Pentecost Sunday
Some reflections … 50 days after Jesus walked out of that tomb!
The seventh Sunday after Easter – God really likes the number ‘7’.
In the Old Testament, a festival thanking God for the early Spring harvest (Shavout).
50 days after the beginning of Passover.
God’s Spirit is sent forth.
The visiting vicar yesterday, in a rather impersonal sermon, referred to Pentecost as ‘the Big Bang of Christianity’. He had just asked the kids in the choir what Pentecost Sunday reminded them of, and one of them suggested the Big Bang. He thought that was great. I’m still trying to come to terms with that analogy and his wholehearted endorsement. (I think too much!)
I understand that women and children were excluded from calculations by Jewish scribes and writers, so were there more than 3,000 present on the first day of Pentecost?
One of my friends leant over to me during the sermon and asked if women were also baptised on Pentecost. What a sad thought, to assume we women might have been excluded. But I don’t think so. I know that, unlike the Jewish male customs of the day, Jesus engaged in vital friendships with women – offered them his healing touch, approached and conversed with women publicly, and had no qualms with regards to teaching them in the same company with men (presumably outside of the Temple). So when he gave the Great Commission, he charged his disciples to:
'…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…’ (Matthew 28.19-ff)
‘…Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved…’ (Mark 16.15-16)
I have to believe that from Jesus’ non-traditional examples and unique perspective women (and children!) are indeed included and welcomed by his invitation of grace and love.
In early Spring, everything is fresh. New life begins – little lambs and graceful colts appear on the fields. A varied palette of green shimmers as the sunlight dapples through the new leaves on the trees. Flowers are blooming, rich in colour and permeating the air with a blend of sweet fragrances.
Those of us affected by the passion of Christ are moved into effective service to live out his examples amongst those around us. In today’s world of war, corruption, religious and racial hatred, disease, poverty – all ills present during Jesus’ lifetime as a man walking with us – Pentecost can signal to us a call for hope and refreshing renewal.
The story of Pentecost as told in Acts 2 is one of amazing mystery. It’s okay if I don’t have to solve the mystery right now. But if I ever have a moment of wonder about the workings of God in my life, or consider the thoughts, words, and gifts he blesses me with, then I hope I can praise him with enough abandon to show him how much I love him.
Whenever I feel a fresh Spring breeze, I feel God’s presence close by. We attended a strawberry tea this weekend to help a sweet friend celebrate her 90 graceful but vibrant years of life. Over the many years she has cultivated the most beautiful cottage garden – gathering, planting, and treasuring special cuttings shared amongst friends and neighbours. To sit in its midst, surrounded by all the fragrant flowers and rich colours, enjoying our cream tea with this special lady and friends was a taste of Heaven! Just to worship in a refreshing breeze of peace and calm he sends is enough to know he cares and exists.
The nature of God's Holy Spirit is all encompassing, reaching out to those of us who will follow and connecting us to those who seek, or have yet to.
My walk on this journey is not a lonely one, but is supported and guided by the gifting and encouragement of the Holy Spirit.
posted by Deb at 5.6.06
6 Comments:
Deb-- It's funny b/c women and the Church have been heavily on my mind the last few days. Actually, it's a thought that's never far from my mind (how can it be if you're a female who loves the Church and yet you're not sure how to use your gifts within the small areas the Church has allotted to you?), but I've been attempting to put together a blog entry about it. Admittedly, it's tough for me to remain honest and yet tactful about the subject! Sad, isn't it?
Thank you for the reminder about Shavuot! As believers, we can use it to mark not only Pentecost, but it also commemorates when God passed down the law at Mt. Sinai. Kind of a "full-circle" moment of faith!
Makes you wonder if the kid in the choir was a plant...but you did say visiting vicar, didn't you?
I found your blog just a couple of weeks ago. I am very glad you've popped up on my screen. You write very interesting and compelling posts.
Blessings to you and yours,
-bw
R-Liz: Ahhhh, the allotment principle! It’s like, ‘How many ways to get creative with chicken?’ I think perhaps we church women might need to reconsider how and where we use the gifts God has given us, and refuse to settle for the allotment shackles ‘the brethren’ have hung around our necks. Go outside the walls of the church. For example, it’s okay for me to be a classical pianist. My professional talents in that arena rarely fit within most liturgical confines – especially now that a lot of the music direction churches seem to be reaching for are the monosyllabic, I-IV-V7 chords- Choruses (OH, let’s throw in an obscure minor chord to raise the worship atmosphere a notch!). Hymn texts on PowerPoint slides have replaced enabling congregants to engage their brain in learning to read music out of a hymnal. Sorry, I digress …
In other words, I think we have God’s full permission to passionately hone and pursue the gifts he endowed us with outside the tighter circle of church community. This is how we can reach outward and bring people in to help soften the tightness of that circle. Invite one or two people from within that tight church circle to go along with you when you perform or share with outsiders (I know, the ‘p’ word can be a red flag, but…). We have GOT to stop apologising for what God has blessed us with, and for sweeping under the carpet the talents he expects us to grow and multiply.
Not intending to be preachy (!) – just, if our churches don’t want and need what God has given us to offer, then we can bake our cookies and cakes for the fellowship gatherings, and take his other giftings outside to where their worth for his glory can truly and freely enrich and be of assistance. We do not always have to have our ‘brethren and sisteren’ validate the worth of God’s gifts to us, do we? We can still love them and delight in their gifts. It is far better to remain women of mystery to them than stew inside a box or a garden-variety allotment.
And as for the word ‘tactful’, it has always been tacky to me (as you can tell!). AR folks who like to sport MASKS created it for their own enjoyment!!
Peace, Wonder Woman! J
==============================
BW: Hey, visiting vicars and interregnums make for exciting and topsy-turvy spiritual excitement! Flaming tongues don’t even BEGIN to describe…
In reference to one of your comments on the previous post, it’s great that you mention Scazzero’s book, ‘The Emotionally Healthy Church'. I read it just a few months back. Can you imagine the length of PCC/Eldership meetings if they decided to digest just one chapter? YIKES! But there is certainly a lot of truth in what he writes. It is difficult I think for some church leaderships to gaze into the wounds and then go forward towards permanent healing. It’s almost as if they feel they would be rendered powerless if there was no longer a festering wound to heal.
I appreciate your encouraging comments, and continuing dialogue!
I think that's part of what I've been doing-- going outside the "church box" when it comes to stretching myself. However when I do that, and to speak allegorically, part of me feels like a person whose spouse is pathetic at connecting with me, so I have to go outside my marriage to find worth, meaning or value. It can still happen, but it isn't near as fulfilling. It just doesn't seem right, nor does it seem consistent with the God I serve.
Deep down in my heart of hearts, I've never felt anything wrong with any person exercising the talent God has bestowed within them. In fact, I think it's wrong not to do so! All the clitter-clatter of people who worship the Epistles and who think of the New Testament as a New Law makes no sense to me, and I feel all alone in a church full of fellow believers. Ironic, huh?
Also, I don't know how to cook! My husband does all the cooking and baking. And kids between the ages of 2-7 sort of scare me. Where can I nicely fit in now? I'm screwed!
I love the "How many ways to get creative with chicken?" comparison. I'll have to use that if I get that blog entry out of me!
The most intimate contacts Jesus had were with women..woman caught in adultery..woman washing his feet with her tears...woman sees Jesus in garden after his rising..woman with issue of blood...samaritan woman..mary and martha (who had the nerve to say to the savior of the world, "Why weren't you here?" I love that..)..
great post, Deb..
It's a language thing that we often over-use and over-interpret (or fail to interpret) when we move into English and the 21st century. When the Bible spoke of the 3000 "men" it was a way of describing a crowd, not their sex. Yes, women were there. There has never been an important time in the history of our faith where women didn't play major roles.
Perhaps that is why, at Rochester, they are loosed to share their gifts and add their wisdom. No shackles required.
Post a Comment
<< Home