Pentecost is the third great Christian festival. On Christmas we celebrated the birth of Christ, our Savior. On Easter we celebrated his victorious resurrection from death. And today we remember Christ's giving of the Holy Spirit.

Our story from the gospel of John takes place on Easter evening, after the disciples had discovered that the tomb was empty and Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene. Jesus told her to tell the disciples that he was risen, which she did, but they did not understand. So on that first evening they were gathered in a house with the doors locked, because they were afraid -- afraid of being killed, just as Jesus had been killed three days before. But suddenly Jesus was among them and he said, "Peace be with you."

"Peace be with you." A greeting, yes, but not just, "Hi, h…