Getting Fired Up ....by Sr. Monika

Sunday, May 19 is Pentecost in the Christian tradition. It is a solemnity marking the day the believers, who were shivering in fear, received the Holy Spirit. On that day the Spirit descended upon the believers as tongues of fire, and did they ever get fired up!--even to the point of praising God in various languages that everyone understood.

Howard Thurman said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask instead, ‘What makes you come alive?’ and go DO THAT. Because the world needs people who are alive.” And how do we discover what makes us come alive? Well, we could take a look at the following questions:

1. What brings you joy? When was the last time you smiled? Or laughed out loud? What gives you a deep down sense of satisfaction and contentment?

2. What gives you energy? Is your job a drudgery? Does the work you do add to your sense of pride and honor? Do you enjoy the work and want to do more and more simply for enjoyment and a sense of accomplishment?

3. What do you look forward to at the beginning of each day? Are you at peace with what is on your schedule for the day? Do you want to give yourself to the tasks at hand? Or do you want to procrastinate or avoid what needs to be done?

4. Have your life choices fulfilled your dreams? If not, how can you make that happen?

Frederick Buechner said that a vocation is where the world’s great need meets your great joy. Are you living out your vocation? Are you meeting a social need while having a good time? Of course I am not talking about a hedonistic approach to life, or a happy-go-lucky life, but a life of service rooted in joy.

Jesus asked his followers to go out to the world and spread the Good News. They got fired up to do just that at Pentecost. Their fear disappeared and the power of the Spirit filled them with passion.

So, what gets you fired up? What makes you come alive? Do that.