This month we continue in the Easter Season and look forward to the feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church.
On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to rest on the disciples and empowered them to share the Good News of Jesus' love with the whole world.
The offerings below will help you reflect on the voice of the Holy Spirit within you and on God's call to let the Holy Spirit work through you.
(You can find more Prayer Playlists for adults HERE.)
Here's part of the story of Pentecost and the early Church:
You might also like to spend time this month reading the entire book of Acts of the Apostles, which tells the story of how the early Church grew after Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension into heaven.
Here are some more Scripture passages about how the Holy Spirit works in you and through you:
Galatians 5:22-23 (The Fruits of the Holy Spirit)
Isaiah 11:2-3 (The Gifts of the Holy Spirit)
Here are some blog posts to get you thinking about the Holy Spirit's call for you:
Three Poems for Eastertide from the SALT Project
Easter and the Coming of the Holy Spirit
Mindfulness and the Holy Spirit
Here's a lovely 4 minute visual meditation on Pentecost from Fuller Studio.
The Bible Project explains in 4 minutes how the Holy Spirit is described in the Bible.
Ascension Presents reflection on the readings for Pentecost Sunday.
Here are some short films from Igniter Media about what it means to be Church and let the Holy Spirit work through you:
Steve Angrisano, A Rightful Place
Sidewalk Prophets, Come to the Table
Sidewalk Prophets, Save My Life
Francesca Battistelli, Holy Spirit
Cochren & Co., Church (Take Me Back)
Taize, Veni, Sancti, Spiritus
Hillsong, Holy Spirit, Rain Down
Here are some things to reflect on during your prayer time. They can also serve as journal prompts.
- The Holy Spirit works within us... when have you felt the voice of God in your heart?
- The Holy Spirit works through us... when have you been moved to reach out to others and love them like Christ loves?
- Where do you feel God is leading you or calling you to serve others in your life right now?
- What does it mean for you to be part of the Church?
- What is your prayer to the Holy Spirit today? Into what corner of your heart do you want to invite the Holy Spirit to flow today?
From God in All Things, here's Hands: An Imaginative Meditation -- a ten minute guided reflection on Jesus' hands and your own hands.
Pentecost season 3-Minute Retreats from Loyola Press:
Ignatian Spirituality offers an online retreat with prayers, readings, and video reflections for the days between Ascension and Pentecost:
Check out these Five Ways to Celebrate Pentecost.
To bring the Holy Spirit into your kitchen, try these Pentecost-inspired recipes (like "fruits of the Spirit" salad, 7-layer dip in honor of the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit, and more birthday-of-the-Church cake ideas than you knew existed!).
For a Holy-Spirit inspired DIY craft, try your hand at making one of these 40 Wind Chime Ideas.
Take a deep dive into the Pentecost story. In addition to reading Acts of the Apostles here are some resources that can bring the first followers of Jesus and the early Church to life for you:
Pray-As-You-Go has a guided meditation series of the Acts of the Apostles.
Overview Bible has put together engaging and clear guides to who each the Twelve Apostles are.
You can explore the website with great infographics HERE or watch a white board video overview HERE.
Watch The Chosen: The first ever multi-season show about the life of Christ.
It’s a beautiful portrait of the first followers of Jesus as they come to know and love him.
All 8 episodes of season one and the first three episodes of season two are available for free on YouTube HERE.
For the upcoming episodes, you will need to download the free Chosen app to your digital device.
(You can find more Prayer Playlists for adults HERE.)