Morning Thoughts for Pentecost ~~ Continuing Series of Reflections from Tim, QHP Core Community -

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Pentecost celebrates creativity, diversity and empowerment.  All those gathered in Jerusalem when the Spirit caused that ruckus of thunder, wind – fire! – they were from all over, all those other places mentioned.  Pentecost (Shavout) was/is a Pilgrim Feast.  So, of course, the pilgrims spoke other languages, vulgar languages, not the religious language:  Hebrew, or Latin, or King James English, or Christianese.   The Spirit blessed (and blesses) the language of home, of work, of community and ordinary conversation, endowing it with the power to inspire life, hope, opportunity.
            Originally, Pentecost celebrated the giving of the Commandments on the heels of freedom from Egypt.  We hear the 10 as SHALTS! and especially shalt NOTS!!  - more as containments than empowerments.  I much prefer the Jewish approach to the 10 as seeds, seeds of truth and justice, for faithfulness – creative kernels guiding you through the wilderness of life to the Promised Land.
            So Pentecost is a really big deal.  The endowment of the Spirit empowered the Good News of Jesus the Messiah to be spread and planted in all sorts of language, which means all sorts of cultures, which necessarily hooks into all kinds of traditions and ideas.  A wealth of diversity!
            Like the Tower of Babel, God created the many languages.  God created the diversity.  God ordained the various cultures and histories of tribes and peoples.  The global church is a marvel in her demonstration of the various and diverse ways God moves in and through peoples all around the world.  The ruckus of Pentecost is the Spirit’s joy in celebrating creativity.
Photo by Chantelle Bonk
            Now, however – these days now, of fake news, partial truths, disinformation… now, when talk is full of the language of exclusion, anger, caution, fear, worry, contempt, self-righteousness – we need to hear the Spirit and celebrate what the 10 Seeds of Truth and Justice have to say in our Wilderness, or soon we will all land up in slavery in Egypt – wherever Egypt might be for each of us.
            I wish that we the watching world will wonder:  what does this mean?  My prayer this Sabbath is that our speech will roar with the flames of Good News, the warmth of embrace, love, curiosity, hope, confidence and humility. 


Editorial Note: 
For interesting comment by Rita and Larry Novakowski posted on May 30, go to May 21, 2020

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