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Pentecost: the Birthday of the Church. by The Rev. Hartshorn Murphy
"At our festival of Pentecost, that is the Feast of Weeks, a fine meal was prepared for me and I took my place ... " (Tobit 2:1)
"Pentecost" is the Greek name given to the Jewish Feast of Weeks and the word itself means "fiftieth day" because the feast fell 50 days after Passover. At this Feast, the first fruits of the corn harvest were presented in accordance with the Law of Moses:
"Seven weeks shall be counted: start counting the seven weeks from the time when the sickle is put to the standing corn; then shall you keep the pilgrim-feast of Weeks to the Lord your God and offer a free will offering in proportion to the blessing that the Lord your God has given you." (Deuteronomy 16:9-10)
In later times, the festival also commemorated the giving of the Law itself by which God harvested a people for himself from all of the people of the earth and gave them a covenant to bring them life.
In Christian tradition, Pentecost celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit which descended on the disciples gathered in Jerusalem for the feast (see Acts 2:1-4). Supernaturally gifted with the ability to speak foreign languages, Pentecost celebrates the universal mission of the Church to proclaim the Good News of God in Christ to all persons, beginning at Jerusalem. Additionally, the gift of the Holy Spirit was considered to be a fulfillment of Jesus' promise to his followers:
"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another to be your Advocate who will be with you forever - the Spirit of Truth ... I will not leave you desolate." (John 14:16-18)
The gift of the Holy Spirit was experienced as an empowering gift whereby frightened, defeated and fearful disciples became bold, victorious and courageous witnesses, enabled to live into a New Life: Resurrection Life.
A piety growing in popularity here in America is for Christians to hang wind chimes outside their homes on this day, as the ringing of the chimes reminds us that even as the invisible wind is real, so too is the invisible spirit of God which moves over the earth.
Although this Feast has also been called Whitsunday (or White Sunday) in recognition that baptismal candidates wore long white gowns on this traditional day of Baptism, the color of the day is, in fact, red, the color of fire: the Holy Spirit is pictured in Acts as both wind and as flame.
In reflecting on the Spirit, St Paul wrote to the Church in Galatia and described the harvest or gifts of the Holy Spirit in this way:
"The harvest of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22)
Finally, the Catechism tells us that we can recognize the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives:
"We confess Jesus Christ as Lord and are brought into love and harmony with God, with ourselves, with our neighbors, and with all creation." (BCP pg. 852)
The Day of Pentecost is Sunday, May 19th. Members interested in the Sacrament of Baptism on that day are asked to speak to a member of the Clergy. Those attending worship on Pentecost are encouraged to wear something red.
Copyright © 2002 St. Augustine by-the-Sea
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