Today is Pentecost Sunday in the Roman Catholic Church. Today marks the day the Holy Spirit fell on the apostles and those listening to them preach.
It is said in the Bible that everyone heard the apostles. Everyone could understand the words of the apostles in his or her own language. It was exciting times.
These days speaking in tongues is a very popular gift of the Holy Spirt. Every supppsedly born again Christian is expected to speak in tongues as a proof of his or her being gifted by the Holy Spirit. In fact, there are congregations that teach you how to speak in tongues. How that is done, I do not know. But then again, what is the language of the Holy Spirit?
Is it this speaking in tongues that everyone is mouthing off today once the pastor orders them to start speaking or is it something else?
In the Old Testament of the Bible, it is said that God divided men who were building a tower that sought the skies, that sought heaven. It is said that he, God, divided them by changing their language, by making them speak in different tongues which they could not understand. Can the change of language as we understand it to mean, be enough to stop a momentous project like building the biggest tower in the world?
These days, people from different cultures and ethnic groups, who speak different languages, come together to do awesome projects and they are successful. How then can the change in language be enough to stop a project that these men from ancient times must have spent huge amounts of gold and materials, labour and time in building?
Confusion was the seed God sowed among these people and with confusion came something else, distrust. Yet again, these people could have been able to sort themselves out. After all they have been working together for years. They knew how each other worked, lived, slept, etc. The only change was they now spoke different languages. People build huge structures with just the knowledge of each other's skill and ability. So what was the issue then?
The issue was love. For you see, the language of the Holy Spirit is not tongues or spoken word but love. When love is expressed by people it cuts across language barriers, ethnic barriers, racism, status, religious beliefs and the so many divisions in the world today.
So you, who speak of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, of speaking the language of the Holy Spirit, how much love have you been showing to the people around you, to yourself, to your community? Do you speak in tongues in church then go home to fight with your wife or husband? Do you cast out demons and go home to watch your neighbor pummel his wife to pieces? Do you prohpesy to your congregation then you drive passed the homeless man on the street?
When you show love to your fellow man, my friend, that is the language of the Holy Spirit. When you give, share, help, sow seeds, assist, someone, a stranger, a friend, a loved one, anyone, that is the language of the Holy Spirit being expressed.
I hope you never forget this while you pray for the Holy Spirit to come to you. I hope you never forget this while you speak in tongues during prayers at night or in church.
Have a lovely Sunday, my dears.