Day 11
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of 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. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ Acts 2.1-12
Today is the day! The Spirit descends and God’s new covenant begins. The new covenant brings more people in; God is always drawing the circle wider, and as God’s people we are to bring more people in. I love the image of the divided tongues of fire. There is only one fire, but a bit of it is set upon each disciple and they learn to speak. On the road to Emmaus, our eyes were open to see Jesus on the Way, and today our mouths are opened to tell the wonders of God.
But there is one question left. What does this mean? We have seen and heard, and we have been raised to the abundant life promised in Jesus, but what does it mean? That is the question that each of us must answer for ourselves. Over the last 11 days we have daily prayed the Lord’s Prayer, and I hope, we have begun to plumb the depths of God’s mystery. Now the challenge has been issued for us to continue to go deeper, to continue to pray as Jesus the Lord taught us by the power of the Spirit.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
St. Augustine's Chapel 