Readings: Acts 2, 1-11; Psalm 104, Lord Send our your Spirit, and Renew the Face of the Earth; 1 Corinthians 12, 3-13; John 20, 19-23.
Pentecost:
Perspective A: The Catholic Encyclopedia says this feast commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit (or Ghost) upon the Apostles 50 days after the Resurrection. The root of the word pentecost is 5, like pentagon.
Perspective B: biblical students point out that this event is one in a series of events that base their timing on the calendar of Jewish liturgical feasts. They point out how Mark, the first to write a gospel, started this process by providing Jesus stories appropriate to the first 6 months of the liturgical calendar of synagogue celebrations. Remember the followers of Jesus spent about 50 years as Jews worshipping in the temple and synagogue, until 88 C.E., when a split occurred.
Luke, our writer today, built his gospel on Mark and expanded it to fill the whole liturgical calendar year. Mark only covered about 6 months. Thus, Luke is the only one who presents the Pentecost story and he puts it together with the Jewish feast of Shavout which takes place 50 days after Passover. Shavout celebrates Moses receiving the 10 commandments 50 days after the exodus from Egypt. All symbolic events.
Note another example: Mark tied the crucifixion to the Passover, the feast commemorating the Jews escape from Egypt.
Whatever we think took place at this event called Pentecost, for me it seems like it was at least a moment of light, enlightenment.
Sources: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Bishop John Shelby Spong.
Pentecost: An Enlightenment
A week or so ago I put together something I have never done before. I bought a dozen roses at Tom Thumb, took them home to Rosemary to help me arrange them in her artistic way, and drove up to Plano Presbyterian to give a gift of thanks to the staff on the 8th floor.
I confess I waited until I could walk well without a cane so I could show off for everyone who had helped me out.
The experience was touching and a bit anti-climactic. Anti-climactic because I ended up going on a Saturday instead of a work day. This was because the charge nurse and the nurse who was charged with my care got her schedule changed from a Friday to a Saturday.
Being a Saturday, the staff of nurses and physical therapists that I had come to appreciate were mostly off. In fact, the hall that had been such a beehive of activity when I was there was totally quiet.
Why did I do this? Because I had acquired this deep appreciation of life and people in that hospital and the recuperation months afterward. This enlightenment is what I think Pentecost is all about.
What touched me even more was when I gave my charge nurse the roses. She told that she and her colleagues often hear about one of their patients doing well after they return home. But in all her years working as a nurse, this was the first time a patient had returned with a gift. This, too, was a Pentecost moment.
Whom or what do you appreciate most today and what are you doing about it?
Picture 1: Mass begins, first time solo flying since early January
Picture 2: Jan & Charlie
Picture 3: The Dopnut Shoppe, Chloe with her mom, Clare, Maggie with her mom, Tanya, and Hue on the left
Picture 4: Mike Moretta & Beverly (fiancee until Saturday)