May 11, 2008 at Saint Mark Church in Norman, OK
Acts 2: 1-11 + Psalm 104 + 1 Corinthians 12: 3-7, 12-14 + John 20: 19-23
There always seems to be some level of fascination with the images and details that Luke provides in Acts of the Apostles and the story of what happened that day in Jerusalem. Any discussion about this event and the Holy Spirit inevitably begins to address the detail that describes the communication – the speaking in tongues that occurred and brought so many to the point of conversion that day.
While it is only natural to be fascinated by the curious, it gets us no where near understanding and experiencing the Holy Spirit to think that somehow the Spirit’s presence is confirmed by the ability of people to speak foreign languages. To sit and wonder: “How did they do that?” is to my mind a little off the mark. Scholars seem to be of the opinion that Luke is indicating some miraculous event, but I am not convinced that the miracle is simply found with the apostles suddenly able to speak several languages. In itself the ability to suddenly be able to speak a different language could only cause admiration or fascination. This miracle caused more than that.
The miracle here is not only about the Apostles. There was a miracle; but it was as much a miracle of hearing as it was of speaking, and that makes a difference. Had the crowd not heard; had they not understood; the speaking miracle would have simply been something odd and curious. This manifestation of the Holy Spirit then, it seems to me, is not found in something the apostles did, or simply in something that happened to them; but also and more so in a change that happened in the hearts and the minds of those who heard those apostles. The shift from curiosity on their part to faith is the work of the Holy Spirit. As with all of the miracles though, the exact nature of it is less important than the meaning. “How did they do that?” is a silly question if you never ask: “What does it mean?”
At the point of asking the real question, we are face to face with the meaning of the Spirit’s presence. It has more to do with understanding than with speaking in tongues. I don’t think we should view Pentecost as a magical event. To keep us from doing so, the church puts before us today two stories of the Spirit’s coming: one with a mighty wind, the other with a gentle breath. There are times when we experience the Spirit in sudden and surprising ways that may change our lives in a moment; but more often the Spirit is that quiet breath that gradually and eventually leads us to understand because we’ve been listening.
Most of our lives are spent struggling to find and discern where and what God is calling us toward. Many of us are not so much burning with the Holy Spirit, but burn-out by the demands of our times. Like disciples locked in rooms of fear or depression we cannot imagine that we might ever live differently. Or we are like the crowds running from one thrill to the next hardly ever stopping long enough to listen, to hear what God might be saying to us or calling us to become.
The miracle of Pentecost is not found in wind or tongues. It is found in lives set free from fear and in people who can hear God’s call and because of that call think outside the self-imposed limits we place on ourselves. These are people who do things, think things, and dream things greater than they have known in the past. These Spirit-filled ones become the church, the people of God rather than people of this world. These are people who are wise and see the world as God sees it. They know their opinion is not necessarily the best angle on the whole truth. This wisdom is not always practical, but it is possible. These people have understanding. They are turned upside down, so they see the world as God sees it. These are people free of confusion and dissension because they can stand under others thinking what they think and feeling what they feel.
These are people of knowledge free of ignorance and narrow mindedness.
They have the gift of counsel. They do not suffer the loneliness of personal decisions. They give comfort, hope, and direction to others. They have holy and wholesome advice. The Spirit filled are steadfast and consistent. With this gift of fortitude, they choose the good no matter what. These people, filled with wonder are pushed to be more like God who continually amazes us.
This day, Pentecost reminds us of the power and possibilities of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our world. It allows to go far beyond what human beings can do on their own. The Spirit has been given we proclaim today. That Spirit works wonders wherever human hearts are open to its movement. The earth is renewed each time rivalries are resolved; distinctions are recognized as merely expressions of diversity; peace is restored; comfort and solace are offered, forgiveness is granted. We are full of that Spirit. When we open ourselves to that Spirit, it will be like the opening of the doors of that upper room. We will never be the same.