Before Easter, I asked my friend Cody Wood if he would like to create a work of art to help guide our community into a deeper awareness of the Easter story. Through that conversation, we recognized that in our evangelical upbringing, we knew how to lean heavily into Good Friday but struggled to fully engage Easter. More than that, we realized that we had little formation around the whole season of Easter which culminates in the feast of the Ascension and then Pentecost.
Cody had it in mind to create a triptych - a series of three paintings - to tie together the resurrection of Christ with his ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
This morning, our community had the joy of gathering around these three paintings. I wanted to share them here with you on this day of Pentecost. May you encounter the wonder, power and joy of Pentecost!
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Meditation on Pentecost
The Spirit of the Lord now fills the whole world,
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Spirit of the Lord now fills the whole world,
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Spirit who searches even the depths of God:
Alleluia, alleluia!
+ Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of the Lord now fills the whole world,
Alleluia, alleluia!
The apostles spoke in other tongues, alleluia.
The wonderful works of God, alleluia!
Acts 2:1-13
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
♱ Gospel Reading: John 16:12-16 (Voice Translation)
The Spirit of truth will come and guide you in all truth. He will not speak His own words to you; He will speak what He hears, revealing to you the things to come and bringing glory to Me. The Spirit has unlimited access to Me, to all that I possess and know, just as everything the Father has is Mine. That is the reason I am confident He will care for My own and reveal the path to you. For a little while you will not see Me; but after that, a time will come when you will see Me again.
♱ Contemplate with Art:
Look at the painting and pause at the first thing that catches your eye. Stay there for a moment and ask what it is that draws you to this place?
Look at the painting as a whole. What, if anything, do you see that you didn’t notice before?
Imagine yourself in the scene. How do you imagine it would feel to be filled with this kind of power? How do you respond? What obstacles might hold you back?
♱ Reflect on the Gospel reading:
What word or phrase stood out to you as you read this passage? What drew you to it?
Are there areas, situations, decisions that you need guidance or comfort? What obstacles are you facing?
What does Jesus say that assures you that guidance will come?
Take a few moments to talk with God about what you feel he has impressed on you through the scriptures.
♱ Collect:
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
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