Pentecost:

Bishop Declan has recorded a message for Pentecost:

In this ‘Year of the Word’, we find that there are many ways to appreciate how God speaks to us in the scriptures. Throughout history, artists have been inspired to express their own understanding and relationship with the Word of God. As we approach the end of the Easter season, we offer two artistic  reflections on the two major Feasts which bring the season to an end – the Feast of the Ascension of Christ and the Feast of Pentecost.

In the second of our two reflections we turn to the Feast of Pentecost

It’s Luke who narrates the account of Pentecost for us in the second part of his Gospel, the Acts of the Apostles. He has spent most of his Gospel following Jesus on his pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the place where Jesus meets mission’s fulfilment and mission’s goal in the cross and in the resurrection. Jerusalem becomes the focus of the ‘ending’ of Jesus’ mission but, as Luke shows us in Acts, Jerusalem becomes the beginning of a new mission that sees anointed disciples starting in Jerusalem but finding themselves bringing the Good News to the ends of the known world.

This Feast of Pentecost – a harvest celebration that recalls the giving of the Law – sees the disciples gathered together again in the familiar setting of an upper room. Faithful to what the Lord asked of them as he ascended into heaven, they gather, they pray and they wait for what he promised. His departure means an arrival for, unless he goes, the promised Spirit cannot come. But this is a real encounter with the unknown. Jesus is not there to reassure them, to unfold things for them, to deepen their understanding or quieten their troubled minds – all they rely on now is the memory of his word and they have to fall back on everything he taught them.

So here in El Greco’s (c1600) painting of the coming of the Holy Spirit, which hangs in the Prado museum in Madrid, we have an open window to allow us to watch, to look on, as the promised gift of the Spirit anoints the women and the disciples in that room. They are all squashed in – there’s no room to breathe… but this isn’t about them breathing.  It’s about God breathing life into them and bringing them to a new birth – just as God breathed into the lifeless form of dust that was Adam the very breath of life. This is a moment of gift, a moment of creation, a moment of giving as the Spirit – the breath of God – comes down upon this anxious, weary, fearful band of followers. There’s the gesture of prayer in Mary; she’s no stranger to the coming of the Holy Spirit. She knows what God’s overshadowing can do in and for her. The disciples are shown in wonder, in amazement and in joy. Notice how open their arms are to what is being given; notice the openness, the surrender that El Greco paints, as light comes into the shadows of this space. The Spirit illuminates the whole room – there is no other light source in this painting. The Spirit illuminates their minds and their hearts, opening them up to the great potential of the Word of God in them. Just as Mary, overshadowed by the Spirit at the Annunciation, brings forth the Word made Flesh, so now these disciples of the Risen Christ are transformed into Apostles, those who are sent, so that the Word of God might find a home in all those who hear Good News proclaimed. Those tongues of fire or flames resting upon each of them give them that burning zeal that they will need to go out with boldness and courage. Do not worry about what to say or how to speak… the Spirit will remind you of everything I have told you. They are alight with strength of God, the courage of God, the boldness of God, the energy and enthusiasm to allow them to open that door and step out into new mission territory, armed only with the Good News that Jesus is the Son of God, come to set us free and bring us life.

And, as the overshadowing of the Spirit in the Annunciation unties the knot of Eve’s disobedience and her ‘no’, in Mary’s obedience and her ‘yes’, so the same Spirit unloosens tied tongues that were knotted at Babel so that a speech, confused because of arrogance and pride, is now eloquent and articulate through this healing balm of the Spirit. These are no longer apprentices, following a teacher; these are men and women gifted with everything they need to be the instruments, the earthenware jars, that hold the treasure of God’s invitation to life and to love.

This fiftieth day gives us a chance to look back across the Easter Season. We have had fifty days to bathe in the light of the Risen Christ. Now, anointed by the Spirit of Pentecost, we, too, are sent out into the ordinariness of our lives, the simplicity of our everyday lives, to be proclaimers of beauty, goodness and truth through the lives we lead, through what we say and through what we do. We’re not sent to strange lands: Jerusalem was not strange territory for the apostles. It’s the mission that changes, the focus, the ‘reason’ that changes. Christ is at the heart of everything and the Spirit of Pentecost allows us to hold the memory of Jesus, too. 

We bring our Easter Season to a beautiful conclusion with this celebration… but the work is far from done! Anointed by the same Spirit, we go from our own ‘upper room’ to step out into our ‘work’, our mission of bringing Christ – his light, his love, his forgiveness, his healing, his encouragement, his joy and his peace – to a world still waiting to hear Good News.

Loyola Press gives us tips on how to pray with children on their page here

Some examples of Children’s Liturgy ideas can be found on youtube.com/c/blessedsacramentexeter:   Click ‘playlist’ where you will see recent Sunday’s Children’s Liturgies.  You will also see ‘GIFT’ (Growing in Faith Together) which is, too, a lovely family resource.

If you are on Facebook ‘Colour and Shape’ is another very good resource for looking at Children’s Liturgy ideas.