The Comfort of the Holy Spirit

Dear Friends,

This Sunday is the Seventh Sunday of the Easter season.  This past Thursday was Ascension Day, the 40th day of Eastertide.  Next Sunday is Pentecost, the 50th and final day of Easter.   So, this Sunday we find ourselves in an in-between place with Jesus’ first disciples.  Jesus has returned to heaven after his post- Resurrection appearances, and his followers are waiting for the gift of his Holy Spirit that he has promised to send them so that they may carry on his work in the world.  Jesus’ friends gather in prayer as they look forward to what is to come.

Our collect (opening prayer) for this Sunday says it all.  

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.

Book of Common Prayer, page 226

The disciples already had God’s Spirit with them.  No one can exist apart from God.  As Acts 17: 28 reminds us, “For in him we live and move and have our being.”  And yet, Jesus’ friends were bereft that he was no longer physically present with them.  They felt as though God had abandoned them, but God had not.  And as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit came upon them in a particularly powerful way on Pentecost.  

It is such a wonderful thing to know that God does not leave us comfortless. The Holy Spirit is with us always.  

The global pandemic has been so hard for everyone.  Life has been completely up-ended.  And yet, the Holy Spirit is with us bringing us comfort.  I feel the Holy Spirit with me when I reach out to someone or someone reaches out to me.  So many people are feeling isolated and alone during this time of social distancing and quarantine.  It goes against our nature.  We are communal beings.  We want to see and touch and feel the people we love.  We want to feel connected to others.   

The Holy Spirit is with us and the Spirit is encouraging us to reach out to each other!  It is a blessing for the person reaching out as well as the person receiving the phone call/email/text.  

If you are feeling isolated, please know that you are not alone!  Many people are experiencing it.  Please let me know if you would like to talk at  swilliams@saintgeorgeschurch.org

I am thankful for all of the ways that we are staying connected virtually during this time- through worship, virtual house churches, our connections calling ministry and various small groups and committees meeting via Zoom.  

I look forward to being gathered in prayer this Sunday at https://www.saintgeorgeschurch.org/live

Easter blessings,

Shearon+