The Rev Canon Judy French,
Archdeacon of Dorchester 

One of my favourite childhood films was Disney’s The Jungle Book.

King Louie, ‘the king of the swingers all’, wants to know how to make fire, ‘so I can be like you’.

The Pentecost story, celebrated recently, is intriguing, because it takes that idea to a whole new level.

In the Bible fire is sometimes an indication of God’s presence: the burning bush, the pillar of fire guiding the Israelites through the wilderness at night, God descending in fire on Mount Sinai.

The fire of God is certainly not to be messed with. It is a powerful, destructive, cleansing, dynamic energy.

The fascinating thing about Pentecost is that God shares his fire with humanity.

God’s power, dynamic energy, and presence is given to human beings, so we can be like God.

Now we might not think that’s a terribly good idea; it’s not as if humanity can be trusted with such power. But this fire can’t be tamed, and we can’t make it. It is a gift.

God the Holy Spirit shares himself with us, works through us, transforms us, until we reflect his glory and come to share his love of the world.

We live in a world that offers us many different philosophies, ways of looking at the world and how to live successfully in it.

Pentecost transformed Jesus’ disciples ‘to boldly go’ - to quote another of my favourites - and offer the world the way of Christ.

When you think about the excitement and energy of that amazing event, there’s sometimes a secret wish in the heart of every Christian that today’s church should be like that.

It’s not unlike that secret wish that we were really Spider-Man, or the Incredible Hulk, if you’re having a bad day, so that you can fight evil and save the world.

Today’s Christians might not be superheroes, or super-apostles, but just think how many make a difference in the world, bit by bit, through social action, fighting injustice, supporting aid agencies, and all the other ways the Gospel of Jesus is lived. Think too about how many millions of people are speaking and hearing about God’s amazing power and experiencing it for themselves.

All of this is no less amazing than that first outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit.