Picture this:

You and your friends, fearful and confused, are gathered in a room, overlooking a garden perhaps, and a great noise comes from the sky like the strongest wind, like the gale of a storm, and fills the entire house, from top to bottom, from side to side.

And over your heads are tongues of flame, and you are filled with the Holy Spirit, and you go out of the house and proclaim the Word of God, and everyone who hears you understands what you are saying, no matter their language — Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, Cretans and Arabs.

You find yourself taking part in a mighty act of God.

This Pentecost moment seems to come right out of one of the epic Hollywood films of today, heavy on special effects and Dolby stereo. Few of us are likely to ever be caught up in such an awe-filled scene.

Yet, each day, each of us takes part in the mighty acts of God.

Each day, we tap into the ever-flowing river of grace that is the Holy Spirit and, refreshed, go out into the world and preach the Word of God in a language that anyone and everyone can understand — the language of our actions.

The tongues of fire were signs of God.

Each day, our lives are signs of God.

 

Patrick T. Reardon

8.23.17

Written by : Patrick T. Reardon

For more than three decades Patrick T. Reardon was an urban affairs writer, a feature writer, a columnist, and an editor for the Chicago Tribune. In 2000 he was one of a team of 50 staff members who won a Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting. Now a freelance writer and poet, he has contributed chapters to several books and is the author of Faith Stripped to Its Essence. His website is https://patricktreardon.com/.

2 Comments

  1. Jane Rooney August 23, 2017 at 8:33 pm - Reply

    AMEN !!

    • Patrick T. Reardon August 25, 2017 at 11:42 am - Reply

      Thanks, Jane.

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