PENTECOST SUNDAY

PENTECOST – 10:30 2007 There is a saying taken from Native American spirituality that seems to me to be most appropriate as we celebrate the Holy Spirit on this Pentecost Sunday. It goes: The voice of the Great Spirit can be heard in the twittering of birds, in the rippling of mighty waters, in the sweet breathing of flowers. What a beautiful, religious sentiment. I particularly like the sweet breathing of flowers. What a sensitive, poetic way to describe the smell of flowers. What a gracious insight into Native American spirituality. It’s like a flower opening up its petals and inviting you into its beauty. The earthiness of Native American spirituality puts them into immediate contact with God, the Great Spirit, like a loving embrace between two people. I think it’s a shame that early missionaries to the New World didn’t adopt and adapt some of the insights from Native American spirituality. If they had today we would have a shimmeringly renewed faith. Sometimes people will say to me, You talk a lot about God dwelling within us but I get so busy, pulled in all kinds of directions as though I were caught in a hurricane and a whole day goes by without a thought given to the indwelling Trinity. If you find yourself in this situation, you need to sit and contemplate the Holy Spirit’s gift of knowledge. It is the gift of knowledge which enables you to make the connection between what is created and the Creator Spirit. But you must activate the gift of knowledge by developing your awareness. You can develop your awareness by stopping mentally and saying to yourself, Now I am aware of … and fill in the blank with whatever you are aware of at the time. For example, Now I am aware of this sunset or this child or this feeling of anxiety or Jesus in the consecrated host, all the ordinary events in your life. Thomas More in his book, The Reenchantment Of Everyday Life, says, “The creative person is keenly aware of beauty in the ordinary.” With your habit of awareness you can use the Holy Spirit’s gift of knowledge to make connections between what you are aware of and the Holy Sprit. For example, you can make a connection between the twittering of birds and the infinite harmony of God’s oneness which he shares with you as unity with the members of Christ’s Mystical Body. Or a connection between the rippling of mighty waters and God’s all-powerfulness which he shares with you as your perseverance. Or a connection between the sweet breathing of flowers and the Breath of God who is the Holy Spirit inspiring you to be more heroic in your efforts to do good. This connecting was pinpointed in the movie, Desperate Trail. One of the characters says, “The stars are God’s teeth and you can always see the stars because God’s always smiling.” Whether you realize it or not, being aware of what is created is a mystical experience which elevates you to the mystical experience of God, the Creator Spirit. Let me conclude with a story about awareness. It’s called, “A Walk With My Grandson, Ricky.” Notice the connection made in this story and use the story as a model for yourself. Ricky: “Grandma, why do trees take their clothes off at the end of summer?” Grandma: “Because their clothes get worn out and must be exchanged for new ones.” Ricky: “Where do their new clothes come from?” Grandma: “From underneath the ground. Deep down, mother nature is busy preparing a new spring wardrobe for them.” Ricky: “Grandma, did you ever notice that the sky looks like an upside-down lake?” Grandma: “And those little white clouds look like sailboats, don’t they?” Ricky: “I wonder where they’re sailing to.” Grandma: “Maybe to a cloud meeting.” Ricky: “What would they do there?” Grandma: “Probably they decide if the earth needs more rain.” Ricky: “Gee, God thinks of everything, doesn’t he, Grandma?” Humorous: Unconnected CallsMy daughter Marina worked in my law office while she attended graduate school. One morning a call came in for her. I said she wasn't in yet and offered to take a message. The caller said she'd phone back later. At 11:00 a.m., the caller tried again, and I reported that Marina had gone to lunch. The last call came in at 3:30 p.m. "I'm sorry," I said, "she's left for the day. May I take a message?" "Yes," the caller replied. "How can I get a job with you?" Ask the Holy Spirit dwelling within you to help you to be aware of the connections between creation and the Creator. Thought :Always be aware of creative connections.