God unbounded
Henri Nouwen tells us that “Something very deep and mysterious, very holy and sacred, is taking place in our lives right where we are, and the more attentive we become the more we will begin to see and hear it.”
The Spirit of the Living God is moving in our midst: the same Spirit that hovered over creation, the same Spirit that drove Jesus into the desert to be tested, the same Spirit that descended on Jesus at his baptism, and the same Spirit that came to the apostles as they waited together as Jesus had instructed them. This same Spirit that is poured out on us today, here at St. Matthias.
God has poured out God’s own Spirit on all creation, no exceptions. God is not Anglican or Roman Catholic or Methodist or United. God is not Jewish or Muslim: no, God is all of those things but so much more. God is UNBOUNDED. The Spirit of God is not contained by the church or by official believers, it has been poured out on all of creation. We know it in the crashing of the waves on the shore, in the early morning dawn chorus of birds, in the amazing display of aurora borealis. We experience it in our bodies through dance and music, in the intimacy and connectedness of our relationships with one another. It is not the exclusive domain of Christians! … and this is the good news that we celebrate today. The Holy Spirit is not limited to the religious. She is not bound by time and space, not limited by gender, culture or geographical location. She speaks all languages and all can recognise and understand her. She is universal, transcendent, imminent, and active in all places and situations. She is with us when our hearts soar with joy, with us in our struggles, and when we are in deep pain. She is especially present in the hearts and lives of those who are hurting in any way.
I believe this is what people mean when they say, “I’m spiritual but not religious”. There is an energy that flows through us, connects us, awakens, disturbs and challenges us, and ultimately calls us to serve more than our own interests. It is the impetus to serve, the longing for connection, the ache that exists in all of us for wholeness. We know we are not alone, we are connected to one another and we are empowered by an energy, a purpose, that is beyond us and at the same time within us.
It’s important to remember that the first Pentecost didn’t take place within a church building and the outpouring of the Spirit wasn’t limited to the apostles who were waiting in the upper room as instructed by Jesus. The Spirit was poured out on all flesh, in all its diversity. It wasn’t restricted. Everyone was able to understand each other although they spoke different languages and had different faith traditions, or no faith tradition.
The important thing that we celebrate today is that the Spirit of God is poured out on everyone; all ages, genders and cultures, people of every religion or no religion, the artists and the intellectuals and all those who through their hard work and service make the world go round, and most especially, the marginalized, those who are fighting addictions, prisoners, the homeless, refugees, the sick and dying.
What is our role in this as Christians? to reflect the light and energy of the Spirit. To hold space for all who are struggling. To make our churches and our homes, places of welcome, healing and hope, and to witness by our lives to this powerful Spirit that has been poured out on all flesh.
In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles today, we learn that when the day of Pentecost came, the apostles were all together in one place. They had been told by Jesus to wait until they were empowered by the Holy Spirit before setting out on the mission that Jesus had assigned to them; and wait they did. And the Spirit came with power and a mighty wind and we hear that they were amazed and perplexed and bewildered and that although people were speaking in many languages, they understood each other……….
We have been presented here at St. Matthias with a possibility for the future. It is a spark, a glimmer, a possibility as we consider where the Spirit is leading us, and it is a possibility to consider with care, with prayer, and with open minds and hears. The end of the story has not been written. Together with the Holy Spirit, we are writing St. Matthias’ next chapter. The Spirit is full of surprises. We may be surprised where she takes us on the journey. Amen.