Pentecost: Each of this week’s texts offers a glimpse of the workings of the Spirit, rather like different facets on a well-cut jewel, each reflecting something new—the same, and different, all at once. In the central Pentecost story in Acts 2 we find a curious piece that sometimes gets overlooked: Luke (the author) speaks of how the spirit was like flames of fire, and like the howling of a wind. Perhaps the bottom line here is that, try as we might, we cannot fully comprehend the mysterious workings of God’s Spirit, and thus any attempt to define that will fall short. Acts 2:1–21 We continue with the story of the disciples after Jesus’ ascension. In Acts 1:4, Jesus tells them to wait in Jerusalem for “the promise” of God. During this time, other Jews are gathered in Jerusalem to commemorate the Hebrew observance of Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks, also called Pentecost. Initially this was a celebration of harvest (Exodus 23:14–17). Later, the festival focused more on Jewish re