Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. (Ps 1o4)
When I was a parishioner at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Johannesburg, a Pentecost tradition was to decorate the church with 12 large red banners, one on each of the 12 pillars of the church, in 12 different languages: absolutely appropriate for a feast day renowned for its gift of tongues, and absolutely appropriate also, for a parish which is characterised by its own racial and linguistic diversity. South Africa has 11 official languages of its own, the White population includes a significant minority of Portuguese, Dutch, Italian, Greek, German and other European descent, and Johannesburg in particular now has a large population of migrants from north of the Limpopo – Zimbabwe, Congo, Nigeria and the rest of Africa, with its own plethora of languages. With its central city location and adjacent university campus, the parish reflects the full range of Johannesburg’s population diversity. Seeing this reflected in the church Pentecost decoration was always an inspiring, uplifting experience.
Diversity, however, is more than a matter of ethnicity and language. It also includes age diversity (reflecting in this parish by an age range including university students, young families through to pensioners), wealth and social status – and sexual diversity. Fittingly, this parish now includes in its activities an impressive, explicit LGBT ministry, about which I will be posting more tomorrow. For now, I simply want to reflect on the importance of recognizing that the Pentecost celebration is one of inclusion, for all.
This is made clear in this extract from today’s second reading:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
“Whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons“, by extension could easily be read to include “whether straight or gay, cis- or transgendered“. All surely, must mean “all, without exception” – or it means nothing.
Inspiring as it is today to note and celebrate diversity, there’s an even more important message in Pentecost – this is the day that we observe the action of the Holy Spirit, entering and inspiring every one of us – all languages and races, all social classes, all sexual orientations and gender types – and all castes within the church, laity as well as religious sisters, priests and bishops. The priest celebrating Mass this morning in my local parish observed that Pentecost should be viewed as the birthday of the Church, the day when responsibility was passed by the Holy Spirit to the gathered assembly of Christians, and were told by Christ to set aside their fear, to leave the safety of the locked rooms, to go out into the world and preach the good news.
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you.”
The message, remember, was passed on to all who were assembled, without disctinction of clerical caste, or any other mark of distinction,. The implications are clear.
For LGBT Christians, we too must not be afraid to stake our claim to full participation and inclusion in the affairs and activities of the Christian community. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we are to preach the good news – and that includes preaching the authentic Gospel of inclusion to those who have distorted Christ’s message to one of prejudice and exclusion.
For Catholics, Pentecost is an important reminder that the Holy Spirit came down upon all – and not only on the ordained priesthood. The rest of us also have the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which we should use to resist any attempts by the oligarchs to abuse their positions of power as a means of control, imposing their will instead of listening, as they should, to the voice of the faithful.
A Gay Pentecost, in Art.
At Jesus in Love blog, Kittredge Cherry has continued her fine series of the “Gay Passion in Art”, based on the sequence of paintings byDouglas Blanchard, with a reflection on his image for Pentecost. Here’s her opening passage. For the full series, and a larger image of the painting, co to Jesus in Love blog.
“There appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” — Acts 2:3-4 (RSV)
A winged woman literally lights up a crowd in “The Holy Spirit Arrives” from “The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision,” a series of 24 paintings by Douglas Blanchard. This is a modern version of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came like tongues of fire to the disciples of Jesus. Pentecost is a major church holiday celebrated today (May 27) this year. It is also known as Whitsunday.
In Blanchard’s painting the Holy Spirit herself looks like a flame in her golden gown. She floats above the crowd at an intersection where darkened city streets meet at odd angles. The dusky sky and unlit buildings strike a mysterious mood, making miracles possible. The Holy Spirit carries flares in both hands. Tongues of fire literally flame up from the heads of the people on the streets. Many are arm in arm, forming a circle. Filled with the spirit, they make strange alliances. A soldier, a gangbanger, and a businessman wrap their arms around each other. An old woman and a young woman embrace. The person in the wheelchair appears to be the same hothead who demanded the death of Jesus in 10. Jesus Before the People. Looming behind them is a large building under construction.
Related articles
- Pentecost: The Holy Spirit Arrives (Gay Passion of Christ series) (jesusinlove.blogspot.com)
