Father John writes:
What do you feel about change? It can be quite threatening, especially if there is a large element of the “unknown” facing us.
Sometimes we just try to put up with ‘change’ until it stops, but underneath we desperately long to go back to what we were accustomed to. But I am beginning to realise that the present Pandemic is one of those moments when history has truly shifted –a time when the world is never again going to be quite like it was before. It is not surprising that we feel lost, and try to comfort ourselves by imagining that our lives will go back to where we were used to. But our fear is that we will never shake hands again? Is the two meter gap really with us for ever? There is a profound difference between adult independence and fearful isolation.
We are encouraged to wear masks in case someone gets too close and breathes on us. The Gospel reading today for the feast of Pentecost (John 20.19-23) tells us ‘the disciples were locked in the room for fear of the Jews.. Jesus came and stood among them.. and said to them ‘As the Father sent me so I am sending you’. After saying this he breathed on them and said ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ When the Holy Spirit came down on each of them, the disciples were changed in one instance from being ‘listeners’ and ‘learners’ to being ‘proclaimers’ of the Good News
The feast of Pentecost celebrates this great moment when the world changed, or at least started to change. And it is a change that is still continuing today. Pentecost is the beginning of Christianity and of the Church. The Word of God is proclaimed throughout the world. Jesus said to the Apostles: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another to be your Advocate who will be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him for he is with you and will be in you” Rejoice, the Spirit of true change is with us.