The Full Absence and Full Presence of Christ Among Us.

by Neal D. Presa

Gospel Reading: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

For Sunday, May 27, Year B − Pentecost

As I write, the coroner’s report of Whitney Houston’s death has been made public. I couldn’t help but think about her last song, “I Look to You,” as she directs her voice heavenward, both in lyrics and in the music video. The chorus:

I Look To You,
I Look To You
After All My Strength Is Gone
In You I Can Be Strong
I Look To You,
I Look To You
And When Melodies Are Gone In You I Hear A Song
I Look To You

A Coming Presence

Our text finds Jesus going Cross-ward, then tomb-ward, and then heavenward, to what theologian Michael Horton calls the Triune God’s adventus “a coming presence, a presence in absence and absence in presence.”

The gifting of the Spirit by the Father through Jesus will fill and accompany the Church in the in-between living of Pentecost to Parousia.

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On being affected/infected by the Spirit.

by Neal D. Presa

New Testament Reading: Acts 2:1-21

For Sunday, May 27, Year B − Pentecost

We would expect no less from God than purely phenomenal, surreal, out-of-this world events as Acts 2 and the writer of Ezekiel present: talking tongues of fire and skin-grafted bones rising from the ground, images that could easily fit in a remake of the movie The Poltergeist or a future finale episode of the hit TV series, The Walking Dead.

Crazy Moments

The disciples have witnessed some pretty crazy moments since following Jesus: multiplication of loaves and fishes, walking on water, healings, exorcisms, just to name a few. A modern ear listening to such tales would dispatch 911 to send those disciples to an insane asylum for fanciful imaginations.

But this is Pentecost, this is God’s world, this is the Holy Spirit on the move. Of course the tectonic plates of our fixed expectations and calcified thoughts need to be shaken up and stirred.

Whole Lotta Shaking

It happened before with the creation narratives, the flood, the exodus, the exile, Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ ministry, Jesus’ death, Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus’ ascension.

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