Pentecost

On Sunday we celebrated the birthday of the Church. The Coming of the Holy Spirit that was promised to the disciples descended on them and anointed them. The Holy Spirit flows when the congregation is gathered for the same purpose-unity of the congregation is vital for the free flow of the spirit. The Spirit moves freely in the congregation that is united. We see this in the Acts of the Apostles. The congregation gathered was empowered by the Holy Spirit that all where able to understand each other. Some spoke Greek others Aramaic and other languages too, the beauty was that all understood each other.  What a marvel it would be if we all understood each other. There is less manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the congregations because we are less united. St Paul takes the trouble to chastise congregations who are behaving badly. For St Paul knew that disunity grieved the Holy Spirit.  Jesus prayed for the unity among the disciples. Christ did not will the congregations and church should break-up.  Sadly churches continue to split at an alarming rate. The question to be asked , Are people converted to God or the Church? It seems ,more likely that the congregations are converted to the Church as an institution and not to God that we see and experience through our Lord Jesus Christ. Who says render your hearts and not your garments. God through Jesus Christ wants to have a living relationship with us as his people and not to hide behind, Canons or Acts of the Diocese, all these are important but can never be replaced by authentic human relationships. God wants us to be converted to him. Jesus Christ states very clearly seek the first the Kingdom of God.  We are called to be Kingdom people.  Peter and the other disciples are good examples of Kingdom people. When he is told to stop preaching about Jesus , he declares, "obedience to God comes before the obedience to men." Peter and others are a good illustration that these where converted to Christ Jesus.