Do you remember last week when our dear David had a bit of fun praying for some football results? Well, it seems prayers for the underdogs didn't quite pan out. But wait, there's a twist! This week, David's prayers had better luck. Life is indeed full of surprises!
David has in his magic bag, a treasure trove of phrases in various languages. Each phrase, regardless of the language, conveys the same beautiful message: "God loves you." Isn't that wonderful? No matter where we are in the world, no matter the language we speak, this message remains the same.
From "Gott liebt dich" in German to "Dieu t'aime" in French, "Bog te voli" in Croatian, and "Dio ti ama" in Italian, the message is universal. God's love transcends all barriers, all borders, all languages.
This brings to mind a story about a man who travelled the world. Everywhere he went, he would learn to say "I love you" in the local language. It was his unique way of sprinkling a little bit of love in every corner of the world. Just like this man, we too can spread God's love in every language.
Pentecost Sunday is a day of reflection and unity. It's a day when we remember a time when people spoke different languages but understood each other. It's also a day when we celebrate the birth of the church, a journey that's lasted just about 2000 years.
On this day, remember the miracle of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and they began to speak in different tongues. Yet, everyone in the crowd, despite their diverse languages, heard the apostles in their own tongue. It was a divine moment of unity, a testament to the power of God's love that transcends all barriers.
How can we show someone that God loves them? It could be as simple as a hug, a card, or even a kind word. Today, David has something special for us all. It's a card that says "God loves you" in all these different languages. These cards were passed to the children, in the hope that they, and we all, remember this message.
This Pentecost Sunday, we also celebrate the baptism of Hermione Audrey Rene Ross. Baptism is a sign of belonging, a sign of being claimed for the Lord. As we welcome Hermione into our church family, let's remember our own baptisms and the commitments we made.
In the hustle and bustle of our lives, we must remember to make space for God's Spirit. Let's not forget to breathe, to let God's Spirit breathe life, courage, and comfort into our souls.
As we celebrate the birthday of the church, let's remember that birthdays are good for us. The more we have, the longer we live. So, happy birthday to us, the church! Yes, we face challenges, but let's spend less time looking down and more time looking up, blessing God for our history and for our blessings, which are new every day.
Remember, no matter where you are, no matter what language you speak, God loves you. And that's a message worth sharing. Let's continue to spread this message of love, just as the apostles did on that first Pentecost.
Let's remember the essence of Pentecost: unity in diversity. Just as the apostles spoke in different tongues but were understood by all, let's strive to understand and love each other, despite our differences. After all, love is a language that everyone understands.