The Apostles waited as the Lord had instructed them. Then, at the appointed time, the Holy Spirit came upon them.

Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. – Acts 2:1-4

The Spirit empowered them to be more than they could be on their own. It propelled them onward in the glory of God, spurring them into action, and moving them toward the work entrusted to them. In order for this to happen though, the Apostles needed to be willing participants. That is, they needed to be open to receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. They needed to allow themselves to be filled up. They also needed to remain open in order to allow themselves to be led in a way that the Spirit could flow through them… through their words and their actions.

On Pentecost, the Apostles received the Holy Spirit, a Divine gift that would help them to fulfill their purpose and accomplish their mission in life. For true Spirit, purpose, and mission, like all that is Divine in nature, its end is always communal, always intended to be shared for the good of one as well as the good of many.

Each day, we awake, the image of God, and as we go about the day, we encounter the Divine, whether it is in passing or for a more extended period. Each day, the Divine encounters us, whether we are open to receiving it or not. The opportunities are endless, and usually, in time, all the pieces are together and suddenly, they become aligned.

Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. – Psalm 104:30