Sunday, May 23, 2010

Solemnity of Pentecost




Acts 2:1-11

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,

they were all in one place together.

And suddenly there came from the sky

a noise like a strong driving wind,

and it filled the entire house in which they were.

Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,

which parted and came to rest on each one of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit

and began to speak in different tongues,

as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven

staying in Jerusalem.

At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,

but they were confused

because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,

“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?

Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?

We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,

inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,

Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,

Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,

as well as travelers from Rome,

both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,

yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues

of the mighty acts of God.”

7 comments:

  1. This is one reason why I believe the Good News is to be spread in every language. There is no "sacred language" we must use. Instead we are free to share in English to English speakers and in Chinese to Chinese speakers and everything else in between. :)

    Great passage! Happy Pentecost Day (if it's today)!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Susanne,

    Yep. It's also why I have a hard time with the people who 'speak in tongues' at services that no one understands. I know they hark back to Pentecost, but at Pentecost, they were speaking in real, actual languages in order to spread the Gospel. Not gibberish. *cocks eyebrow in Spock-like fashion*

    It is 'Pentecost Day'. :P

    Which also means that Easter is officially over.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree with what you said about churches that speak in unknown tongues. I've never been part of such churches so it's not overly-familiar with me. I have a few online friends who are in those churches and we've discussed this as well. I read the passages on tongues and came to a conclusion they thought was OK, I think.

    It's not for me. I speak only in English. :)

    I didn't know it was Pentecost Day...sorry. Deficient, I know. :-S

    ReplyDelete
  4. Susanne,

    As you say, to each their own. I just think they're wrong. :) But it doesn't hurt me, and they seem to get much out of it.

    'I didn't know it was Pentecost Day...sorry. Deficient, I know. :-S'

    The ':p' was for you calling it 'Pentecost Day', which is cute and funny. Not for you not knowing it was today. I accept your limitations, as an elderly 'B'-word. ;)

    (And for anyone else reading this comment, it's *not* the 'B-word' you're thinking! Unless you're thinking Baptist. In which case it is.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

    Elderly B-word!

    :-D :-D :-D :-D

    It would have been funny if you *didn't* clarify! :-D


    Samer is on holiday in Germany TODAY for Pentecost day so I wasn't sure if it were today and you all just celebrated on Sunday, thus the confusion. That and yes, I'm an elderly B word! :-P******

    BTW, isn't it a bit odd that secular Germany has a holiday for Pentecost Day? I think it's a good thing, but just a bit weird for a nation that's not really religious any more.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Susanne,

    I *know*, but I was worried that people who weren't in on the joke would think that I was calling you a b*tch and I didn't want that, so I sacrificed the funny for clarity. :)

    I'd guess he's on holiday today because the actual day falls on a Sunday, and people are off anyway on Sunday. So they move the 'official' recognition of the day (government-wise) to the closest regular work day.

    But I do like that they even *have* a day off for it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well, I thought it also hilarious that you added the Baptist part at the end. :)

    "But I do like that they even *have* a day off for it.

    Me, too! Thanks for the clarification. :)

    ReplyDelete

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