Pentecost Sunday Celebrates_____________?

ACE FOR MAY 27, 2007

Pentecost is a celebration of

A. Jesus' 50th birthday.
B. The coming of the Advocate (AKA The Holy Spirit)
C. Jesus' 50 days of temptation in the wilderness.
D. The second coming of Jesus.

The answer to this week's ACE is B. The Holy Spirit is often referred to as the Advocate or legal defense for those who are accused. The Holy Spirit is the attorney you want on your side. Jesus revealed a world whose way of maintaining peace and unity depended upon accusing someone or a group of someones of a crime or an act of aggression and then rallying those not accused into a new unified body to take action against the accused. Once the accused were eliminated, the newly formed majority experienced a momentary peace that could only be renewed by yet another accusation.

In John's Gospel, Jesus says he will send another advocate into the world. In other words, Jesus was the first advocate who speaks on behalf of the accused, but then he seems to see himself as being in a long line of advocates which include the prophets of Israel who were filled with the Spirit of God. The Advocate works from the inside out, helping those of us who find ourselves part of an accusing majority to see with God's eyes the evil behind such behavior and to repent and stand up for those who are being accused.

Since Jesus was treated this way by the religious and political leadership of his day, it could be said that to allow the Holy Spirit into our hearts and to allow the Advocate to direct our actions is to speak up for Jesus and to seek another way of creating peace and unity in our world. If someone has to be expelled for people to achieve temporary peace and unity, then it probably is not the result of the Holy Spirit's presence and guidance.