Pentecost

At Pentecost we are offered an amazing image of the redemption from fear. The disciples had locked themselves into the upper room. We have this image from the early church of a group of people filled with fear of what might happen to them. As I was reading this story again I was struck by many of it’s comparisons to our own time. Recently we have seen the rise of fundamentalist elements in the various world religions. It seems to me that what all fundamentalist points of view have in common is this experience of being fearful, locked in our own upper rooms. Like the disciples, there is also a strong sense of being part of an elect group, of having some special access to the truth. But like that early group before the gift of Pentecost, it is too easy to hug that ‘truth’ to us and allow it to lock us away from other people. Then we have the miracle of Pentecost. These fearful people are delivered from their fear. They are empowered to go out into the streets of Jerusalem and speak to the people. They are gifted with the grace to be understood. It is striking that in scripture we are not told about massive conversions on that day, but rather the amazement felt by people who hear them speaking in their own tongues. God does not ‘force’ conversions on others, but gives the disciples the courage to speak from a place of empowered vulnerability. Some people accept them, and some think they’re drunk. When we look at our own relationship with faith, do we see our religion as a fortress, protecting us from other people? Is our stance one of defensive aggression? Often we hear polemics against those of other faiths, or against secular society. Or even a self satisfied, ‘aren’t we great, we’re Catholic’s’ which is equally closed to others. Pentecost challenges us to become aware of God already active in the lives of all peoples, of all faiths and none. God, who is always the first mover, is already working in the lives of others. We as Christ’s followers are challenged like the first disciples to go out and engage with the world. To bear our story vulnerably, like Jesus. There is risk of course. Jesus did not promise us a cross-free life. Most of those early disciples ended up dying for their faiths. In our own time, of growing religious intolerance, there is a desperate need for us to be truly Pentecostal. To live lives that filled with the fruits of the Spirit, that is with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5: 22-23) What is striking about all these gifts is that if we truly pray for them, and desire that our lives should be filled with compassion of the Holy Spirit it should be impossible for us to be self righteous. Jesus was truly humble. He did not come with a show of force whether physical or intellectual to crush his ‘enemies’. In very real way Jesus did not recognise others as enemies, even those who crucified him he forgave with understanding. We are challenged to be like him. To meet others as Christ did, with humility and generosity.