Pentecost, Baptism = Hope

Readings for Pentecost C:
Acts 2:1-11; John 20:19-23
May 30, 2004

The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt

St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino, CA

Jesus said to his disciples: "Peace be with you..., Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Today we have a lot to celebrate for it is a glorious feast day! First, we celebrate the Day of Pentecost, the "birthday of the Christian Church." Pentecost comes from the word meaning 50; fifty days after Easter. It is a celebration of the time some 2000 years ago, when the Holy Spirit first enabled Jesus' disciples to move from a place of fear to a place of love. The Holy Spirit descended upon them, empowering them to go out and spread the good news of Christ. And so we celebrate this event as a reminder of the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives and of our desperate need to open up our hearts to this power of transformation. The power of the Holy Spirit can do far more than we could ever hope or imagine. It is far greater than our own ego strength.

The Holy Spirit is the 3rd person of the Trinity. This Spirit of God is the giver of life, leads us into all truth, and enables us to grow in the likeness of Christ. How do we know when the Holy Spirit is working in our lives? When we are brought into love and harmony with God, ourselves, with our neighbors, and with all creation, we know that the presence of the Holy Spirit is working among us. [BCP 852] Some people receive the Holy Spirit before baptism in a way that knocks them off their feet. It is then that they make the commitment to be baptized as a sign of that grace. Others have a felt experience of the Holy Spirit at their baptism, and feel a strong consolation of the Spirit throughout their lives. Still others, are first baptized, and then later, notice that the Holy Spirit has been gently sanctifying their character over time; smoothing out the rough edges and allowing compassion and truth to blossom.

Because we are celebrating the feast of Holy Spirit, it is also fitting that we celebrate baptisms. At our 10:30 service, Andrew Beckmann, Annika Barsy, John Kemp, and Stephen Kemp, will be dedicated to the service of God and marked as Christ's own forever. This is a great sign of hope- for them, for us, and for this world. Why is their baptism a great sign of hope? This is the subject of today's sermon.

When I look out at the world, I see two different scenarios. The first scenario is full of light, color, joy, love, and peace. The people who walk in this light, are conscious individuals, generous, self-sacrificing, discerning, courageous, and are committed to being a healing presence in this world. They are connected to a deep spiritual reality, a power of love and grace. The second scenario is full of darkness, black & white, anxiety, scarcity, and chaos. The people who walk in this darkness include those who are unconscious, narcissistic, parochial, fearful, and are committed to watching out only for #1. Unfortunately, this scenario has more people than the first. That is why we are having so much difficulty in our world today. The unresolved issues of justice, peace, and the dignity of every human being seem to cycle over and over again. Until we become conscious, loving, spirit-filled- transformed people, the cycle of darkness and suffering will continue.

But today, we pause for a moment and celebrate the light that has come into the world. It is a great moment of hope. We have hope because there are still people who are willing to put Christ first, to seek the Kingdom of God and its righteous, and to walk in this world as icons of love, bearers of good news, and agents of justice and peace. And even though from time to time, our candidates for baptism will be seduced by the values of the world, (perhaps sometimes even believing that money, power, education, and status will bring them ultimate happiness) they are promising to repent (to change their mind), and return to the way, the truth, and the life that was shown to us by Jesus.

When it comes to a better world, peace in the Middle East, the fight on poverty and hunger, I place my hope on transformed-Christ-like people. I know that most folks place their hope on win-win political solutions, strong military forces, the goodness of one or two nations, stronger treaties, patriotism, triumphalism, or democracy. However, these are only temporary stop gap measures that can not and do not permanently change the injustices and suffering in the world. What will ultimately transform this world are transformed people- people who are willing to go the full mile in working for peace, justice, and the dignity of every human being. And so I delight in our candidates for baptism and long for the day when we can raise up even more disciples to carry the light.

John, Stephen, Annika, and Andrew, I have hope in you as you commit your life to Christ. I pray that you will take your baptismal vows seriously and become the change that we need to see in this world. So here are a few things that will strengthen my hope:

In today's reading from the Book of Acts, the disciples were able to speak in other languages and they were able to hear one another. In this world of differences, we need to learn other languages, cultures, and ideas, as well as be able to hear what is being said. Communication and an openness of heart, mind, and soul, is necessary for reconciliation in this very uneven and pluralistic world. And the language that is most universal and compelling, the language that most people can hear and understand, is the language of love. May you become proficient in the language of love and help reconcile this world.
In the gospel story, the disciples were reacting to a horrific murder. They were hiding in a locked room, afraid that the same thing that happened to Jesus would happen to them. But a sense of Peace, the power of the Holy Spirit, came over them. It was then, they were able to discern the truth, let go of fear, and become a healing force in the community. This is a grace. Your challenge is to live a life that is open to the Holy Spirit so that the power of grace can move you and mold you to a life of service to God in Christ. So keep the door open to this Spirit of life by immersing yourself in a life of prayer & service.
Finally, Jesus spoke about forgiveness to his disciples as he breathed God's Spirit upon them. Forgiveness is at the core of the Christian faith. Forgiveness is letting go of the past- past hurts, past acts, past injustices. You must forgive past hurts in order to discern rightly in the present and to live fully in the future. Without forgiveness, there is no discernment. For if you do not forgive, the sins that have been committed will continue to have power over you, and the cycle of hurt and suffering will never been broken.

People of St. Jude's, Andrew, Annika, John, and Stephen: Remember that you have been marked as Christ's own forever. Remember who you are!

Updated 5/30/04

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