Pentecost: Mystified, Surprised, Amazed, and Bewildered!

Pentecost!  People were speaking in different languages all at the same time.  Chaos reigned!   It was a strange day, a very strange day indeed.  In the Common English Bible read these selected verses (1-4, 6b-7, 12-13) from the Acts 2 account of the Pentecost "event" through Luke's eyes:  When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them.  They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak ... They were mystified because everyone heard them speaking in their native languages ... They were surprised and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all the people who are speaking Galileans, every one of them?  ... They were all surprised and bewildered. Some asked each other, “What does this mean?” Others jeered at them, saying, “They’re full of new wine!”

Yes, it was a very strange day.  But no one was drunk as some accused!  The Holy Spirit was poured upon the people ... and the Holy Spirit often leads us in strange directions, at least it seems that way through human eyes.  At the same time that Pentecost was a strange day, it was also a glorious day!   It was as if a fire burst forth upon the followers of Jesus to empower them to live into their calling. Many say this is the day the "Church" was born.

Once again this week we'll engage in a derivative form of Lectio Divina (sacred reading) ... Visio Divina (sacred seeing) ... reading a piece of artwork by "gazing" in prayer.   This artwork is a companion piece to last week's "Ascension" artwork.   

This is Pentecost from the Rabbula Gospels and the artist/scribe is Meister des Rabula-Evangeliums.  For more information on this Image take this link to The Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn page on this icon of Pentecost.  The Rabbula Gospel images come from an illuminated gospel text created in 586 at a monastery in Syria.  The images are in the public domain.   

Public Domain:  Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial ShareAlike 3.0 License

When you are ready to pray using the art of Visio Divina, or "sacred seeing" take a few moments to still your heart and center on the image.

Read the Image ... Allow your eyes to seek softly what you are attracted to in the image.  Simply receive the gift of seeing.  What image within the image is drawing you in ... Allow yourself a few moments simply to sit with this gift.

Receive the Image ... Take a deep breath and gaze with soft eyes and a receptive spirit.  After receiving, close your eyes and allow your imagination to form that image in your consciousness ... what questions emerge for you as you gaze upon the image?  what are you receiving from God through the image?  How do your questions and your insights illuminate your life right now?

Respond to God ... Now take a deep breath and gaze with soft eyes and a grateful spirit.  How do you sense yourself desiring to respond to God through the image you have received?   What would you say to God about what you are hearing, seeing, feeling?  Allow yourself to pray with gratitude ... 

Rest in God ... Now take a deep breath and rest ... notice how your body feels.  Is there something more here?  Then go back and repeat your "gazing" prayer.   If you feel that you have received all you need in this moment, simply rest in the silence and come to a place of shalom, peace, wholeness ... 

To end your time of Visio Divina, take a few moments to read the Gospel text in which Jesus promises the "Advocate," who is the Holy Spirit will come.  John 14:8-17 and 25-47 (CEB)

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. I will ask the Father, and he will send another Companion, v who will be with you forever. This Companion is the Spirit of Truth, whom the world can’t receive because it neither sees him nor recognizes him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be with you.  “I won’t leave you as orphans. I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live too. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them. ”  Judas (not Judas Iscariot) asked, “ Lord, why are you about to reveal yourself to us and not to the world? ”  Jesus answered, “Whoever loves me will keep my word. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word that you hear isn’t mine. It is the word of the Father who sent me.  “I have spoken these things to you while I am with you. The Companion, w the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you.  “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid. You have heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away and returning to you.’ If you loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than me. I have told you before it happens so that when it happens you will believe. I won’t say much more to you because this world’s ruler is coming. He has nothing on me. Rather, he comes so that the world will know that I love the Father and do just as the Father has commanded me. Get up. We’re leaving this place. 

So be it.  Amen.

If you desire to go deeper, you can take this link to Alive Now's Audio Lectio of a portion of this text John 14:15-17 and 25-27 ... a prayerful listening to scripture ... you may have to research their archives if you are visiting at a time other the timing of this original post.  

Linger in the Silence ... or listen to Consuming Fire - A Great Song for Pentecost.  It is a lovely contemporary arrangement and has the lyrics so you can read/sing along.

God bless you ... I invite you to take a deeper journey this week "seeing" God with new eyes through the images you find in your life!