In Jesus’ time the festival of Pentecost was one of the three main Jewish holidays and devout Jews from all over the Mediterranean world would come to Jerusalem to celebrate God’s giving of the Law at Mount Sinai to the tribes of ancient Israel. For Christians, Pentecost has evolved into commemorating the culmination of the Easter season and the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to baptize his followers with the continuing gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit motivated and recharged the disciples and enabled them to go public with the Gospel and to have the courage and confidence that Jesus’ Spirit would always be with them. The Book of Acts documents the transformation of reluctant, if not downright cowardly, disciples into willing and courageous witnesses.
Yet, I wonder if Pentecost is not also guiding us to make a distinction between being a public witness from simply being a public nuisance. There are many voices in the world, some are divine, some are pathetically, narrowly selfish, and still others are demented. Pentecost invites us to notice the true signs of God happening around us. Problems of enlarged egos lead to a ridiculous arrogance and may lead to some very sad, and bizarre behavior, as we have seen in numerous public officials recently. A public nuisance only draws attention to oneself. A demented voice frantically spirals in narrower and narrower circles until it ultimately crashes and burns.
I wonder if Pentecost is not reminding us that God uses many languages and communicates in numerous ways. There is no official divine way of communicating, which is why insisting on one and only one definitive call of God can be very tricky. God seems to offer us opportunities and has given us freedom to choose. Some of our choices many be wise, others foolish. Instead of believing the Holy Spirit as determining our paths, perhaps it is helpful to understand God as affirming our choices when we decide to be on the side of life. If we choose to be a teacher, God says fine, be a conscientious teacher. If we choose to be an attorney, God says great, you are called to be an honest attorney. If we choose to be a home health aid, God says wonderful, be a kind and proficient one. One culture, one profession, one particular choice is not necessarily holier than another. God desires to support all that is gracious in our varied lives. Incidentally, that is why I worry about parishes that brag about how many people they have sent into the ordained ministry. God doesn’t value one vocation above others, anymore than God values Christians who speak French greater than those who speak Spanish. God is pleased with all those who proclaim the Good News in whatever occupation, culture, or social setting they are.
That is the reason the gift of Pentecost was not focused on the disciples’ sudden new-found proficiency to speak in foreign languages. Instead, such proficiency was more a symbolic affirmation of the disciples’ ability to become aware that God understood and spoke in languages and cultural situations unfamiliar to them.
In our age, to talk about a universal Gospel mission to all people has an undertone of the bitterness of imperialism. Yet the first Pentecost was directed towards an understanding and acceptance of other cultures. Pentecost never encourages us to use one certain language or to insist the Gospel be contained in one particular cultural tradition. Whatever language is used, the Gospel is able to communicate the love and grace of God. God, in speaking through the many languages of Pentecost, is affirming a full and abundant life, a renewed humanity, and a universal grace for all people of the globe. Pentecost puts us on notice that God already speaks in voices we do not yet understand. What is strange and foreign to us is not foreign or strange to God. The Holy Spirit inevitably spreads its wings in wider and wider circles.
Today the children of our Sunday School are tracing the outlines of their bodies on large rolls of paper. Then tongues of fire will be drawn on the top of their heads. When they get done there will be a long profile of human shapes, all unique, but all having the gift of God’s Spirit alighting upon their heads. That is like the image of Pentecost I hope we take home with us today.
Pentecost is the birthday of the church’s mission, but God offers us the gifts. On this day, God offers a crown of blessing to fit every head, touch and invigorate every heart. It becomes the closing Alleluia of the Easter season.
