Pentecost Sunday

Pentecost Sunday
Dr. Molly Cinnamon, Ed.D.
Board of Directors

I grew up in the Episcopal church. I also became a Catholic in my 40’s so that I could serve as principal of a Catholic school. I’m an interesting combination of faith practices, but Episcopalians are not too far away from Catholics and I treasure both. 

Last Sunday, I sat with my mom, my daughter and my niece for Mother’s Day at our Episcopal Church. Father Chris, my mom’s spiritual guide, gave the homily that day. It was remarkable—and it also shed light for me on what Pentecost is really all about.

Advent and Easter are beautiful seasons of the church. There is so much to think about and so many liturgical stories from these celebrations. While Easter is all about the resurrection, Pentecost is when we experience the resurrection on a more personal level. The Holy Spirit is poured out over us, and we are then entrusted with the charge of going out into the world and sharing that love and light with everyone we encounter.

Right now, our world is going through so much turmoil and angst, and there is fear and hatred everywhere, it seems. Some days I feel like around every corner we might encounter something that we might not recover from and that can feel overwhelming. This is when we need to remember Pentecost. From the Acts of the Apostles 2:2, “Sound… from heaven, like the rush of a mighty wind” is the image I think of when I imagine what having the Holy Spirit poured out on all of Jesus‘s followers might sound and feel like, especially during times of fear and turmoil.

​We might feel as if we don’t have what we need to protect us, but nothing could be further from the truth. All we have to do is go out into the world and love unconditionally. Choose love, choose compassion, choose curiosity, choose peace.