Pentecost is an old Israelite religious festival, the Feast of Weeks. The Pentateuch, the first five books of the bible, the books of Moses, the Law, tell us that after the newly harvested corn sheaf had been waved before God at the feast of unleavened bread, a period of seven weeks followed, and then the next great festival, Pentecost was observed. Jesus has ascended into heaven, he s left the disciples alone, but that s okay. Before he left, he blessed them, and they ve been filled with joy and courage. As we heard in our reading from Acts, the disciples are all together in one place and suddenly the room is filled with the roar of a violent wind.
Fire appears and bursts into each and every disciple.
Confusion, commotion, and almost a riot begins to break out as people gather together in bewilderment, wondering at what is happening to them. Bedlam erupts as people find themselves speaking in languages they don t know. Onlookers gather, peering over the shoulders of those in front trying to catch a glimpse at the pandemonium. One comedian suggests that everyone s been into the wine. Then Peter, the same Peter who denied Jesus, the Peter who ran away in fear when challenged, boldly steps forward and addresses the gathering crowd.