蜜芽传媒

A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Rev Dr Mark Clavier, Residentiary Canon of Brecon Cathedral.

Good Morning. The man was staring intently at the grey steeple at the top of a pretty church outside Durham, North Carolina where I was then studying for the ministry.

鈥淟ike our new lightning rod?鈥� he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

鈥淗as the church been struck before?鈥� I replied.

He shook his head. 鈥淣ah. You see, the Holy Spirit once came down on that church and caused a revival. That led to no end of trouble. So, we figured if we installed a lightning rod, the next time the Spirit comes, we鈥檒l channel it harmlessly out into the ground.鈥�

This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended onto the first apostles like tongues of fire, inspiring them to preach the Gospel of the Risen Christ.
You might say it caused a revival and no end of trouble.

Before the Holy Spirit鈥檚 descent, the Apostles could only hide away in the Upper Room. Afterwards, they preached the Gospel boldly and fearlessly. Before, the most trouble they could cause was to elect a new apostle. Now, they would turn the world upside down. From those twelve useless disciples came a message of faith, hope, and love that changed the world utterly.

You might say that the Holy Spirit caused no end of trouble by giving the Church a pulse. That same Spirit remains available to do the same for us today. We鈥檝e only to ask.

God, who filled the hearts of your faithful people with the fire of your love, grant us such a measure of your Spirit that we may turn this world upside down by contending for all that is good and against all that is evil and corrupt. Amen

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