Pentecost Daybook, 1: Tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them
My Pentecost daybook for these 8 days of celebrating (today through Trinity Sunday next week).
Join me, won't you?
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Christian Orthodox worshipers hold up candles during 'Holy Fire' ceremony on the eve of Orthodox Easter, Jerusalem, by Gail Gibbon - source
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Acts 2:1-21:
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Peter's Sermon at Pentecost
But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
even on my male servants[c] and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
all readings for the day: Acts 2:1-21; Genesis 11:1-9; Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; Romans 8:14-17; John 14:8-17, 25-27
pray
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. (source)
listen
Holy Spirit, Come to Us - Tui amoris ignem, Taizé
My Pentecost playlist on Spotify.
do
The Church has long used the symbols of fire, wind and water to represent the power given to us by the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Today would be a great day to light candles, host a bon fire or walk around a body of water (a location with waterfalls would be even better!)
Also, if your church does not include a renewal of your baptism vows within today's liturgy, considering doing that at home -- alone, with friends, or family. ( I've made a quick-link to the liturgy for the Renewal of Baptism Vows here. )
See Pentecost posts from the past few years here.