The celebration of the festival of Pentecost as per
the Christian liturgical calendar, which also begins the observance of the
World Week of Peace in Palestine Israel (WWPPI) from 28th May to 3rd
June 2012, happens in the context of growing unrest in Palestine, with the
threat of ‘occupation’ intensifying, with displacement, dispossession, and
discrimination on the rise, with peace in Palestine Israel becomes a distant
reality only to witness the records of human rights violations growing by leaps
and bounds. The struggles of the people in Palestine knew no bounds, for they
have become prey to several vicious forces like Zionism, fundamentalism,
oppression, political tyranny, etc. fighting hope against hope that there would
be better future for the generations to come, where freedom and liberty would
over-arch their children to live life.
In such a context, the first Christian Pentecost as
recorded in Acts 2 provide us a challenge to be empowered by the Holy Spirit,
to stand in solidarity with the voices around, the voices which have been
unheard all these years. The first Pentecost happened at a time, when there was
fear, peace-less-ness, timidity, and perplexity among the disciples of Jesus
Christ. At that very stroke of the Pentecost, as the resurrected Christ
ascended into heavens, the Holy Spirit poured down, the disciples of Jesus
Christ came open and the Church went out. One can decipher three important
challenges from the early Pentecost, which have a tremendous relevance to our
settings today.
a. Pentecost
is a challenge to speak in other’s language
When the Holy Spirit came down as a violent wind over
the disciples of Jesus, they all began to speak in other’s language as the
Spirit gave them ability (4v). To speak in other’s language, one needs to know
that language, for only then they can add meaning to those words they speak.
The miracle of Pentecost was that the disciples were able to communicate in
other’s language, which was a surprise package to all those in Jerusalem. Communicating
in a foreign language is only to build a community of friendship and peace, for
those very syllables of a new language becomes the sprouting seeds of
establishing a community, transcending boundaries of every kind. Speaking in
other’s language is a first step in comprehending the struggles of those
others, and there by voicing it out for the benefit of all over there. Language
represents the very ethos of that particular community, and speaking it out is
a stepping stone in expressing solidarity with those speakers of that language.
In our context today, the challenge for us all is to speak the other’s language
to join them in voicing out for their cause. Let us resolve to speak in the
language of Palestinians, their cry for freedom and their cry for justice. The
call by Palestinian Christians to ‘Come & See’ is an opportunity to witness
their struggles so that we can learn their language and pain.
b. Pentecost
is a challenge to listen to one’s native language
The Holy Spirit not only convinces to speak in other’s
language it also challenges people to listen to one’s native language. Most
times our listening has been pretentious and peripheral. The message of the
gospel, the message of peace comes to us in our native language, for the
miracle of incarnation lies in the word becoming flesh, and we need to receive
it. All our learning of theology,
affirmations of faith have only been transliterated and are not translated
according to our particular contexts, and therefore the challenge is to speak
in other’s language and convert it to our own language, in situations of pain
and suffering. Gospel of peace listened in a local dialect has more meaning and
relevance for one gets challenged to apply it in one’s life. When can people
listen the gospel of peace in their native local languages? When people assert
in their localness, when one can understand the pain and pathos of the local
communities, when one is challenged to communicate that word has become flesh,
one can listen to the still small voice of nativity. In these days of
increasing foreignness in our thought pattern and language, our local
communities are deprived of listening to their native languages, and are even
forced to think that their native languages are unpolished and unrefined, and
even branded them as ‘uncultured.’ In the context of Palestinian struggles, let
us support the local language of Palestine, and make the people in Palestine
Israel to assert their localness and to listen to the gospel of peace in their
local language. As global community we need to advocate for the rights of these
our friends, and be in support of their local initiatives of freedom and
justice.
c. Pentecost
is a challenge to communicate your conviction for peace
On that Pentecost, when the disciples were speaking in
tongues according to the measure of the Holy Spirit, the visitors there thought
that these disciples were drunk. Peter then had to stand up firm on his toes
along with his other colleagues, for this was the first opportunity for him to
affirm his faith and conviction in the risen Jesus Christ and had to boldly
defend their conviction in the gospel of peace in Jesus Christ. Peter spoke so
eloquently, so inspiringly and so passionately, that on that single day the
Pentecost could witness some three thousand people adhering to the values of
Jesus Christ. Misconceptions these days are on the rise, rumours, blaming and
branding have become the norm of the day, for the ‘survival of the fittest’ has
its day. In such a context, Pentecost challenges us to get inspired to communicate
our conviction for peace, which would require critical analysis of the context
and a deeper knowledge of the situation, for it is peace of promoting life are
the virtues that would rule our assessments. In the context of Palestine, there
have been several misconceptions and brandings on these our friends, where even
Scriptures have been thoroughly used in maligning their image for freedom and
justice. This day of Pentecost should challenge us to overcome all those
camouflaged images and should challenge us to communicate our vision for peace
in this land and elsewhere. Peter was not alone when he stood up to speak his
conviction, the rest of the eleven disciples stood along with him and they
could convince people on the gospel of peace in which and in whom they have
believed.
Let us all therefore resolve to pray, educate and
advocate for peace in Palestine Israel, and the day of Pentecost is an
opportunity to make this day relevant and appropriate. May God empower us all
with Holy Spirit.
