Sunday, June 8, 2014

How Big Can You Dream?

Pentecost Sunday

I admit to having a lot of dreams. Not the scary night terrors of childhood; monsters and villains chasing me through my imagination. My dreams seem to inform me about my life and things around me. Recently, I dreamed of a friend I had not thought of for many years. Bill and I attended the same high school, worked together at the same job—our paths crisscrossing several times over the years. In my dream I remembered his wife and daughter—but not their names, so I Goggled Bill to see if I could jog my memory.  I was shocked to see his obituary.
He had died at 62, two years ago.

Once I had processed Bill’s death I was led to wonder what had prompted me to think of him after all the years that had passed since we last saw each other.  Was my dream a sign and if so, how should I interpret this? Are we supposed to understand our dreams as more than strange visions?

Pentecost is a time of dreaming. Peter quoted the prophet Joel, saying “your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams … then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Pentecost is a time of dreaming for the church as well. We dream of what is, what was, and what will be in the future. Our dreams can give us visions of what could be—and warn us away from that which is not good.  So dream your dreams, call upon the name of the one who created us, forgives us, and redeems us. Listen to the voice of God who speaks to us in our dreams—who leads us and guides us always.

Peace,
Father Mark+

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