Eighth Sunday of Easter/Pentecost ~ The Doors - Light My Fire

Well, here we are on the final day of the Easter season. This is the day that Jesus had foretold when the Holy Spirit would come upon his followers. And for those who were there that day on the first Christian Pentecost (for it was already a Jewish festival at the time), it must have been quite a confusing experience. They knew that Jesus had promised them something, but they were not quite prepared for what actually took place. They were again gathered together, as had become their custom, when the wind began to blow and what looked like tongues of fire came upon each of them. And then they were able to understand each other speaking, regardless of the language actually spoken (Babel undone, see Genesis 11.1-9). Language ceases to be a barrier to the mission that Christ has left to them. Through the Spirit, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished in the mission of Christ.

As I started this season with an irreverent take on the resurrection (see Chumbawumba on the Easter Sunday post), I decided to end with a slightly irreverent take on Pentecost. As we think about what is happening in the Pentecost story, we can imagine the disciples singing this song to the Holy Spirit - "Come on, baby, light my fire." The disciples would certainly have been lying if they had thought that they could not get much higher. But Jesus had promised them that they would do even greater things than he had accomplished.

Of course, the jury is still out on that one, though there are certainly signs that the big-C "Church," the universal church of which all Christians are a part, is finally beginning to remember what it means to be the Church. The Holy Spirit is still at work within us and we are finally starting to pay heed to the mission that Christ left us. That mission is not about building membership, but building disciples. It is not about those who are within, but those who are outside. It is not about serving those who are well, but those who are sick. It is not about finding those who are already here, but those who are lost.

Come on, Spirit, light our fire!

Songs for the Journey: Season after Pentecost

As I mentioned briefly the other day, we have now entered into Ordinary Time in the Church year. This time exists outside of the special seasons and consists of counted Sundays during which we read through the bulk of the year's gospel. Of course, at times, having long periods of Ordinary Time can begin to feel rather "ordinary." Some Protestant churches in particular decided to create some seasons to break up what they saw as the monotony of the Ordinary.

The period between the Epiphany and Ash Wednesday became know as Sundays after Epiphany and sometimes the season of Epiphany. This whole period was given over to the showing forth or revelation of Jesus to the world. The period from Pentecost Sunday until late august was know as the Sundays after Pentecost or sometimes the season of Pentecost. This period focuses on the ministry of the Church empowered by the Holy Spirit. The period from the last Sunday of August until Advent begins was know as Kingdomtide. This time during the Church year focused on the principles of the Kingdom of God here on earth and our social responsibility. For the most part, these separate "seasons" fell out of practice after Vatican II and the adoption of the Revised Common Lectionary (though there has been some reclamation of Kingdomtide in recent years).

Since I was looking for an easy way to break up Ordinary Time to continue my Songs for the Journey series, I decided to use the alternate calendar, which I was able to find in a 1964 Methodist Book of Worship. However, unlike my list for Lent, I did not match the songs for Pentecost to specific Sundays. Instead, I came up with a number of songs that speak to the theme for the season that gradually move towards the themes of Kingdomtide.

Trinity Sunday
Ben Harper - Blessed to Be a Witness
Dar Williams - I Had No Right
Sweet Honey in the Rock - We Are the Ones
Stereo MCs - Connected
Depeche Mode - People Are People
Bob Marley - Redemption Song
Collective Soul - Shine
Tracy Chapman - Change
U2 - Grace
Indigo Girls - Hammer and Nail
Ben Harper - With My Own Two Hands
Tears for Fears - Sowing the Seeds of Love
Jack Johnson - The Sharing Song
Vienna Tang - Soon Love Soon

I'll run through these with you in the coming weeks. Until then, Peace.