Pentecost is the church holiday that remembers the Spirit of God descending on the followers of Jesus after he had ascended to Heaven. The Spirit empowered the disciples to share the good news of God’s Kingdom in the native languages of the diverse crowd gathered in Jerusalem. It’s worth celebrating, certainly, but is the Spirit of God still active in our world today? If God is still active why wasn’t the shooter stopped before he entered the school or why were those in places of authority in the Southern Baptist Conference allowed to continue their abuse? Thinking that a miracle is the only solution is a flaw in our understanding of the work of the Spirit. The Spirit empowers us to be the mechanism of God’s action within our community. When we recognize this transformation we can experience the true joy, regardless of circumstances, that comes from a deep connection with God and our neighbors.