As Pentecost approaches, I find myself musing about the marvellous events of over 2,000 years ago. Imagine, somewhere across the world, in Palestine, was a seemingly ordinary man, born of a seemingly ordinary woman, doing extraordinary things, like miracles, and preaching with what could only be described as divine wisdom.

I am writing this blog on the Feast Day of St. Philip, one of the apostles. How the apostles must have been intrigued by Jesus, and no doubt, were following him with great anticipation. Who knows what they imagined might happen to them as a result of knowing Jesus.

I, too, imagined great things might occur for me as a result of knowing and following Jesus. No doubt, I have had some marvellous and extraordinary times, but, when, all is said and done, the road is really about the "way of Nada", the way of nothing.

Why is it the way of nothing? In giving my life over to Christ, I was emptied of my own agenda. Like St. Paul said, |"It is no longer I who live, but, Jesus Christ in me." What I or you might have done with our life, might be drastically different, from what Christ intended and intends to do through you and I. Honestly, given that I and You do not understand what Christ may be doing, it all could look and feel like nothing. It’s just all that ordinary!

St. Therese speaks about God’s work as being loving in the everyday ordinary way. Oh, I’m sure there are wondrous things done by people all the time, but, it has been my experience, and probably the experience of Mary and the apostles, that the Lord’s way is small, humble, and probably so imperceptible that it appears as nothing.

Nothing, is definitely, what the initial reality may have been for the apostles after the crucifixion of Christ. What had their journey with Christ come to?

Then, Christ appears and breathes into them the Holy Spirit! Ah, new life again, and there was perhaps a renewed sense of wonder and anticipation! The time would probably come again, when all seemed like nothing.

In that nothingness, we are waiting upon the Lord, and I am waiting upon the Lord, at this time, waiting for the Lord, to do what? I do not know. Maybe it is more nothingness, or maybe it is a resurgence in the Holy Spirit. I can only wait and see, hoping for a new pentecost!

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