ScriptureWhen the day of Pentecost had come, [the disciples] were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2.1-21 †) Reflection:Jerusalem was teeming with Jews from far and wide, come to celebrate the great feast of Pentecost (Shavuot). There would be speakers of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic in the crowd, but also Arabic, Egyptian and various local dialects, yet all of them heard and understood the disciples’ joyful outburst in their own language.How could that possibly be true? The disciples were not learned men, fluent in all these languages. The message was not in the words spoken, but in what the crowds heard, translated for each individual by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.We are all different, but God communicates with each of us in ways that we can understand, whether in words, pictures, events or experiences, directly or through other people. Are we listening?Lord, open our ears to your words and our hearts to your love. Revd Rosemary Kobus van Wengen
Scripture 6 ‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; 8 for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11 And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. (John 17: 6-11) Reflection: Jesus knows his time has come to die and he has many things to speak about to prepare his disciples for his departure. Jesus begins to pray, not speaking to his disciples anymore, but directly to God. Jesus wants them to overhear what he is saying. He wants them to hear the intimacy of his relationship with his Father. Jesus wants them to know that he is not leaving them alone but in the hands of God. He wants them to understand that because of his close relationship with his Father he can lay all his worries and requests before God in confidence, and he will be heard. Jesus models what he wants for his followers: closeness and complete trust in God for their well-being. And Jesus is not just praying for the disciples here but for us too and so he brings past, present and future together. Lyn Hayes ALM
ScriptureJust after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. He called out to them ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’ ( John 21, 4-5)Reflection:Jesus’ friends had spent 3 years by his side, but when he appeared to them more than once after his resurrection they failed to recognise him. The disciples had gone back to their day job - fishing - when Jesus decided to pop down and cook them breakfast on the beach. What a reunion that must have been, as they realised who he was and sat down to eat with him! In this world that is in a far from satisfactory state, we search for hope, for righteousness and justice, and for order out of chaos. Maybe we are wondering why an all-powerful God doesn’t click his fingers and make everything right? I’m not sure that God is all powerful, but I am certain that He is all loving. I’m not even sure I would worship a God who could click his fingers, make everything right, but hasn’t yet? I can worship a God who came as a human baby, who chose to live a human life with all its hardship, who championed the outcasts and the misfits, lived a life of service to others and cared enough about his friends feelings to cook them breakfast on the beach. We can recognise God in the world - not for His power…but for His love.Vicki Young
