Pentecost-The Intimate God

Readings for today are many but of those that are "officially set" we find Acts 2:1-21;Ezekiel 37:1-14;Psalm104:24-36; Romans 8:22-37; John 15:26-27; 16:4-15

The story of Pentecost
we read today does not
celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit
into our world
as Christmas celebrates the coming of Christ,
since the Spirit has been ever existent.

Today rather we celebrate the fact that God pours out his Spirit anew
on the church
and on each one of us.

we sing sometimes
Spirit of the living God in All Together Now)

Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me
BREAK ME
MELT ME
MOULD ME
FILL ME

According to this song
the Spirit comes to
Break
to Melt
to Mould
and to Fill

Let’s note that these words are ambiguous in tone
Although we always construe things about God in a positive light
These are also powerfully destructive words

Breaking Down

Melting off the impurity

Moulding into something else

Filling whether we want to be filled or not

They are the ambiguous words of Power
This is the other word associated with the Spirit….

POWER

Power is itself ambiguous
it can be constructive
it can be destructive

What is this power of God the Spirit
and how does it meet us?

When power meets power…there is confrontation and destruction
When power meets vulnerability there is bound to be exploitation and inequality
It is only when vulnerability meets vulnerability
that we find amazing things can happen
we find above all
not destruction, not exploitation but

Intimacy

The true exercise of power
comes when the powerful
know not only how to wield power
but how and when not to wield it.

This is the perhaps the most difficult thing for you and me
We find it really difficult
to not use our power to manipulate others
it is almost impossible for us
not to use our power
in a selfish way.

Maturity comes when we learn and understand
That the effective use of power
is power used
in the service of others
this is the mystery of friendship
this is they mystery of marriage
it is indeed the mystery of the Cross.

It is in this way that the Holy Spirit of God
meets you and me
the Breaking, Melting and Moulding, the Filling
is the vulnerable God giving himself to the vulnerable person

Are we vulnerable enough to meet God
Is our God vulnerable enough
to be the intimate God?

So seduced are we by images of power
that we forget.

It is only when the vulnerable meets the vulnerable
that true intimacy will take place
it is only in this mutual weakness
that God’s true power
will come to bloom in our lives