Gossip

 

When my phone rang at 7 AM yesterday morning I was expecting it to be bad news, but it was a friend who couldn't wait to tell me that a mutual friend was going to become a bishop. "That's great!" I said. Then I told him that I couldn't wait to call another friend. "I was just about to call him," said my friend, "but you go ahead." "No," I said, "You go ahead and do it." "No, no, you call him." That went on for a minute or two. We settled who would call first. Then I thought of who else I wanted to call. And she was pleased. We are eager to be the first with the news, good or bad.
Since this is the feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit urges the disciples to spread the news about Jesus, I got to wondering why we are not as eager to do that as we are to spread the lastest gossip. Those first disciples were so excited and enthusiastic that they convinced 3,000 people that day to believe in Jesus. Within 50 years they had spread the word all the way to Spain.
I think I need the Holy Spirit to help me be more excited about the Good News but, mainly, to help me overcome the embarassment that keeps me from talking about it with friends and relatives.
(From a considerable distance I could hear the excitement of this little stream caused by the heavy rains.)