23 May 2010

Welcome to  St Alban’s Anglican Church  

Today's Scripture: Acts 2: 1-21                      Romans 8: 14-17                      S. John 3: 1-8

Today: 8.35 a.m. Matins; 9.00 a.m. Ch Schl; 9.30 a.m. Holy Baptism and Eucharist; 6 p.m. EP.

A special welcome to Charlotte Amilia Blanka, and godparents, family and friends.

This Week: Mon & Tues 5.00 p.m. HC; Wed-Fri 12.30 p.m. Prayers; Sat 7 a.m. Garage Sale.

Next Sunday: 8.35 a.m. Matins; 9.00a.m. Ch School; 9.30 a.m. Holy Eucharist; 6.00 p.m. EP

Whit Sunday

God, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by the sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end.

FAITH IN FOCUS: ADVOCATING CHANGE

There’s a medieval song that was sung in Latin at Pentecost while the deacon carried the gospel-book in the procession at Mass, prior to proclaiming the gospel itself. It’s called the Pentecost Sequence and it contains line after line that speaks about the gift of the Holy Spirit. It describes the Spirit as Lord of Light, Father of the Poor, Best Consoler, Sweet Comfort, Healer, Giver of Strength, Renewer, etc.

In today’s gospel Jesus says he will ask the Father to send the “Advocate”. We tend to think of an advocate as someone who campaigns on a particular topic: an advocate for equal rights or an advocate for better housing conditions. In fact, the word advocate really means someone whom you call to stand by your side in solidarity. It’s the equivalent of the other strange-sounding word, Paraclete.

Pentecost rounds off Jesus’ saving work on earth as the Spirit completes the action of Jesus in taking on our humanity and humanising it to the point where it can glimpse the divine. What we see happening at that first Pentecost is that Jesus has not left us alone like orphans; he has sent the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to be by our side. And the effects are immediate. From being a frightened bunch of weak men, huddled for safety behind a locked door, the apostles are transformed by the Spirit’s presence, are emboldened to go out and confront their fears, proclaiming their faith in Christ to people from every race and nation.

We are only too aware of our weakness and our inability to “go it alone” when it comes to living out our faith and telling others about it. That’s why we pray constantly for the outpouring of the Spirit in our lives, that we may be transformed, strengthened, inspired and supported in our Christian lives.