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It’s Friday evening as I write, the end of a satisfying week.

Last weekend I was in the Opihi parish, Temuka, Pleasant Point and Geraldine for Sunday Masses. On Tuesday afternoon I had a formation session with the staff of St. Joseph’s in Ashburton. Wednesday evening with staff and parents of St. Joseph’s in Temuka, and Thursday evening with a group of fifteen neighbours from the small rural Canterbury town in which I live.

There was a common theme in each gathering: people together united by a desire to live abundantly, with at least a flickering hope that it is Christ who enables such a full life…“I have come that you might have life, and have this in abundance.” John 10:10

Such abundant living is the desire that unites all people of every stage and age. We all want to live fully.

I fear that across the world and even throughout the Christian community we tend to reduce the beauty, breadth and depth of living relationship with God.

You see, what God offers each of us is life beyond our most extravagant dreams, satisfying every human hunger and quenching every thirst, perfectly adapted to each personal taste and tuned to fulfil every desire.

We tend to grasp at whatever is easily available or held by common opinion to be appropriate or sensible.

For the disciples of Jesus after the Ascension it seemed appropriate and sensible to hide, to grasp at a mode of self-preservation, abundant with nothing but caution and cowardice.

In such safety we lose sight of the power of Pentecost which we celebrate tomorrow and which is offered to us today.

This was the theme throughout my week.

And I know that the Spirit of God is at work when i feel personally challenged by the power of Pentecost offering to carry me into spirited living.

Roll on Pentecost.