God's breath
The time of Pentecost invites believers to focus their eyes towards all
the people of the earth, looking at the human family spread around the world.
Before belonging to a country, a culture, or a religion, we are from the Earth, inhabitants of the world.
Before being from the north or south, black or white, we are citizens of the world and we all belong to the human family.
Before having responsibility, title, or a label which defines us, we are human beings with a dignity which is part of us and nobody can remove that from us.
Before being problems, we are people.
Gods breath which is the breath of life and love, is poured over the human family, over peoples, over human beings individually, in a way which escapes our understanding.
Gods breath is imprisoned by no institution, no structure, no corporation. It ignores boundaries and nobody can own it or seize it.
Jesus, the young prophet from Nazareth, did not lack breath. He had Gods breath in him. When we consider the way he lived his life, the choices he made, the way he behaved, the words he said, it takes our breath away. But up to his last breath, Jesus went his way and gave his life.
Sometimes we feel we are short of breath and even out of breath. We want our Church to breathe anew. Time has then come to welcome the Spirit of Pentecost, uttering the prayer which the Church has said for centuries:
"Come Holy Spirit and fill our hearts
wash what is defiled
bathe what is arid
heal what is sick
warm what is cold
straighten what is twisted".
Jacques Gaillot