While people may have their problems with the idea of Church and all its' human limitations, very few have any problem thankfully with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is beyond gender and our human pettiness. That being said, Pentecost doesn't impact on most people. We get Christmas and Easter, even All Saints Day, but Pentecost is a strange word and reality.
For those of you condemned to the torture of regular meetings which literally record minutes and takes up hours, it's good to note that the Holy Spirit first came to them as they met. Mind you tongues of fire and ability in foreign languages seems all very strange to us.
But a meeting is only as good as its decisions are implemented. As anyone in business will tell you, you need action points, a timescale and someone to implement them for it to be effective. And yet at so many parish meetings, people panic and resist if anything about sharing faith with others is suggested. “Who am I to tell my neighbour what to believe?”
Pentecost is about having a sense of purpose, feeling assured and confident in ourselves and our faith. Come Holy Spirit.
(Comments to Tom at tomascox@eircom.net )