PENTECOST is a celebration of the Spirit of God poured out, following Jesus’ ascension. It follows His death, burial and resurrection. Just as His Incarnation, death and resurrection were prophesied, so Joel had foretold that a time would come when the Spirit would be poured out on 'all' flesh. Pentecost was that time - the Spirit poured out made manifest.

The entire universe operates on a Trinitarian principle - the principle of three. In physics, atoms are composed of a proton, electron and neutron. In biology, the DNA code for all life has a tripartite structure. The first law of thermodynamics states that matter/energy cannot be destroyed, merely transformed. In the metaphysical realm, Jesus's death, burial and resurrection follow the same pattern.

The Trinitarian God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is the origin of this fundamental principle. Out of their Divine Dance, all love, life and community flows.

Everything that could be known of God was made visible in Creation. But most of humanity don’t see it. So, Jesus came to make God visible. Then, at Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out - but still we struggle.

However, God the Spirit is in all flesh and like a dormant seed, awaits the death of our blindness and selfish ego-life, to bring forth resurrection to new life. Pentecost celebrates new life - the new life that follows death, burial and resurrection. Jesus was the blueprint, showing us that God was all inclusive - a loving, forgiving community. So in essence, Pentecost is when this type of community is formed. Community that sees the Divine in all.

Irm Hollenbach, Windermere Community