Borders
May 15, 2005
Acts 2:1-21
This is probably my favorite Holy Day of the year. Yeah, Christmas and Easter are cool and I couldn’t live without them, but I absolutely LOVE Pentecost. Each year I wonder why we don’t spend the whole day together partying? The weather is always good in May and June no matter where you live. And, the story isn’t about a miracle child. The story isn’t about miraculous physiological states of being. The story is about the beginning of the movement of the word…The beginning of the rush of storytelling that brought the word out of Jerusalem, out of the middle east and right here to this place in Tucson in 1881. The word that pushes and guides each of us today in 2005. Pentecost is the High Holy Day of the church when we shout from the valleys, the mountain tops, the weak, the strong, the young and old, “God is still speaking.” I love this story in spite of the nightmare it is for laypeople to read…All those forbidding names - Parthians, Elamites, Mesopotamians, Cappadocians, Phrygians, Pamphylians, it was the whole crowd. In Luke’s geography they represented “every nation under heaven.” Devout Jews of the Diaspora were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the 50th day after the consecration of the harvest and the Passover. Although bound by a common religious past, their languages and dialects were as diverse as those heard at Ellis Island in the early 1900s.
The disciples, being good Jews, were also there. Gathered together to give thanks for this year’s harvest and to celebrate the holy day when the Angel of Death passed over their houses, liberating a faithful people. But as these followers of Jesus gathered together, a bizarre scene broke out and something utterly wondrous began to happen. Suddenly the whole place was smoking, and the disciples began to look like so many oversized trick birthday candles, crowned with tongues of fire that even the mighty wind could not blow out. We are not told what they said in their Galilean, ex-fishermen, ex-tax collector brogues. We are told, however, of the greatest of all miracles: everyone in the house understood each other in spite of each one speaking another language or dialect. And, the realization of speaking a different language, of weird sounds being emitted from one’s own mouth yet still being understood by those you know and love, would create a louder and louder noise. And this noise brought the curious into the house, seeking another speaking their own languages. How surprised they were to find not people from their own place but a bunch of weird Galileans all gathered together speaking to them about this God who is still speaking. Just as it was in the old days of the U.S. when so many streamed past lady liberty and gathered at Ellis Island speaking in their own languages, seeking freedom, opportunity, education, peace…the language barrier was overcome dropping away nations and borders allowing God’s people to connect beyond their dialect or tongue.
I think Pentecost is my favorite because just as John Wesley proclaimed his heart was strangely warmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. And, he became a new person committed to sharing this warming of heart. When I had my call moment, I was filled with this warm, filling, peaceful, exciting presence of deep joy that has stayed with me to this day. I am not a virgin, overcome by the spirit about to birth God’s wisdom into humanity. I was not present at the cross or outside of Pilate’s headquarters, I have never sentenced someone to death. I’ve never experienced a vision of a resurrected Jesus. But, every day I have this sense of the presence of God. Every day I have this moment of knowing this God within is with me now. And, this presence encourages, inspires, instructs, pushes, and fires. I can relate to this Pentecostal story. And, this birthday of the church is when we gather together to remind one another it is all of our work to tell the story of how we know and feel and experience this Spirit of God.
Pentecost is not a story of how or when, it’s a story of that. Pentecost is not a story of how or when we’re going to respond, it’s our story that we will respond to this mighty presence of God. We wear red today to remind us of this concept of fire falling from heaven, flames resting upon us, and not burning us up, but lighting us up from within from the love and presence of God’s Holy Spirit. Each one of us has the opportunity to clear that space within and choose the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is here with us and we must as the people of faith respond to God’s fruitful call to love beyond borders, beyond boundaries, beyond this human construct of community into the divine milieu, into the Kingdom of God. And, this Annual Pentecost reminds us that it is our work to show up, to find the words, to share the stories, and to revision and shape this world to reflect this Spirit of God that works beyond borders and boundaries.
Pentecost is a story of how or when we respond, Pentecost is the reminder that we are called to respond. But, what is it that we respond to?
This we see in the text. They were people from all nations. And, the spirit brought them together. What a message in a day when we speak of militia and border patrol and wall heights and closing the border with a human chain filled with guns. What does it mean to go to this border and speak the same language of those gathered there? Does it mean we only speak to those with the appropriate documentation? Does it mean we only speak to those who wear the green uniforms? Does it mean we only speak to those with guns? Those without? The spirit came into that place and rested on all who were gathered that all might be united in the loving Spirit of God. In Children’s Letters to God Maggie asks if it was God who drew the lines around the countries. However, we know God gave us a world created in God’s own image and we, we have been drawing lines ever since. Pentecost is our annual reminder, this is the day, this is the time, let’s get to our border and shift the wind for nothing can extinguish the flame of the Holy Spirit and the power of God’s work.
What is it that we respond to?
We see in the text that Peter the one who ran into the night even after promising he’d be there no matter what to back up Jesus. Peter is back and preaching in front of the crowd. The crowd who can see this scene and shouts out, they’re drunk! That, even when we haven’t been perfect people of faith. Even when we’ve doubted and run away. Even when we’ve shut out the Spirit, when we are ready to show up, God meets us there and speaks through us again. And, even though God is there, and Peter is speaking, doubt and a challenge are present. A wise woman once said, “Miracles mostly come hard.” And perhaps from his ministry of preparation, Peter doesn’t run this time. Instead he reminds the faithful who are gathered…In our Scriptures it says that God will pour the Holy Spirit upon the people: both women and men, both young and old, both slave and free and all are invited into this new vision of God’s community. And Peter who couldn’t even say to the guard at Pilate’s gate that yes, she had seen him in the garden. Peter who couldn’t even say yes to the maid around the fire. Peter stands in front of the crowd and proclaims, God is still speaking, and the message is not one of fear but one of unity and peace, hope and joy, and the presence of God within all of us.
What is it that we respond to?
We see in the text that it is to respond and revision this world from our vision of community to God’s. It was one year ago when we made a huge leap in this congregation to confront our internal homophobia and get involved in this gay marriage stuff. I helped organize a panel discussion between different faith perspectives on gay marriage, a luncheon held at Grace-St Paul’s Episcopal church and an evening lecture by Dr. Marvin Ellison who wrote the book titled Gay Marriage and Christian Ethics. Can you believe it’s been a year? Way over here in Tucson, Arizona we were doing something to celebrate the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts. And, it was tough. It was scary for me to talk to you about being so public about our beliefs. It was unnerving to be in front of TV cameras and know they have the editing power to make you say whatever they want. I remember when we talked about it in church on Sunday, during the sermon time, Carol Barzeele asked the question so many were asking…“If we’re so open why aren’t the gay folks here? Where are they?” And we began this amazing journey of trying to cross boundaries. Many came that night, not to hear another lecture, not to convert souls, but to begin to talk and listen to these marginalized people and get to know their stories. To let them know, they are loved and welcome in this place. And, I remember that night, it was difficult work to stretch into these borderlands. Both sides really nervous to be together and afraid of what could happen and afraid of what has happened before. But all that happened was we heard an average lecture, ate cookies afterwards, and began a dialogue that’s been mushrooming in many ways all over the city ever since. It’s been a year since then. And, I was so focused on what we were doing I somehow missed another Christian gathering happening that very same day. 8,000 people went to the capital in Phoenix one year ago, dressed in white to defend marriage between one man and one woman. These people were Christians, demonstrating on behalf of their faith. One year later the 8,000 are ready. They have gathered together, chosen a leader Len Munsil, created a coalition and prepared an initiative to be on the ballot in 2006. They will define marriage between one man and one woman. Which, people, is already the way it is. Since the Defense of Marriage Act passed, more commonly known as DOMA, it is against federal law for same sex couples to marry. So this legislation is absolutely unnecessary for stopping gay marriage, it’s already impossible. Their real goal is the other part of the initiative that will also repeal all domestic partner benefits that have been secured in Pima County, Tempe, and Tucson. This means that Sandra who is insured on Judy’s insurance will be denied if this bill passes, leaving Sandra without healthcare. This means that should I go into the hospital, Cathy will no longer have the right to visit me, be acknowledged as my family, or be addressed by the hospital staff. This means that Amanda and Pam can’t get the family discount when they go and sign up for their pool pass this summer at Parks and Rec. And, these people over 8,000 strong will be gathering in Tucson, Phoenix and Flagstaff on Tuesday, May 17 to kick off their battle. They are gathering at a church here in Tucson and a church in Flagstaff, in Phoenix they are going to the capital. They are doing this in the name of the God of Christianity and all that the Bible teaches. So what is it we respond to? We respond to the building of boundaries and borders that try to contain the Holy Spirit’s power to unify in the name of a greater love. We respond by talking to our neighbors, our families, the checkout clerks at the store, our clubs and classmates and telling our story. Telling the story of the difference it’s made to our community, to our own lives to have these people in our community. We’ve got one year to remind the voters of Arizona that there is another experience of God that we know, one of universal understanding. We have an experience and a knowledge of a still speaking God, one that grants us compassion and wisdom to speak the language of others that we might shift the wind. Shift the wind from crying out in fear of our brothers and sisters to standing together in unity reminding that the Holy Spirit rested on each person in the crowd uniting the community not tearing it apart. And, we will respond by standing in the boundaries. I have worked with a committee of five people and contacted 93 clergy. We’ve had over 30 positive responses from these clergy that they are willing to come and stand up for a God who is still speaking beyond our boundaries of hate. You too can come, this Tuesday at 3:00 at Rincon in their sanctuary and support myself and those gathered together. It will be the first of many opportunities where we will work to bring together the faith communities of Tucson along with the media to encourage us to be focused on the unification of the Spirit and the work of bringing the marginalized into our presence, not leaving the least of these left out.
We are a Spirit filled people. Filled with the flame that no wind can put out. Hallelujah! Don’t you LOVE Pentecost! Let us pray.