Feast of Pentecost

 


FEAST OF PENTECOST 


Imagine for a moment that you are Commissioner Gordon. You head up the police force in Gotham City. When you learn about criminal activity, you typically turn to the uniformed officers who serve under your command. They represent what could be called the conventional option. And yet, sometimes you have to deal with exceptional situations. When the conventional option is no longer sufficient, you pursue the unconventional option: namely, Batman. 


You make use of either the Bat-Signal or the Bat-Phone. That’s what you do if you happen to be Commissioner Gordon of Gotham City. You’re the kind of police commissioner who is more than willing to admit that he might need some extra help. And that’s good news for the people of Gotham. It’s a better place to live, because the commissioner chooses to take this humble and honest approach. 


The point of this illustration is to consider whether the Commissioner Gordon approach can bring some benefit to your personal soul. We know the Commissioner Gordon approach provides a benefit for the municipality of Gotham City. However, the overriding concern has to do with the welfare of our soul. We want to see something positive happening at the level of our soul. Positive developments in Gotham City are all well and good. But we’re far more interested in positive developments that pertain to the human soul. 


So then, where should we begin? We can start by exploring the conventional options. You tell yourself that positive developments come by way of will-power. Generate enough will-power; impressive results will inevitably follow. If spiritual progress does not come about through the application of will-power, then perhaps you should seek out the latest best selling book. And for good measure, look into what might be trending on social media. 


How far will these conventional options carry you? They will carry you along, but they will only carry you so far. At some point you will have to think about picking up the Bat-Phone. In other words, you’ll have to transition from the conventional to the unconventional. And guess what? He’s anticipated this! No, not Batman. Rather, we can say that The Lord has anticipated this transition from the conventional to the unconventional. This explains why he has made the Holy Spirit available to us. The Holy Spirit can be understood as that extra measure of help. 


Are you going to be honest about it—after the fashion of Commissioner Gordon? Can you bring yourself to take that humble approach, by asking for outside assistance? If so, then you will be on your way. You will find strength that you didn’t have before. You will find discipline that you didn’t have before. You will find wisdom and peace that you didn’t have before. Essentially, you will begin to thrive. It’s not just happening in a community like Gotham; it’s happening for you as well. That region within your soul becomes a better place, because you were humble enough and honest enough to make that call—that unconventional and likewise NECESSARY call. 

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