“When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers were gathered together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each person there. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.” (Acts 2:1-4)

There is a period of human history called the Dark Ages. Food was scarce, people lived hand-to-mouth — and Western civilization barely hung by a thread. The one bright spot was the local cathedral. Building cathedrals even in small towns gave work to thousands of people. These buildings became the cultural, social and spiritual centers of life. Murals, stained glass windows, sculptures and pageantry helped teach the great stories of the Bible in a time when very few people could read.

With this in mind some of the cathedrals were built especially to impress on the people the meaning of Pentecost, the celebration of coming of the Holy Spirit. In the great domed and richly painted ceilings were a number of small carefully disguised doors. During worship on Pentecost the whole town was gathered in the cathedral. At the appropriate moment during the liturgy, they would release a live dove through the one of the small doors.

This dove would swoop over the congregation as a living symbol of the presence of the Holy Spirit. At the same time other ceiling doors would be opened again and this time red rose petals were showered on the congregation, symbolizing tongues of flame falling on the worshipers below.

You can imagine the impact that this made on the drab and hard lives of those medieval Christians. As they sang “Come, Holy Spirit come and fill the hearts of Your people with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

But like those medieval Christians we too need to be impressed again on how important the Holy Spirit is for us. We need to be reminded that God has sent us his Spirit through his Means of Grace, His Holy Word and the sacraments of baptism and communion. We need to be reminded that God has provided us the help and support, we need to be channels of his healing love, forgiveness, hope, and grace.

That is what the Holy Spirit does through his Means of Grace. He revitalizes, renews, refreshes, empowers, creates, he reminds, he guides, he comforts the church, those within the church and those whom he touches outside the church.

For each of us our Pentecost occurred when we were baptized. Through the water and God’s Word of promise we were adopted into God’s family, our sins were forgiven and we were assured that we will spend eternity in the joy of heaven.

At our baptism we received the God’s Holy Spirit, who promises that throughout our life’s journey, through the twists and turns that life takes us, he is always there. He reminds us that God never gives up on us. He comforts us when we are sad. He lifts us up when we are depressed.

Thus, we profess: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life!” Amen.

Chopp is a clinical chaplain emeritus, MDiv, BCC, from Marshall