Commentary on Lectionary for June 12, 2011

Commentary on Lectionary for June 12, 2011

Pentecost Sunday

One of the most vivid images for this feast of Pentecost is wind. Wind translates a Greek word that can also be translated “Spirit.” This is the same word used in Hebrew when the wind hovers over the waters at the story of creation in the Book of Genesis. Wind can take a lot of forms for us earthlings. Like the Eskimos do for snow, we have a number of words for it.

We think of the tiny whispering sound that spoke to Elijah of the presence of God (1 Kgs. 19:12). We think of Jesus breathing on the Disciples after his resurrection—the gentleness of a breath and the message of peace.

Then as we know too well from the over 600 confirmed tornadoes that have touched down somewhere in our country in the past two months, there is the 200 mile per hour wind that can wipe away everything in its path like the whirlwind behavior of an angry child, kicking his carefully structured blocks in all directions.

There is a violent wind in the Pentecost story. But instead of sucking out the air in the upper room like a tornado would, it filled the room with new life and allowed tongues as of fire to appear on the Apostles’ heads.

Psalm 104 makes it clear that God’s name has to be attached to all that happens in the world. It assigns Him responsibility for all of creation. But Pentecost shows that a violent wind is turned into a positive energy. It’s the kind of stuff we see when a Joplin, Missouri begins to resuscitate and looks toward the future with hope. When we look at how we have spent our lives or ask that intimidating question: “How is your consciousness?” we may feel we should have it declared a disaster area. Do we dare call on Jesus or on the Spirit that He left for us?

Paul reminds us: “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3), and there is some comfort in that. Our posture is to sit and wait, to let prayer happen, to expect the wind to blow away our sins and fears and to bring hope and peace after the most dreadful disasters. If we can believe this, we can “have life in his name” (John 20:31).