Let’s go back in time – a story of when people pretty much spoke the same language. They decided to build a city with a tower that reached so high into the sky it went all the way to God. They insulated themselves from the world, using their language to build walls. God was not pleased. Language was supposed to be a gift to make friends, resolve differences, and to grow together in peace. So God changed the rules; one morning they woke up to discover that no one could understand what anyone else was saying!
Another story – Jesus’ followers were at morning prayer, asking God to work among them. As they pray, clothing flutters as if wind were blowing; they could swear that there were tongues dancing over people’s heads, looking like fire. Everyone was speaking a different language. People hearing comment that they must be drunk, and it’s only nine o’clock in the morning.
“No, we’re not drunk,” says Peter. “What you’re hearing is what God has promised us-God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh – sons, daughters, young people, and older adults – they’ll all receive some of my Spirit.’” How interesting! God came to them in other tongues. Almost like the first story, but not quite.
The people in the first story think they have a corner on God. God, on the other hand, acts to let them know that’s not quite the case, and thumps their arrogance by giving them all different languages. Now they have to *learn* to communicate. The people in the second story are simply asking God to be among them; the Spirit comes, giving them different languages, and yet they are all able to understand. Look at all the people gathered in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost – not all of them would be Jews – some would be there for the business they could do, the market would be full of people from everywhere. This was a big thing, in a big city.
I think this is an interfaith and intercultural story about the language of faith. The language of compassion, mercy, love. God says “I will pour out my Spirit on ALL people.” Not just Jews – and for our purposes, not just Christians. It’s a language which spans all languages and faiths – compassion and love. The language of God.
