Pentecost stirs up images of fire and wind and surprises.
Pentecost speaks of Spirit and miracles; wonders and signs.
Pentecost brings freedom and courage and hope.

But Pentecost was not just one day, one event in our Jesus story. It is a work in progress. It was the Spirit that hovered over the chaos in the creation event. Jesus is baptized in the Spirit. And in today's Gospel we are reminded that Jesus breathed the Spirit on the disciples on the first day of the week, the day of his resurrection.

The disciples were gathered in the upper room with all their fears, anxieties and confusion. Their peace had been totally disrupted by the passion and death of Jesus. And suddenly Jesus comes and says "Peace be with you." It is only when we are at peace with ourselves, others, creation and God are we open to receive the Spirit.

Over the period of the next 50 days, the disciples must have wrestled with what had been entrusted to them. They gathered in the upper room. They prayed. They pondered the words that Jesus had spoken to them. They broke bread together. They were aware that a mission had been entrusted to them. They needed to overcome their fear and be about the mission.

And in the course of time, they felt the overwhelming presence of the Spirit. The Spirit came as fire and wind. The Spirit came with the very gifts they needed to be about the mission of Jesus. They received the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, reverence and awe. They, like us, needed wisdom and knowledge to grasp the truth; understanding to express the truth; reverence and awe to accept the truth of Jesus' teachings and fortitude to live by that truth.

The work of the Spirit is a work in progress. On this feast of Pentecost, may we remember we are a Spirit-filled people with a mission and gifted to fulfill that mission as we pray "Come, Holy Spirit!"

Sr. Theresa Lardner, O.P.