I Will Not Leave You Comfortless

May 23, 2026

I Will Not Leave You Comfortless

The Day of Pentecost | May 24, 2026

Opening Thought

This Sunday, we celebrate a monumental shift: The Day of Pentecost. The disciples' time of liminal, expectant waiting ends. Suddenly, a sound like the rush of a violent wind fills the entire house, and divided tongues, as of fire, rest on each of them. They are filled with the Holy Spirit. We are no longer looking up at the clouds; the Spirit has been poured out upon all flesh! Today is the birthday of the Church—a day we are reminded that we are never left alone, and the Holy Spirit is always at work.

It is incredibly difficult to let someone go, especially someone you love deeply and dearly. I find myself thinking about the profound loss of my own father when I imagine what it must have been like for the disciples during this season. They watched Jesus die, buried Him, and rejoiced with everything they had when He came back from the dead—only to have Him turn around and leave them for good forty days later at the Ascension.

Even when Jesus promised, "I will not leave you comfortless," that separation was surely heartbreaking. Like the disciples, I knew after my father passed that I would be taken care of by family, friends, and our amazing community, but the truth was, I just wanted my father to stay here with me. Deep down, I knew he was going to heaven, but I was too young to understand that his work here was done, and mine was only just beginning.

As an adult, I now know God didn't rip my father away from me; instead, He put my father to eternal work. And I, too, must do the work of loving like Jesus, spreading the good news, and sharing the works of the Holy Spirit with all who will listen. I find I do this best through our shared music and through ministries like our Weekend Lunch program. The Holy Spirit is always at work, moving through our grief to bring us comfort, and calling us forward to serve. Thanks be to God.

Engaging the Word

Our readings today center on the dramatic arrival of the Holy Spirit, the unifying power of God's diverse gifts, and the life-giving waters of faith.

Acts (2:1-21): The sheer sensory overload of the Spirit's arrival must have been staggering. Not only was there a rushing wind and tongues of fire, but the disciples began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability. Devout Jews from every nation were bewildered and amazed because they each heard the Galileans speaking in their own native languages. Some sneered, claiming they were filled with new wine, but Peter stood up and raised his voice. He anchored this overwhelming moment in the prophecy of Joel: God declaring, "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh," causing sons and daughters to prophesy, and young and old to dream dreams. It is a powerful reminder that the Spirit breaks down our barriers of communication and understanding, inviting everyone into the story of salvation.
Psalm 104 (24-35, 37): This is a joyous and sweeping psalm praising God's manifold works and the sheer abundance of creation. It marvels at the great and wide sea, filled with creatures too many to number, from the smallest fish to the great Leviathan made for the sport of it. But the most poignant verse for this day declares the life-giving power of the Spirit: "You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; and so you renew the face of the earth". The same Spirit that descended in fire at Pentecost is the very breath that sustains the earth.
1 Corinthians (12:3b-13): In a world so often fractured by division, Paul's words to the Corinthians remain radically counter-cultural. He reminds the church that while there are varieties of gifts, services, and activities, it is the exact same Spirit, Lord, and God who activates all of them. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. We are reminded of our profound, unbreakable unity, for "in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit". The Spirit does not make us uniform; rather, it takes our vast, beautiful diversity and weaves us into the single, living Body of Christ.
John (7:37-39): On the last great day of the festival, Jesus issues a profound invitation: "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink". He promises that "Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water". John clarifies that Jesus is speaking directly of the Spirit, which believers were to receive once Jesus was glorified. Jesus knows our deepest spiritual thirsts—our longing for purpose, for comfort, for connection. This passage promises that the Holy Spirit is not a stagnant pool, but a rushing, flowing river of life that will well up within us and pour out into the world.

A Journey in Song: Our Musical Guides

Our music today bursts with the joyous, fiery energy of the Holy Spirit, moving from rushing winds to the gentle, unifying breath of God.

Opening Voluntary: We begin our festive worship with Johann Sebastian Bach's magnificent Fantasia Super: Komm, Heiliger Geist, BWV 651. This piece is a masterclass in musical theology. The relentless, cascading sixteenth notes represent the rushing, violent wind of Pentecost, while the majestic, ancient chorale melody thunders above it all, heralding the irrefutable presence of the Advocate.
Entrance Hymn: We process in to the joyous, soaring strains of Hail thee, festival day!. This beloved hymn sets an immediate tone of triumph and celebration. It unites our voices as we gather, acting as a bold, corporate proclamation that the long-awaited festival of the Spirit has finally arrived.
The Psalm: To elevate the sweeping text of Psalm 104, the choir will lead us in a majestic Anglican chant setting by Henry Smart in F Major. The bright, regal chords of this beloved setting perfectly capture the sheer abundance and joyous creation described in the Psalmist's praise.
Sequence Hymn: As we prepare our hearts to hear the Gospel, we sing the beautiful Come down, O Love divine. Here, our musical posture shifts from outward, festive celebration to an inward, deeply personal invocation. We are asking the Spirit to seek our souls and make them its own, beautifully bridging the gap between the grand history of Acts and the personal invitation Jesus offers in John.
Offertory Anthem: The choir will offer Herbert Howells's My Eyes for Beauty Pine. Howells’s lush, soaring harmonies perfectly capture the poetry, which reminds us that every gentle heart that burns with true desire is lit from eyes that mirror part "Of that celestial fire". It is a stunning reflection on how the Spirit illuminates our deepest longings for God's grace and heavenly Love.
Communion Hymns: As we gather at the rail to partake in the Body of Christ together, our music becomes deeply intimate. We sing Breathe on me, Breath of God and Like the murmur of the dove's song. These texts invite the Spirit to fill us anew, moving from the dramatic fire of the opening into the still, small, sustaining presence that feeds us in the Sacrament.
Closing Hymn: We process out into the world to the triumphant Holy Spirit, ever living. This processional acts as our commissioning. Having been fed by the Word and the Sacrament, this hymn propels us forward, reminding us that the Spirit goes with us as we step out of the church doors.
Closing Voluntary: We conclude our grand morning of worship with Nicolas de Grigny's brilliant Veni Creator en taille à 5. This piece from the French classical tradition sends us out with regal and unshakeable majesty, echoing the enduring power and glory of the newly birthed Church.

A Closing Note on our Journey

We all want to be comforted and loved, and when a loved one dies, or a very special someone leaves, it is so easy to feel abandoned. But I believe what Jesus is saying to us in His promise, "I will not leave you comfortless," is that you are going to be okay. You are taken care of by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us He was leaving us with an Advocate.

So, with this profound reassurance, after the rushing wind has blown through and the tongues of fire have rested upon us, our call is not to stay huddled in the upper room. We are filled with the Spirit so that we might go out into the world, equipped to do the mighty work God has given us to do. As our Diocesan Purpose Statement beautifully reminds us, "We challenge ourselves and the world to love like Jesus as we worship joyfully, serve compassionately, and grow spiritually".

Strengthened by the profound unity of the Eucharist and guided by the fiery, life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit, let us go forth into our communities with bold and joyful hearts, allowing those rivers of living water to flow to all we meet. May we always find encouragement in the truth that we, too, are here to join in the great and ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.

A Prayer for the Week Ahead

Let us pray for the continued outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives, our parish, and our city.

Holy God, you poured out your Holy Spirit in your Holy City Jerusalem: pour out your Spirit in our own city. Raise up prophets and dreamers; give us vision.