The Matter of the Spirit? The SPIRIT Matters!
What a joy to know that God is always with us! We are never abandoned, never alone, and never without the presence of our Lord. God deeply loves us and cares for each of us as His children. Yet, we often misunderstand how God remains with us. In a world where people are struggling to understand God’s omnipresence (God being everywhere at all times), the celebration of the Pentecost is a beautiful reminder of God’s promise, made through His presence on earth in the person of Jesus. When Jesus prepares to ascend to be seated at the right hand of the Father, His promise of the “Advocate,” the Holy Spirit, shows that God is present with us. Even more importantly, through the gift of Baptism, we are given a tangible sign that the Holy Spirit is IN us, cleansing our sinful hearts and guiding us to the promises of God’s saving grace. Through the Spirit, we are united to the Father & the Son, for the Trinity is never separate, but simply One God in 3 distinct persons. Of course, you might be asking the famous question that Martin Luther often asked: “What does this mean?” Truly, it means we know exactly what is exclaimed at the beginning of this writing – God is ALWAYS with us! We are never abandoned, never alone, and never without the presence of our Lord! Therefore, let us reflect upon the Holy Spirit this Pentecost and know that – in our hearts, to our bodies, and for our lives – the Spirit MATTERS!
Peace & love in Jesus,
Pastor Gonzalez