“I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28 & Acts 2:17)
Pentecost, Year A
The Spirit of God empowers, guides, and inspires. The occurrence we heard described in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1-21) is not limited to biblical times, or a legendary story like that about Joan of Arc, or a fantasy movie produced by the Disney corporation. The Spirit is continuously present and active. The Spirit is in us, moving through us, and all around us. We are able to see, hear, and feel the Spirit when we are attentive. We are able to recognize and use its power when we manage our fears and doubts.
Even in biblical times, the power of the Spirit was met with skepticism, incredulity, and denial. Jesus’ followers gathered in Jerusalem with Jewish residents of Israel-Jews who were Parthian, Medes, and Elamites, and Jewish, Arab and Cretan residents of Mesopotamia, Phrygia and Egypt. They were in Jerusalem for Shavout. Shavout is a religious festival observed 50 days after Passover. It commemorates the giving of the Torah (the first 5 books of the Hebrew scripture) and celebrates the produce of God’s earth that sustain human life. The name for this religious festival, Pentecost, used in Acts is derived from the Latin word for the number 50. On Shavout, Jesus’ followers engaged in the activities observed by faithful Jews. They danced in procession behind Torah scrolls. They ate celebratory meals outdoors or under pergolas adorned with produce from the earth: fruits, grains and vegetables. They prayed and sang Psalms. While the disciples were engaging in these religious customs of their people, God’s power came upon them. The Spirit came upon all the disciples at the same time:
“…from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where the disciples were sitting. Divided tongues, like fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” (Acts 2:2-4)
People who witnessed this were taken aback.
“…all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?" Some sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine.” (Acts 2:12-13)
Skepticism, incredulity, and denial lead some people to accuse the disciples of being drunk. Peter was used to such occurrences. He had seen God’s Spirit cure illnesses, raise the dead, feed multitudes, and more. Taken aback by the crowd’s reaction, Peter initially responded by explaining that the disciples could not be drunk because it was only nine o’clock in the morning. Peter, a humble fisherman, had not attended parties hosted by the rich and famous of his day. Parties like Hamptons’ brunches where Bloody Marys, Mimosas and Champagne are served and consumed in liberal quantities in the morning!Eventually, Peter offered a clearer explanation for this occurrence. Borrowing words spoken by Joel, one of God’s prophets, Peter told the crowd:
“In the last days…God… will pour out the Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon slaves, both men and women, in those days God will pour out the Spirit, and they shall prophesy …before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
(Acts 2:17-21 & Joel 2:28-32a)
Following the mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, the Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Florida, Tree of Life Synagogue in Pennsylvania, and Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, some survivors and victims’ families spoke out. The Spirit empowered them to move beyond their shock and grief. Their words and actions witnessed to an eternal truth: all people are children of God. They protested, testified before congress, wrote books, did interviews with reporters, and testified in court. The Spirit moved them in these and other ways to prophecy, see the vision, and dream a dream: that all people (regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, age or sexual orientation) are children of God, and all people have the right to life. Their words and deeds proclaimed what we promise in our Baptismal Vows: to strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being. The president of the Untied States, lent his voice to their prophetic chorus calling upon citizens, law makers, gun owners, sellers, and manufacturers to respect the dignity of every human being. In the presence of a grieving congregation and nation, Barak Obama sang:
“Amazing grace,
how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!
The Lord hath promised good to me, His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures.
(here is the YouTube link youtube.com/watch?v=PVRvZjEv00s)
Amazing grace.
The Spirit bestows grace that empowers, guides and inspires. God’s Spirit is in us, working through us, and all around us. If you open your eyes, ears, and hearts, if you manage your skepticism, incredulity, and denial, you will see and feel the Spirit. More than this, if you trust God and lean a bit less on your own understanding, you will be able to prophecy, see visions, and dream dreams that herald God’s truth and reflect God’s love.
