Acts 2.1: “When
the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.”
Lately,
I’ve been captivated by the story of Rachel Held Evans spiritual journey. Rachel is a writer who grew up in a
conservative, evangelical church.
Although she accepted Christ, she had doubts and questions about some of
the beliefs of the church she was a part of.
Eventually, she stopped going to church.
After a time, she was drawn back to church (but not to the same tradition
from which she had come). What brought
her back to church? This is what she
says in a recent interview: “Norah
Gallagher once said, “on those days when I have thought of giving up on church
entirely, I have tried to figure out what I would do about Communion.” The same
is true for me. It was the sacraments that brought me back to church. The
sacraments of baptism and communion, confession and anointing reminded me that
Christianity isn’t meant to simply be believed; it’s meant to be lived, shared,
eaten, spoken, and enacted in the presence of other people. When I’d all but
given up on church, the sacraments reminded me that, try as I might, I can’t be
a Christian on my own. I need a community. I need the Church.”
Being
together has never been more crucial. In
our world full of individuals staring at 3-10 inch screens almost constantly, being
together has become essential. When I
say being together, I mean REALLY being together, being present, being open,
being vulnerable with each other as Christian brothers and sisters.
The
early church needed this as well. In the
wake of Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to heaven, they needed
each other. It was in this context that
the Holy Spirit came in a mighty way at Pentecost. They did not receive a supernatural gift for
their individual entertainment. They
received the gift of the Spirit in community,
for the benefit of the community.
How
might we gather and really be present with each other, to the sacraments, to
open ourselves to the gift of God?
