Duckeys and Horseys

In one “Peanuts” comic strip, Lucy and Linus and Charlie Brown are standing outside, looking up at the sky.  Lucy says, “You can see lots of things in the clouds.”  Then she turns to Linus.  “What do you see?”

“Well,” says Linus, “those clouds over there look to me like a map of Belize, the little nation in the Caribbean.  That cloud looks a little like the profile of Thomas Eakins, the famous painter and sculptor.  And that cloud formation over there gives me the impression of the stoning of Stephen.”

Lucy says, “What do you see, Charlie Brown?”  Charlie Brown says, “Well, I was going to say a ducky and a horsey, but forget it.”

That is a pre-Pentecost comic strip.  Charlie Brown is a picture of what it’s like to not see the promise that Jesus sets before us.  On the eve of that first Pentecost, the disciples know what happened thirty-three years earlier in Bethlehem.  They know the teachings and miracles of the past three years.  They know about the crucifixion fifty days ago.  Best of all, they’ve seen the risen Jesus Christ with their own eyes.  They’ve heard those very last instructions of Jesus, “Go and make disciples of all the nations.”

How could they possibly be more ready?  But instead of making disciples, they’ve locked themselves in a little room.  Jesus said he was going to send someone, or something, to be with them.  And it hasn’t happened.  All they see are duckeys and horseys. 

And what happens in this despairing moment?  The Day of Pentecost arrives with wind and fire.  The Holy Spirit, the power of God, breaks in on these frightened followers of Christ and transforms them.

Peter preaches a sermon, and three thousand people are converted.  He prays for a woman who has died, and she is restored to life.  The disciples start sharing everything in common.  They give to the poor with extravagant generosity.  Some even die for their faith.  They go out to convert the entire Roman Empire.

These are not pictures of duckeys and horseys.

So what’s the key to releasing the power of the Holy Spirit?  The answer is found in these words of St. Paul - “When I am weak, then I am strong.  I will boast of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.”

This coming Sunday is the Feast of the Pentecost.  We’re going to give thanks for the power of Christ - the power of the Holy Spirit - by looking to our weakness being encountered by the unconditional love of Jesus…

…which means that you get to come to church just as you are. 

I can’t wait to see you

Jim

PS - Wear red.