The Easter season has ended and today the Christian Church throughout the world celebrates the Feast of Pentecost. The Greek word “Pentecost” is the name given to the Jewish “Feast of Weeks” which is always celebrated fifty days after the Passover. It is a harvest festival which celebrates the first fruits of the corn crop in the northern hemisphere. For Jewish people the first fruits of the harvest symbolise God giving of the law (the ten commandments) to Moses for the first time.

In our Christian tradition, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, it was on the Jewish festival of Pentecost that the Apostles of Jesus experienced the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This experience, we are told, manifested itself in three ways – Wind, Fire and Language.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to every believer in Jesus and it is given in difference ways and like wind the Holy Spirit is the gift of faith that blows where it wills. Like fire it bestows strength and warmth in our hearts so that we might never be weak or cold-hearted. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit gives each and every one of us a new language. It is a language that can be understood by anyone. It is the language of hope, love and peace.

Today we give thanks for the gifts of faith, strength, warmth, hope, love and peace. As believers in Jesus we are wonderfully gifted: Thanks be to God.