Pentecost Sunday, Sunday 9th June
Parachuting at 90 plus
What a poignant and exhilarating sight it was to see a ninety-seven-year-old veteran of the Normandy landings do a repeat parachute jump this week – what an inspiration to those who complain of old bones!
It’s all in the breathing!
All of life has to do with that God-given breath. The Latin root word, ‘spirare’ means ‘to breathe’ and so many words come from that in the English lan-guage; ‘inspire’ means to breathe life into someone; ‘aspire’ means to breath upwards. (I once saw a fund-raising slogan outside a church which read: ‘A Spire to the future!’ ‘Conspire’, of course would mean to breathe together, usually in a sinister style, but it could also be positive, if focussed on a good purpose.
Can these dry bones live?
The prophet Ezekiel was led by the Lord into a valley of dry bones and the Lord asked him, ‘can these dry bones live?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.’ (Ezekiel 37: 1-5).
Breathe on me breath of God
Jesus himself breathes the life of his Spirit into each of us today as he did for the Apostles. We are reminded of the fire of the Holy Spirit that was enkindled in our hearts at Confirmation.
Noli Temere (Be not afraid)
On this day of Pentecost each of us is called to be a person of imagination and creativity, without fear, full of wisdom, understanding, right judgment, courage, knowledge, reverence and wonder in God’s presence – each of the gifts is a meditation point in itself.
“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and enkindle within them the fire of your love. Amen.
Fr Michael CM