Pentecost

There’s a school cheer that goes like this: 

“We've got spirit, yes we do
we've got spirit, how ‘bout you?”

The word spirit is related to inspire, which comes from the Latin inspirare, which means to breathe upon or into. According to the gospel of John, which is proclaimed on Pentecost Sunday, Jesus breathed his Spirit into the apostles:

He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Jn. 20:22

The Spirit inspired those first disciples to do amazing things, things like speak and understand other languages. According to the Acts of the Apostles:

Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Acts 2:43

Notice how the Spirit encouraged them to live with one another:

They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life … they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need … they ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. Acts 2:42-46

If we, like the first disciples, allow ourselves to be ignited by the Spirit’s fire, we too can live in awe, perform wonders and create communities where no one is in need. Pentecost is a good time to renew our spirits, to consider how the Holy Spirit inspires us and to respond to the continual cheer of the Triune God: “We’ve got spirit, how ‘bout you?”