Astounded

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

“The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter
were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit
should have been poured out on the Gentiles also,
for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.”
Acts 10:45-46 [from the first reading for the Sixth Sunday of Easter]

ASTOUNDED.

The disciples are astounded. This is not what they thought would unfold. They were expecting the kingdom of Israel to be restored. They probably expected there would be healing, but joining together with those who were for sure outside the fold, outside of God’s plan for salvation?

Astounded. 

The disciples are learning what it is to be a community led and renewed and expanded by the Holy Spirit. This moment in Cornelius’ household is a scandal. It challenges the disciples’ notions of who is in and who is out — who the Holy Spirit can be poured out upon, what it means to be part of the life of faith on this side of the Resurrection.

Peter cannot deny what he has witnessed with his own eyes. He asks, “Can anyone withhold the water…?” He seems to say: Who am I to withhold the grace of baptism from those who have received the Holy Spirit “even as we have”? God has poured it out. Of course, we will recognize it with the grace of the sacrament. 

In the two weeks since we launched I have been astounded. 

So many people are drawing near to this work: sharing deep stories of call, offering donations, sharing their prayers and words of encouragement, asking how they can be involved, showing up to Welcome Calls and meeting others like them who are ready to pray with their feet as we work to grow the conversation.

Astounded. 

How will the Holy Spirit press us toward those we do not know? How is the Holy Spirit again joining us together in the life of the Church, formed in Christ’s body — the same body the powers put to death, but God raised up. In whose name people can be healed. From all division. 

Here, friends, is our work. To be astounded. And to witness to what we have seen and heard. Women called. The Holy Spirit poured out. Divisions healed. 

Casey Stanton is a co-director of Discerning Deacons casey@discerningdeacons.org

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Witness
“[W]e celebrated St. Phoebe Day with a mass to uplift the voices of women in the Church, invite the community to rethink women’s participation and raise awareness of the global synod…Many were deeply moved by our celebration together. A senior female parishioner shared that she had waited most of her adult life to hear the hope that was offered during mass. A man approached after the celebration to ask for a copy of the reflection shared. With tears in his eyes, he shared that he hoped to share it with his daughter who had left the Church.”
St. Francis Xavier College Church
St. Louis, MO
Witness
“As a parish, we know the blessing of the many ministries and gifts that women in our parish share with all of us. Celebrating mass this weekend to honor the witness of St. Phoebe focused attention on women’s gifts for leadership in our parish and the Church more broadly. We are proud to be a part of the conversation and discernment for women’s ordination to the diaconate.”
St. Bridget of Kildare Parish
Seattle, WA
Witness
“This is not only because Church teaching written by men sometimes misses the mark when it comes to women’s lived experience. It is not only because our Church’s management in many ways mirrors the patriarchal systems that have also harmed our secular society – mismanaging cases of abuse and failing to provide living wages or adequate parental leave policies to its employees. It is primarily because without women’s voices, we are missing out on entire elements of who God is.”
Kelly Sankowski
St. Phoebe Day Witness, St. Martin de Porres, Toledo, OH

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