Before I lived in the States, homecoming was an old fashioned word describing a much appreciated return home after a long absence. The word might be written in a Victorian novel and the return, at least in my imagination, would be by horse or in a horse drawn carriage. I was a slow learner and although I have heard the word during the last nine years, I did not understand how it applied to high school until fairly recently. My school, at least the last two years of it, was solely a place of learning. It was a sixth form college in the local town and although there were sports teams and a great drama department, there was little on offer that could in any way be described as school spirit. Even when we left, there was no ceremony, no speeches and no dance.

In contrast, our local high school offers many opportunities for the kids to celebrate their school and their fellow students. It was only this year that I became aware of the meaning of homecoming in the high school context. A good friend of ours who is a senior was in the homecoming “court” and he asked our son, James, to ask us if we would watch the parade and the football game as he would be making an appearance at both. Typically, James said that we would not be interested, but his friend persisted and spoke to me. It was a real honor to be invited by a teenager to go to something that was important to him, and this invitation provided me with a reason to finally discover what homecoming is.

Martyn and I stood on the corner straining to see the car that Patrick was traveling in.

Homecoming 2008 Prince Patrick

As we waited we watched the band and the high school dance team showing off the skills that had been their focus since entering high school. It was bright and bold and uplifting, as were the floats that were all representations of Alice in Wonderland. I used to teach kindergarten in England and an effective way of keeping four and five your olds creatively busy was to give them tissue paper and glue and the scrunched up colors were an easy way to fill a shape to make a valentine’s card or another small project.

I could not believe that high school kids had the stamina to cover huge areas with little pieces of scrunched up tissue: Alice, a rabbit and playing cards were modestly large but the rest of the float was vast. The kids involved with each project walked behind the float and there were not many of them. Each float was judged and the winner was announced at the homecoming football game that evening. I feel sure that I would have suggested paint as a faster option. School spirit is obviously a strong enough force to get kids working hard for many hours to create something that was attractive but only of temporary value. I wonder what has happened to those floats four days after the parade?

Poway High Homecoming 2008 float

In one respect I admire the enthusiasm, the energy and all the smiling faces. In the England where I grew up, I can’t imagine the same effort or enthusiasm. This simply was not the type of thing that we would do at school. Pranks and dry humor were more likely to motivate us. I am pleased to live in a less cynical time and place yet I wish that there was equal “spirit” in the churches as there is in the homecoming parade or at the homecoming football game. I have visited many churches and real enthusiasm and joy is not generally bubbling over as you enter the church service. It is sad that high school kids can get so excited about a school event, but in many cases avoid church or become disconnected when they go to church. The homecoming kings and queens, the school football heroes and the brightly colored float cannot present as much “spirit” as that which is offered by Jesus.

Those who commit their lives to Jesus are promised the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a weird, ghost but rather he is God himself who lives with us in a spiritual, invisible form. In John 14:23 Jesus says, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep my Word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with Him. The “we” and “Our” refers to the Trinity, the triune God: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples that they would be better off with the Holy Spirit than actually spending time with Jesus, for the Holy Spirit would be in them rather than just with them. They would only receive the Holy Spirit once Jesus returned to Heaven. Jesus tells them that the Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of Truth” and the “Helper” who will be with his followers forever. Jesus also says that the Holy Spirit will also “teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” All of these quotes are from John chapter 14. They are huge reminders to us that Jesus can continue to live in us today, pointing us towards God and helping us understand his Word, the truth. He will only be active in us if we are prepared to yield to Him, to love and obey Him. The Holy Spirit is much more dynamic than school spirit so let’s ask him to turn us around, wake us up and fill us. He will enable us to love our neighbors and to get our priorities right.

Very soon after Jesus returned to Heaven after his triumphant resurrection; the Holy Spirit came and transformed His followers. Dramatically they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they preached with authority, healed the sick and risked death as they urgently told people about the truth and hope offered by Jesus. He also offers us His presence, His truth, His help, His power and His love. Many teenagers seem to have other interests to pursue which contribute to school “spirit”. The homecoming parade would have been nothing if it wasn’t for the band, the dancers and the multiple pieces of colored tissue. Of course much of what we do is fun and is worthwhile, but none of this school spirit or anything else that preoccupies us: our kids, job, house etc can match the eternal love and transformation that Jesus offers. The Holy Spirit brings eternal joy and life that is of real purpose and value. Let’s look beyond the obvious and seek the one who has so much more to offer us; leaving our sin, our egos and our pride behind so that we can worship him with our lives. The church should reflect this devotion and enthusiasm. Let’s ask Jesus to make His home with us, indwelling our beings. As He makes changes in our lives and answers our prayers, let’s tell everyone, with more enthusiasm than the kids who cheer on their homecoming “royalty”, that Jesus is the king of kings.

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