Acts 2:1-21
The story of Pentecost in the second chapter of Acts has many mysterious signs and symbols. I would like to focus today on three of them.
First, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, there was a sound like the rushing of wind. God’s Spirit has long been associated with air, wind, and breathing. Our word “inspire” has two meanings: to breathe in, and to fill with the power of God. In the Old Testament, God was often recognized in a strong wind or a gentle breeze. Human beings naturally realize that we will suffer and quickly die if deprived of air. Likewise, our spirits suffocate if we cut them off from the life-giving power of God’s Holy Spirit. The wind at Pentecost was a sign that God was present, and it attracted quite a crowd of bystanders.
Second, tongues of fire hovered over the heads of the disciples. There are two images here: one from the Old Testament, and another from the contemporary world in which Acts of the Apostles was written. Moses was content to hide from the Egyptians and be a shepherd in the wilderness, but God had work for him to do. One day, Moses happened upon a bush that was on fire, but was not consumed by the flames. God spoke to Moses from that burning bush. Later, a column of fire led the Hebrews out of Egypt, and God appeared on Mount Sinai in a theophany of lightning and thunder. Fire was a powerful sign of God’s presence, and tongues of flame at Pentecost confirmed that God was present with the disciples.
Another symbolism in the tongues of fire is not so obvious to us today. Roman coins often depicted an image of Caesar, with flames above his head. These were supposed to signify that Caesar was a son of the gods, that he was divine. For the same symbol to appear over the heads of simple fishermen, tax collectors, and revolutionaries was a sign that they were favored by God, set apart to do God’s work. It would have been immediately recognized by those present on that day.
Finally, the disciples spoke and people from all over the Roman world understood them. It is not clear whether the disciples spoke in actual foreign languages, or rather spoke in spiritual “tongues” – what are called today glossolalia. The key is that those around them understood them, as if they were speaking in the languages of the many visitors to Jerusalem. Speaking in strange syllables was not unknown in that day. Many prophets and oracles would go into a trance and speak words that no one could understand. Then, the prophet would wake up and explain what he or she had said while in the trance. The difference at Pentecost was that no one needed a translation or interpretation – everyone understood exactly what the disciples said, as if it were in the native language of each person. That was a significant symbol: the message of the Gospel is for all; it is not hidden; it does not need interpretation.
How does the Holy Spirit come to us today? First of all, in the sacraments: in baptism, confirmation, ordination for some, anointing with oil, and in the Holy Eucharist. If you listen closely today, you will spot the place in the Eucharistic Prayer where the priest calls upon the Holy Spirit to come upon the elements. In Greek Orthodox theology, it not the words, “This is my body… this is my blood” that consecrate the bread and wine, but rather the imposition of the Holy Spirit.
What is the effect of the Holy Spirit upon us? How do we respond? In the words of the spiritual, “every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.” We can only receive the sacraments at special times and in certain places, but we can pray any time, anywhere. It is the prompting of the Holy Spirit that leads us to pray, and it is our prayers that unite us to the work of the Spirit of God in the world.
God does not promise that all our cares and troubles will go away. Rather, God is with us in our daily travails, in our fear, sorrow, grief, and confusion. God’s Spirit brings us wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. [the traditional “Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit” from Isaiah 11:2-3] God does not take away our trials and tribulations, but the Spirit is with us as we go through them, to comfort, strengthen, and help us.
Jesus said “take my yoke upon you.” [Matthew 11:29] A yoke was used to harness two beasts of burden together. Usually, a stronger one was yoked to a weaker one, so that the weaker one could help do the work. Jesus offers to be yoked to us, not so that we don’t have to work, but so that we can rely upon his strength – the strength of the Spirit – to do what has to be done.
I pray that the power of the Spirit will come upon us all, to empower us to do God’s work in this world, and to share our burdens and our joys, today and forever. Amen!
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