Come, Holy Spirit, Come!

Psalm 69:1-23 (24-30) 31-38 • Psalm 73
Judges 5:1-18 • Acts 2:1-21 • Matt. 28:1-10

What an amazing set of readings! We start with the despair and pain of persecution in Psalm 69: “more in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause.” Moving to a description of rich and powerful oppressors in Psalm 73: “They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.” Along with their misery and anger, both of these psalmists retain their faith and trust in God. May I also have such faith in times of trouble.

The Song of Deborah in Judges 5 celebrates the powerful judge and prophet Deborah in helping Israel defeat the troops of King Jabin. Her power was such that Barak, the leader of the Israeli soldiers, would not go to battle without her. Seeing the role of strong women in our history strengthens me. 

Finally on to joy! The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and Jesus’ resurrection, as told by Matthew. I love the Holy Spirit. To me, the Holy Spirit is universal love that is the carrier of our prayers, the source of healing, and so much more. According to the prophet Joel, as Peter affirmed, the Holy Spirit is inclusive: “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” I invoke the power of the Holy Spirit every time I do Healing Touch. Because the Holy Spirit is non-gendered, nonpatriarchal, and available to all, at least in my mind, it helps me connect with people of different faith traditions, or of no tradition. Of course, the Holy Spirit existed before Pentecost since John the Baptizer and Jesus both talked about it. On the Day of Pentecost, however, the early Christian community became aware of the power and became aware that they possessed that power. Come, Holy Spirit, Come!

Written by Cathy Campbell

Cathy is a semi-retired professional counselor and Healing Touch Practitioner. She makes a joyful sound in the choir and helps lead the Healing Touch Ministry. She advocates for marginalized groups, especially LGBTQ people.