

As you are reading this article, I wonder whether you have noticed that you are breathing.  That without a thought, your lungs have just filled with air or emptied themselves as you exhaled.  Or perhaps like me, you don’t even consider breathing – that is, until you choose to walk at pace up a particularly steep hill!

Breathing really is the most remarkable process.  It just happens through waking hours and when asleep, yet even if awake and despite air entering our lungs and being expelled as we breathe out, we are unable to see the invisible gas that we are totally dependent on for life.  It is for me one of the remarkable aspects of our amazing bodies. 

All living things on earth including humans, use oxygen from the atmosphere to stay alive, yet to breathe 100% oxygen wouldn’t do us much good at all and I dare say that there will be some of you who never take breathing for granted.  I think of asthmatics or anyone with a condition that compromises their breathing.  It can literally be a life-or-death situation to struggle to breathe.

Pentecost is the Greek name given to the festival which happens 50 days following Easter, which commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles and other followers of Jesus.  It is seen as a pivotal moment in Christian history and the beginning of the Church and is celebrated this year on Sunday 8th June – Whit Sunday. 

As recorded in the Book of Acts 2:1-31, the Holy Spirit descended on the gathering of Apostles and believers in the form of a ‘mighty rushing wind’ and tongues of fire, enabling them to move out from Jerusalem into the world to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

It enabled them to understand and speak different languages, breaking down the barriers of language and culture, bringing people from all nations into the Church.  Yet, the work of the Holy Spirit is not seen as a one-time event in history.   For every believer who simply responds to God’s loving call on their lives receives the life-giving breath of God to fill them and empower them to live a life of faith, love and hope as they too share the life-transforming news of Jesus Christ with the world. 

Much like air, I cannot show you the Holy Spirit.  However, I can show you where it has been and where it is giving life.  As much as the Spirit of God is the energy responsible for all life; the force which holds atoms together to form matter; mighty galaxies in space; the constant weather systems that circulate around our little planet; it is to be seen in the lives of those who respond to the goodness of God in acts of compassion and mercy to neighbour.  I suggest it is seen in the love of relationships that nurture and enable, in the joy that fills our hearts at the sight of a beautiful sunset, the curve of a perfect wave or a warm embrace and in the peace of knowing God’s love for us.     

So as I next ascend a particularly steep hill, I will be much more aware of the miracle that happens with each lungful of air flooding into my blood through the remarkable processes of my body; delivering vital oxygen to every cell, and of the power of a God whose life force defied death in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and whose love supports and sustains all life in the Universe.

Revd Susan