Pentecost is the reversing of the Tower of Babel when everyone spoke in different languages. Now people from across the world are drawn together because they hear the disciples speaking in their own language. While Jesus was alive the message of salvation was inevitably linked to where he or his disciples were at any one point. Once Jesus died and the Holy Spirit became the face of God then the message could go global. After the death of Jesus the time foretold by the Old Testament prophets have arrived. No longer will people rely on a teacher to show them the ways of God but each person will know God for himself – don’t let faith be tied to church on Sundays, say your prayers at home in your bedroom and the Holy Spirit will reveal you the things of God. Imagine yourself listening to a piece of music that reminds you of a special occasion or a happy time in your life. The music reconnects you with the memory of what happened in the same way that the Holy Spirit connects you with God.

Today, a message for the whole world from the whole world is just as real and just as evident. On Tuesday, I met with David Wheeler, the priest from St Saviours. We talked about it. On Wednesday, I emailed Gentile, a friend in Madrid and we talked about it. On Thursday I spoke to my brother on the phone and we talked about it. It is a truly global phenomenon. We could be confident that people right across the world are talking, thinking, preparing and getting ready for exactly the same thing. In all the five continents, Africa, Asia, Australia, America and Europe there is the same sense of excitement and anticipation. It draws people together in excitement and anticipation and hope

I am of course talking about the World Cup, which starts on Friday. Some of the best prepared, fittest and most talented people will gather to play against each other for the honour of being crowned as world champions. There are three essential parts to football training. The coach will work on the player’s skill but there is only so much that can be achieved because people can only be trained to use the skill they have. They can’t be made more skilful. The coach will work on the player’s fitness but again there is only so much that can be done. At the World Cup level most teams will have a comparable level of fitness. The coach will also work on the player’s psychology and this is where most can be achieved. If someone goes on to the football pitch without feeling they can win then they will not win.

Finally at the end of months of training, at the end of hours of preparation, with thousands of pounds spent on them the players line up for the start of the football match, the referee’s whistle blows and…they are on their own…it is up top them to perform.

It is the Holy Spirit that rescues my church going, Christ loving, upright living self from being caught by something that is a dull, dry slog

You can come to church; you can read the Bible; you can pray; you can do any number of things to prepare yourself but when it comes to it you are on your own…except for the Holy Spirit. The playful, experimental dance the unfettered rhythms of grace