Today is Pentecost in the church, the day we celebrate God’s Spirit falling on ALL of the disciples including women and families that gathered in the Upper Room. As Rev. Roberta Meehan, RCWP points out it is the Church’s red letter day- and the church’s birthday-OUR Birthday. It is also the purifying-as by wind and fire- gift of God to empower us to live out the mission Jesus sent us on of preaching the gospel-living the gospel of love-to all people.

Today we need Pentecost more than ever.

Here we remember and keep in our hearts and prayers these three African-Americans who are recent representatives of far too many killed by police brutality and hatred, and their families: George Floyd, Ahmad Arbery and Breonna Taylor-and all who have suffered their tragic fate. We also pray for all who are entrusted to be our police officers who risk life and limb every day and who act justly toward all people. And we pray for those who do not act justly and who do not know deep within that we are all children of  our loving God and it is a brother or sister that they are meeting in the line of duty.

Breathe on us Breath of God, until all can breathe!!! Until all can breathe without the fear of a knee on the neck, or foot in the back, or a door slammed shut, or rejection and second class citizenship due to color, gender, sexual orientation,class, culture or language or any other difference form the “dominant group”-until all that dominates is the fresh breeze of love and caring for one another. Breathe on us Breathe of God until hate is burned away and only love still stands. Until hatred is no longer spread like wildfire in the name of legal authority or by disregard or ignorance. All kill. The liturgical color today is red. Red seems a happy color and it is happy on Pentecost. But, red in church language is usually the blood of Christ. Red also is the blood of all the holy innocents who died or failed to live in the air of superiority spread by any group, including so called Christians in our history.

I refer you to one of the readings for Pentecost Sunday, I Corinthians 12:3-7,12-14. The essence of this reading is that by One Spirit strong>ALL of us partake of God’s love and are baptized into ONE Body. Yet how easily it seems that parts of the one body are even literally lopped off until it is disabled. The Church as it is now is a disabled church. It is not fully filled with the Spirit of our living and loving God. Hence we need the RENEWAL of God’s Spirit so we may become the ONE Body God intends us to be. The first verses here say “It is for this reason that I want you to understand that no one can be speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit and say,”Curse Jesus”; by the same token, no one can say, “Jesus Christ reigns supreme,” unless under the influence of the Holy Spirit. ” (TIB) Indeed, no one can say or enact “Curse someone else” , kill or damage another and claim to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit; and no one can live a life of Love without God’s Spirit. If we show love and inclusion it is due to God’s spirit within us, and if we spread evil and discontent or disregard of others who are different the Spirit of God is not yet filling us-rather the spirit of this world , of the almighty importance of Self, and preference for only those who are like us, and even hate of those who are perceived by us to be not like us. If we go back to Genesis, to the Garden, the first narrative is to have domination over all of creation, but the second is to care for all of creation, to live in relationship with all living things. There is a distinct choice there- let us ask God to fill us with the spirit of caring and love for ALL creation – not domination and subjugation of any creature, human, animal, or environmental. Let this red day become a truly green day- with deep respect of ALL Life which comes from the infusion of God’s Holy Spirit, and let us recognize and affirm God’s spirit in life everywhere.

And so on this day, we pray for God’s Spirit to renew and refresh us to revive us again. To teach us to love not only in word but in deed. To recognize abuse of power whether it be legal power, secular power or church power, and to speak truth to power- to all power, especially that which stifles breath and life within each and every of God’s children and of all of God’s creation.
Spirit of the Living God, Fall fresh on us!

One can put in the words “Spread Like Wildfire-Pentecost” or just Pentecost into the search box of this blog and see other interesting and challenging reflections on Pentecost. One can also check out another reflection by RC Women Priests and the Upper room Community of Rev. Mary Teresa Streck in Albany, New York in:
https://upperroomliturgiesrituals.blogspot.com/2020/05/pentecost-2020-presiders-kathleen-ryan.html

Be blessed this Pentecost-be filled with the Spirit of the Living and Loving God,and,in truth, love one another.
Amen! Rev. Dr. Judy Lee, RCWP
Pastor Good Shepherd Inclusive Catholic Community in Fort Myers, Florida