Unused Gift Cards Are Like the Holy Spirit

Pentecost Sunday. Father Dave begins by asking the congregation how many of them have unused gift cards sitting in a drawer somewhere. He uses this as an analogy for the Holy Spirit, which we hear about in today's readings for the Feast of Pentecost. We sometimes think only other people—certain special people—have the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In fact, every baptized person has the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them. We need only to draw upon those free gifts—just like using a gift card that has been sitting around unused. One way we can do this is by using our own unique voice to spread the love of God. Father Dave says that for us today, that can mean speaking to certain people in our lives who will be able to hear the Good News from us in a unique way. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City on 6-9-19.