Sterling Drake, the old gentleman who lived next door as I was growing up, had a favorite expression: “say what?” Sometimes this was because he was quite hard of hearing, and sometimes because he pretended to be incredulous about what one of his many grandchildren were telling him. On this Pentecost Sunday, both reasons seem to be in order as I think about my grizzled neighbor… The Lectionary suggests several readings: these three are useful for my thoughts.
Genesis 11:1-9 is the story of the Tower of Babel. The People of the Earth got too uppity and tried to reach heaven by building a tower/ziggurat/pyramid. Sensing a loss of control (again), God confounded their communication by creating several differing languages. Unable to resolve their speech, the project failed, and various tribes became enemies one of another.
the second of the readings is the traditional story of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-21). Fifty days after the Resurrection, the Holy Spirit bathed the gathering of Apostles with wind and fire! What’s more, they could now speak in foreign languages to tell the Gospel message to Jewish folks from all over the Mediterranean region who lived in Jerusalem. This is just opposite the Tower of Babel experience, for now language wouldn’t make a difference and the community of faith would be re-gathered.
How often, in a new phase of life, do we need a friend to walk with, someone who knows the path and who speaks the language? In his farewell discourse in the upper room on Mournful Thursday, Jesus reassured his folks that they wouldn’t long be leaderless. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”(John 14:26) This Advocate, whose coming we celebrate on Pentecost, comes to gather up the loose ends of the Church by teaching and reminding us about what Jesus said about righteousness, mercy, forbearance and justice.
In the almost-two millennia since that occasion, the Church continues to need these reminders — not ’cause we’re overly stupid, but we’re up against a barbaric culture which holds ethics and morality in low esteem and disavows the sacredness of human life. Roland McGregor, a United Methodist pastor from Out West, says of Pentecost, “The new age was to knit back together the human fabric that had been shredded on the Tower of Babel.”
“The intent of John 14 is to form a community of believing and obedient people, a community that is confident in the disclosure of God that has come in the person of Jesus and that depends upon the leadership of the Spirit of truth to keep it obedient and productive in its life.” –Eugene C. Bay, in FEASTING ON THE WORD
God Bless Us, Every One H B King
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