For Sunday
Pentecost
Collect
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Reading
Reflection
In the Pentecost Event, we are split in focus. Much like in any of the miracles of Jesus. Do we allow ourselves to be awestruck by the miraculous? Or do we focus on the mission?
When we put it that way, the answer becomes quite obvious. And this is, essentially, what Jesus argues in John 6, in the section right before one of the optional gospel readings.
As much as my Anglican conviction wants to say “Why not both?” it also reminds me that the latter informs the former, while the former can ignore the latter.
Better, then, to focus on the mission. To pray and worship, share the Good News, and promote justice, peace, and love.