A Special Language

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Romans 8:12-17
Acts 2:1-21

The Holy Spirit rightly plays a dominant role in our Pentecost traditions. This advocate that we have been sent is appealing and yet elusive. We are adopted into the family with all of the peace and with all of the strife. This family is not one where everything is promised to be easy. It does bring with it assurances of the peace of the Holy Spirit, but it also comes with the suspicion of drunkenness because we are not living according to the standards and expectations of the world.

These men with flames dancing on their heads speaking about the deeds of Christ so that all are able to understand as if in their native tongue - how are they normal? Wouldn't we look at such a scene today and think - that is one really bizarre family? Why in the world would I want to be adopted into that? Similarly looking at the images that media gives the Christian church today - why in the world would I want to be adopted into that?

What does it mean to be adopted into this family? Family identity is a lesson that we would do well to take from our Jewish brothers and sisters. It means honoring the past by not forgetting the traditions. It means embracing a great, far-reaching family. Sometimes it means being seen as the stranger or the different one. It means standing up for justice even when that isn't necessarily what society agrees with at that given time.

Christian family is a language all its own but one that is open to all. A friend said it well when talking of her travels to her childhood home. The first few days  she said she speaks the language, but about the third day she starts to think in that language too. Then, her grammar, syntax and actions begin to match her words. Our faith is like this. It takes practice to match actions, syntax and thoughts to words. We are blessed by the advocate of the Holly Spirit with us.

We don't always pay attention and remain aware enough of that part of being in the Christian family. It is the ideal when we are speaking and living the language. It's not easy. Taking the Christian stance and living as the body of Christ puts us in a counter-cultural position. Our suffering may not be as extreme as Christ's but we are not promised freedom from suffering. However, our lives need not be controlled by the fear nor driven by enslavement to earthly expectations.

Rather than a fear or denial of the literal flesh, this is speaking of allowing us to live free from expectations and enslavement to our worldly possessions, human expectations, finances, peer pressure, and idols. Part of speaking this gift of the Christian language is that we will never be alone.We will be encouraged out of our slavery over and over to push us back into living the language to work to free others as well. Always aided and yet pushed by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit in all and through all, by our side as we call Abba! Father!

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