Pentecost

The psalm refrain today is: "Lord, send out your spirit and renew the face of the earth." The readings (Acts 2:1-11; Psalm 104; I Corinthians 12: 3b-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23) are filled with references to the Holy Spirit. (Since it's Pentecost, it makes sense!) I have been pondering these. What do they all mean for my life?

I know one thing. I must be open to and make myself present to hearing the working of the Holy Spirit in my life. St. Paul, in the I Corinthian passage, tells us that there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, different forms of service. We are many parts but all one Body of Christ. The question is am I able to discern what MY gifts are? Am I willing to use those gifts for serving God and others?

I like the idea that we are many parts but one Body. I used to joke that I hoped I wasn't an appendix, superfluous and easily done without. I wish now I hadn't. We are ALL important parts and I should never have denigrated what beauty God wrought in all of us, even me.

I have tremendous joy in what God is calling me to do these days. Teaching piano...AND voice (I have 2 voice students now, with perhaps 2 more on the horizon!) is a way for me to give to others a means to praise God through music. It was interesting what happened when I taught my first voice student last week for the very first time. Nearing the end of the lesson while I was presenting different songs for her to study, she told me what she really liked to do is sing hymns. I was amazed. It felt as though God was speaking right through her, reminding me that my real mission was to entice students to praise Him. All of a sudden, I had an outline for my voice students' lessons: vocalization exercises, sight signing, folksong, fun song of student's choice, hymn. (I've decided to work on hymns that are appropriate to the liturgical season at the time.) I found it astonishing because I hadn't been able to settle on what my voice lessons were going to exactly look like until then. And, with the generosity of my friend Jacquie, who recently gave me a little recording device, my students will have access to my accompaniments and the melody lines from which to practice.

We are many parts but all one Body. I once was overwhelmed, thinking of all the possibilities of things I could do in the world. I think I must have forgotten to look to the Holy Spirit for direction. I need not have been overwhelmed. All I really needed to do was listen. I have finally figured out that God speaks loudly (well, maybe not so loudly) and clearly when I just listen to Him!