with baptisms, confirmations and reception into the Anglican Church of Canada

Genesis 11.1-9 – Psalm 104: 25-35, 37b – Acts 2.1-21 – John 14: 8-17, 25-27

The Very Rev’d Bertrand Oliver, Dean and Rector

I am sure that many of us have known the story of the Tower of Babel for a long time, and have probably been given a range of interpretations of that story, along the line that the people in their pride decided to build something that was so great that they could rival with God – and that God intervened, scattering them away and confusing their languages on top of it all.

On re-reading the story to prepare for this wonderful service of Pentecost, I started to wonder how it was that we had come to these interpretations, because the text is rather plain – there is no sense of pride from the people. Only a natural desire to get together in order somehow to stay together and focus on building their common culture.

There is also no sense of anger from God, but perhaps simply curiosity of the way in which humans were organising themselves into unity and conformity, into one culture, which might or might not give them strength.

But here, differently from the usual interpretation, we can read that God had a different purpose than a monochrome culture and instead, in a continuing creative effort, God decides to intervene in order that there may be many different cultures and languages, different ways of embodying creation in a diverse world, all celebrating God’s creation.

In his recent book, “The Beginning of Difference: Discovering Identity in God’s Diverse World”, the theologian Ted Hiebert, Professor Emeritus at McCormick Theological Seminary, writes: “Difference can be a source of vast enrichment and growth — or a reason for hate, exclusion, discrimination, and violence. … The stakes of difference are high.”

And for him, how we choose to read these stories of origins from Genesis makes all the difference in a world that is polarized and fragmented, and where racial discrimination, fear of immigrants and refugees, political polarization, and even hate continue to grow. A world where religious differences can also contribute to anti-Semitic and Islamophobic attitudes and actions, and feuds even among Christians.

And so on this feast of Pentecost – the Greek word meaning the fiftieth day after Easter, also the day of the Jewish festival of Shavuot – a diverse, inclusive harvest celebration also marking the reception of the Torah, the Jewish scriptures, on Mount Sinai, we gather to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit, fulfilling Jesus’ words before his departure from this world.

We come for together the birthday of the Church!

Because this is the day which finally sets the apostles on a course of action in the world – speaking, preaching, teaching, healing, building community – a course which continues to this day.

This is the day when they were empowered in a vivid way through the tongues of flames that descend on their heads – not so much destructive fire as the divine glowing fire that illuminates the burning bush for Abraham.

A day in which finally the penny drops that not only has Jesus left them in charge, but they realise that they can actually do what Jesus means them to do. They find in themselves all the gifts they need to make their faith alive to others, starting with the ability to communicate to people of all cultures and languages in order to create a world community that transcends differences through love, and thrives and grows on welcoming those that are different.

Today is the day when Peter reminds all those who will listen, in the words of the Prophet Joel, that God had declared: ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.’

In a world where the dreams of so many are constantly shattered, how is that for a promise? And how does that feel for those being baptized today, who will be born again both in Water and the Holy Spirit? How does that feel to our confirmation candidates who will, in their own words, profess the faith which has brought them to this day, and receive the seal of the Holy Spirit, in the anointing from the Bishop. And how does that feel for those being received into our Anglican church today, when we realise that the goal is not fragmented churches but Unity in Christ by the Holy Spirit?

It is an exciting day for them, and an exciting day for us who are also reminded that we are part of that innumerable cloud of witnesses, called to build the kingdom and to live out God’s commandments.

This may seem like a nebulous statement – as it was too for the disciples – but Jesus’ response to Philip may help illuminate our reflection: ‘Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do, and in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father’.

And ‘If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it’.

Here, in downtown Montreal, surrounded as we are by towers of glass and steel, built not for community but instead as cathedrals to the Gods of commerce and individualism, the tasks that Jesus are asking of us may seem overwhelming.
Urban life is no longer designed to sustain communities, but instead works against it, focusing instead on making all of us consumers and objects of data capture.

And yet, it is in cities that Christianity grew in the early centuries, because the early Christians lived out exactly the life that was mapped out for them.

Putting property in common, looking after one another but also after those whom no one would look after – feeding the widow, the orphan, the poor, and burying those who had no one to bury them. People noticed how counter cultural, even to the point of singing their faith when confronted with death by martyrdom in the amphitheatres of Rome and beyond.

It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that gave them the strength, courage, creativity and steadfastness to find ways to live out their life in ways that would be attractive to others – not through preaching – but by the example of their care for one another in the name of Christ.

Today, our candidates to baptism, confirmation and reception are affirming their desire to join their ranks as we have done, and therefore to work for the glory of God’s kingdom in the here and now.

This is not a journey for the fainthearted – and whilst the Spirit may provide all that we need – it is also good not to undertake this journey alone, which is why it is important to recognise that the Church community gathered here is making commitments to support you the candidates and all of you, in the needs you might encounter on your journey, as you – day by day – discern who God is calling you to be and the part you are called to play in the building of the Kingdom.

Today we rejoice and give thanks that the Holy Spirit continues to inspire us and calls new people to join the fellowship of those who seek to join the embodied community of the Risen Christ today.

Amen