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June this year starts with a bit of a "WOW" experience for the disciples. It was no time at all - only about seven weeks - since they had experienced the ups and downs of Good Friday and Easter Day. During this time Jesus met with them and told them to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit came on the day we now remember as Pentecost Sunday (June 4). The Spirit came with the sound of a great, blowing, disturbing wind and settled on the disciples as if with tongues of fire, setting them alight for the mission and ministry that God had called them to.

We might sometimes be inclined to think that this was the first time the Holy Spirit had come to humankind. Not so! God is revealed to us as a Holy Trinity (especially remembered on June 11) - three Persons but one God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And since God is eternal, God has always been a Holy Trinity. We read in Genesis 1:1 that "the Spirit of God was hovering over the deep" and in John 1:1 we read that Jesus also was "in the beginning". The Spirit of God has always been at work, restoring, renewing, empowering God's people. The vision of Ezekiel (Chapter 37) of the dry bones being restored to life by the Spirit - the "breath" of God - was a wonderful encouragement to the Judean exiles in Babylon, speaking to them of restoration and renewal - re-birth, born again.

When a person comes for Baptism or Confirmation or, as for some, Ordination, the Church prays that the Holy Spirit will come upon upon them, empowering and enabling them to do things they would not otherwise be able to do. Also this month, remember in your prayers all new Christians coming to baptism, all affirming their baptism in confirmation, and all those presenting themselves for ordination, especially those called to work in your parish or diocese.

Ken