The mystery of Pentecost is sometimes referred to as God’s way of reversing the Tower of Babel story in the Book of Genesis. It is a movement from disunity to unity. The sacred author describes how the people had a common language and were able to cooperate and plan with a common purpose. But what was their plan? To make a name for themselves, to build a tower above everyone else lest they be scattered abroad. But God, in his inestimable wisdom and mercy, would not allow our human race to mount up a tower of pride from which they could look down on others and insulate themselves from others. So, the Lord scattered them over all the earth and made it difficult for them to communicate with one another, the very opposite of Pentecost.
The inability to communicate leads to all kinds of fear and mistrust. We see this in the world today even among ourselves who speak the same English language. The desire to make a name for ourselves makes communication more like the babel of many tongues. But on this great feast of Pentecost, we have the Holy Spirit creating a bond of unity. People from every corner of the known world could understand the disciples as they proclaimed the mighty acts of God!
I like to connect this scene with Jesus’ last discourse in chapter 17 of John’s gospel which we have been listening to this past week. Jesus prays earnestly to his Father that his disciples may be one. This is his constant refrain: “That they may be one”—not scattered, not trying to build a name for themselves but focusing on the one thing necessary: the mighty acts of God. For what acts are greater than what Our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us. Though he was rich, he became poor for our sakes. He always took the last place. Not only did he give us his body and blood as our spiritual food, but he gave us his very breath that we might live, he in us and we in him.
The Holy Spirit is this breath, the life-giving breath that Jesus breathed out from the cross and likewise on the evening of the first day of the week. On that evening Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace be with you…And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” It is the Holy Spirit that fulfills Jesus’ prayer “that they may be one.” He makes it possible for our community, our families, our Church to be united—not isolated, not fearful. If we try to go it alone and try to make a name for ourselves, the Spirit will mercifully humble us somehow—and don’t underestimate his ability to do so! We have to come down from any towers we have built and allow the Spirit to pour into our hearts the miracle of hope, for “We have all be given to drink of the one Spirit.” Let us drink deeply, then, of this breath of God and unite our voices in prayer, “O Lord, send forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth!”
