Sunday/Pentecost

The unemployment rate for those seeking work has risen for recent college graduates above that of older workers for the first time in history. This is also true of the non-college-graduate age group.

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This $1.8 billion fund for people aggrieved over politically motivated legal action seems like a stupid response to a serious problem.

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Why must Independents, a sizable portion of the American voters, be forced to vote for an antagonistic political party?

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Sunday/Pentecost

Today is Pentecost, observed 7 weeks after Easter. It is a complex day in the Church in history and meaning.
Literally, Pentecost means "fifty," as the fiftieth week of the year. It, in the Old Testament, refers to the giving of the Ten Commandments and, in the New Testament, signifies its new direction. Christ reappears to the fearful apostles, reinvigorates them and then breathes upon them, infusing the spirit of the New Testament and the abilities to carry out their evangelism. "Whose sins you forgive..." essentially creates a church structure.

In England, it is--or was--the feast of Whitsun, so changed after the Norman Conquest. Whitsun is a contraction of "White Sunday," attributed to the white vestments worn by catechumens on the day. Eventually, white (hwitte) began to be confused with wit or understanding, not entirely inappropriate for the occasion. It was a significant holiday and celebration in its time and began to substitute for more secular spring celebrations.

The word for "Spirit" in Greek has several meanings; it also can mean "wind" and "breath." Christ does breathe on the apostles, and the Spirit is often described as a great wind. One ancient writer describes the Holy Spirit as Christ's last expired breath on the cross.

Breath is, of course, different from wind, which can be destructive, even in the scorching Middle East. But Christ's breath is gentle; it seems there is no downside here, no risk. Unless to the recipient who internalizes it. Of the apostles--who all abandoned Christ to die alone--after Pentecost, all, save John, died for Christ's message.

In our cautious and uncertain world, Pentecost might be more safely observed from a window. Or online.