What can one say about the Holy Spirit? There is just something about the Third Person of the Holy Trinity that is un-sayable. We don’t know where she comes from or where she’s going, and how she got here… (Do you imagine the Holy Spirit as a she? I do. The Hebrew word for Spirit/wind/breath ruach, is a feminine word, that same Spirit that blew over the waters of creation, is a she...anyway...)
Other than a pronoun, there’s not a whole lot to say to describe the Holy Spirit. But we can see evidence of the Holy Spirit...even today. Kind of like how you can’t look directly at the sun, but you can describe all the things upon which the sun shines…
It’s not just a cool, kind-of-creepy story from long ago: the disciples gathered in another room, huddled together, and suddenly the doors fling open and “thar she blows!”
No, there is evidence all around that that same Holy Spirit is with us today. Can you see it?
Take a deep breath. And think for a moment about where you’ve seen evidence of the Holy Spirit working lately.
God has not abandoned us, for the Spirit still blows freely among us, through this congregation, and right out these doors and through this world. Think of signs of the Spirit among us...traces that the Spirit’s “blown through here”.
On St. Patrick’s Day, we’ve had this tradition spill over into our house from school: I never had this growing up, both Micah and Katie’s schools get visited by a magical leprechaun. The leprechaun always makes a mess of things. And this year, when we got home from church, there were some cups on the counter knocked over in our kitchen, there were little green footprints across our living room floor, there were some tiny gifts left, gold stickers and a coloring book, and there were gold flecks all over the place, even a handwritten note from Larry the Leprechaun…
We’ve had fun discovering and trying to catch (last year Micah made some traps to try to catch) the leprechaun.
“[gasp] Uh-oh. What a mess!” [gasp] Surprise! All at the same time.
The Holy Spirit surprises us and makes a mess of things too.
I had someone say to me once, “You know, my life used to be great before I met Jesus. I had a good job, I was in fine shape, my relationships were in order, my family was doing well. Outlook was good, like a weekly forecast in San Diego: ‘76 and sunny’. And then I started going to church and learning about Jesus. My life was great before I met Jesus. Now following him, we go to the pain. We think about the needy, we’re honest about grief and loss: it sucks. We give our money away, and we understand ‘family’ in terms, far beyond just the nuclear unit, and so my brothers and sisters in Africa hurting, hurts me.” That pesky Holy Spirit: knocking stuff over again!
I think he was being clever, saying that his life had gotten worse since he met Jesus (there are good parts about going to church too), but I don’t know…
He wasn’t in it for himself anymore.
The Holy Spirit gets into our home, into our lives, and makes a mess of things, and surprises us. “[gasp] Uh-oh.”
My life was great until the Holy Spirit interrupted everything.
Have you seen evidence of that same Spirit?
Have you ever had things worked out in your head about a certain person...namely that you didn’t like a certain person, and you could make very logical argument as to why others shouldn’t like him/her as well. And then something happens, and you start to actually feel yourself liking that person after all?
This happens all the time for me. I can be pretty cynical and suspicious of people. (… :) probably didn’t like most of you) I’ve been hurt before, and so it’s easy to put up a guard and not let people in...to be honest.
But the Holy Spirit has made a mess of things, flinging open the windows of my heart, blowing in the seeds of patience, love and forgiveness, and new things start to grow and change.
Pentecost is real, sisters and brothers in Christ. And it’s happening all around us. The Holy Spirit is always moving and always doing a new thing. Can you see it? Wind doesn’t straighten things up. But the pieces that are blown over, or cracked open, give life to something new and exciting. Where is the Spirit’s action in your life? In our world?
I was traveling this week, to preaching conference in Nashville (bet you're wishing I paid more attention about now)...but I am continually struck by the kindness of strangers. Little courtesies, big sacrifices, kind gestures...even amid the stress of traveling, and it’s usually not glaring, but it’s always there. People giving up their seat, moving aside, offering to help, speaking politely. It’s there. The Spirit is still moving, cracking us open, making a mess of things, making room for love and forgiveness to take root and grow in a new way. That same Spirit is working on you, offering you forgiveness and setting you free. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Hymn — you don’t need your hymnal. “Veni Sancte Spiritus”
As Lutheran Christians, we are always caught in a both-and: We are both Sinners and Saints, Christ is both human and divine. At Communion we share both Bread and Wine and Body and Blood.
And at Pentecost — we speak of God’s spirit rushing in to be fully with us, whether we want/see/know it or not...and at the same time we call out, beg, cry for that Spirit to come be with us, as if she wasn’t already. Paradoxically, we sing for the same thing that is already here, just like when we pray “Come Lord Jesus, be our guest”.
We’re going to sing over and over for the Spirit to come (and for us to see the messes) now…
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