Today is Pentecost Sunday which explains the significance of our photo today

Thought on Sunday – June – 23/05/2021

Our Thought For Today is by Triona Doherty called ‘Gifted Communicators’ complements of Intercom Magazine


Have you ever watched a TED Talk? There are thousands available to view online. The powerful talks are generally less than 18 minutes long and cover a huge range of topics, from science to business to social and global issues. There are talks in more than 110 languages, and they are used in schools, businesses and many other settings, to educate, motivate, and open minds. While the speakers come from a variety of backgrounds, the one thing they have in common is their ability to communicate. For every talk I’ve listened to, the speaker has the audience in the palm of their hand. They are gifted communicators, with a passion for a particular subject, and the ability to draw their listeners in.

We often hear that in order to be a good communicator, we have to learn how to speak another person’s language. On the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, each of the people gathered heard them speaking in his or her own language. The ability to communicate and to be understood was the first gift they received from the Holy Spirit. Today, we need the gift of communication more than ever. There are times when we have the opportunity to share our faith, or to witness to others in the way we live our faith. We might feel that we struggle to share our faith in a way that others can understand. In order to meet people where they are, we first need to ‘speak their language’ – to know them, listen to them, and recognise God’s presence in them. The Spirit that came upon the early believers is the same Spirit that guides us today.