WelCom May 2021
My Pentecost journey
Joy Cowley
“The spirit of Jesus brought the new law of love. In the Acts of the Apostles we are told of the way people were changed. That spirit of love blew right through them. It set them on fire with love. It was not a timid experience. What they felt was not the sort of love that was needy or made conditions for itself. This love was a freedom without boundaries.
Their hearts glowed with it, their minds were filled with light, and when they spoke in the language of love everyone understood and marvelled at how these people had changed. They were radiant with new life.
…I pray in gratitude for the wind of movement and the fire of love, both gifts of Jesus’ spirit. I pray that my capacity to receive will be increased alongside the capacity to give. I give thanks for those people who have been a presence of Jesus for me, and I ask for greater awareness of the connection between breath and spirit, and the way we are all held in a web of love.”
Excerpts from Veil Over the Light, Selected Spiritual Writings by Joy Cowley, published by FitzBeck Publishing.
The name Pentecost comes from the Greek word ‘pentekoste’ which means fiftieth, as Pentecost Sunday takes place on the 50th day of Easter. This holy day commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit in the form of flames to the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the New Testament in Acts 2:1–31.
The Holy Spirit allowed the apostles to speak in other languages, and they began preaching the word of Jesus to the Jews who were in Jerusalem for the Jewish feast of Shavuot (also known as Pentecost).
Many Christians recognise the Descent of the Holy Spirit as the birth of the Church.