Pentecost: Unity in diversity

In the book of Genesis 11:1-9, we read the famous account of the Tower of Babel where the sinful pride of man was the catalyst for building the Tower. They sought to build their unity apart from God by “making a name for themselves” through building a tower that would ‘reach heaven’. So the LORD God divided this false unity for the sake of man’s salvation that man might seek and find Him instead of toiling for their own selfish gain. He caused division among the people by giving them all different languages to speak so they could not understand each other and would be forced to relinquish their efforts in building the tower and also live apart from each other in the land.

Indeed at the time, division was needed in order for proud men to seek God, but after the centuries past, we see Christ, the Messiah come into the world to cause people to find unity in His name (Luke 4:18-19). In the Church today we see people of different cultural backgrounds and languages coming together in humility, faith, love and worship of Christ. This unity in Christ is established through Baptism in the name of the Trinity and adoption into God’s family (Galatians 3:26-29) and partaking in Christ’s Body and Blood; The Holy Eucharist as commanded by our Lord in order to abide with Him (John 6:56).

So if we are a part of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians12:12) and are united in His name, how are we to also work to create unity in faith in the diversity of this world? We can learn how to go about it through looking to Christ Himself and His Apostles.

As we commemorate the Feast of Pentecost this Sunday, we see how God began to draw the Church together after Christ’s ascension. The name ‘Pentecost’ originates from the Greek which means ‘fifty days’; as this promised day of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles (John14:16-17) took place fifty days after Christ’s resurrection.

We read in Acts 2:1-12 that on this important day, the Apostles received the Holy Spirit through what appeared to be tongues of fire which sat upon each of them (Acts 2:3). This confirms the prophesy that was spoken by John the Baptist that Christ would; “Baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Luke 3:16).

After receiving the Holy Spirit, The Apostles starting speaking in other tongues (lishaneh), meaning languages of other nations. So much so, that a multitude of men from other nations came and heard them speaking about God in their own languages to their astonishment as they understood the Israelite born Apostles speaking their various languages. Even the Mesopotamians (Assyrians) are mentioned to be standing there in amazement (Acts 2:5-12).

This is a fulfilment of prophecy that was spoken through the Prophet Joel; “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations” (Joel 3:1). In stark contrast to the division that was caused to mankind through the confusion of languages due to their pride and building the tower of Babel, now through faithful humility and receiving the Holy Spirit, mankind from all nations of the world are able to hear and understand the saving word of God in their own tongue, and be united through the Apostles teaching.

As baptized Christians of the 21^st Century, we too, like the Apostles can speak the language of others in order to share the gospel and God’s love with them. If we haven’t been blessed with the gift of speaking or interpreting tongues (meaning languages of other nations 1 Corinthians 12:7-11), we can still “speak someone’s language” in another sense.

Just as St. Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 9:20-23; He had become a Jew to the Jews that he might win the Jews, and he became a Gentile to the Gentiles that he might win the Gentiles to the Lord. To ‘become’ as one of these non-believers does not mean that we participate in their sinful or ignorant actions, but rather, we learn how to “speak their language” or understand where they are coming from in life in order to relate with them and through God’s guidance and timing, share the gospel with them and invite them along to Church where they can be nurtured and united in the ‘Body of Christ’.

This Pentecost Sunday, let us be reminded that just as the Apostles received the Holy Spirit and were chosen to unite the nations of the world within the Church through sharing the gospel in various languages, so we, Baptized sons and daughters of the Church should also work to bring “outsiders” in, to unite them with Christ, while importantly making sure that we who belong to the Church are standing united in the Body of Christ and are all speaking ‘His language’ with one another.

For you are all sons [children] of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26-28

This week’s song: Here am I send me – Mercy Me

Preparing for the 'Big Day'

Weddings are very common in our culture and are an important event to be celebrated within our Church community as it is celebrating the unity of a husband and wife in Christ. A bride is joined with the groom in front of God, Church Clergy and all their family and friends in a Church Service. The majority of us can say we have been involved in preparing for a wedding somehow, whether we were the bride, a bridesmaid, a relative of one getting married or even just a friend who has been invited to attend a wedding.

Having been a bride myself, I can honestly say I do not envy any ‘brides to be’ in regards to wedding preparation!  I remember that from the moment my husband and I set the date, it took us approximately one whole year to busily plan and prepare for the Big Day! And of course, like many women, I had been thinking of this day and daydreaming about it for a while, so every little detail had to be PERFECT!

As many women know, it’s not just bride’s that prepare themselves for the wedding. Some of us who merely attend weddings spend hours shopping for the right outfit, accessories etc. And then we contemplate whether or not we’ll have time in between the Church service and the reception to get our hair done at the hairdresser!

Now, as I sit back and ponder all this activity, I cannot help but think about Jesus being the true Bridegroom, and we the Church being His Bride. Thinking about all this hectic preparation has made me recall Jesus’ parable about the 10 Virgins that He spoke of to teach His disciples about being prepared for Judgement Day. In Matthew 25:1-12; Jesus tells a parable about 10 Virgins who are waiting for the Bridegroom.  All ten virgins think they are prepared to meet the bridegroom by carrying oil lamps, just in case He comes at night, however five of them are extra prepared as they carry extra oil for their lamps and the other five did not carry extra oil.

How many of us just like preparing for a wedding, spend one year preparing for the unexpected coming of the Lord by deciding to read and complete the Bible in one year? Or dedicate a year to studying theology or our Church History? Or simply set a goal to partake in Church activities for a year? How many of us dedicate 2 hours of our time a week (or the time of a shopping day) to spend with God? Whether we are partaking in the Eucharistic Service on Sunday for 2 hours, going to Bible studies or preaching, or taking time out from our week to charitably serve others in Christ’s love?

If we compare the priority we place and the time we dedicate to preparing for earthly weddings to the priority and time we dedicate to prepare for the true 'Big Day'; Judgement Day, many of us will shamefully come to the realization that we do not think about or dedicate enough of our time to prepare for the Judgement Day of the Lord that we are all invited to, and will all inevitably see.

When we contrast and compare the actions of the “wise” and “foolish” virgins, our Lord Jesus is teaching us how we are to live every day in preparation for His awaited return. The wise virgins were prepared for the coming of the Lord, as they knew His arrival would be at an unknown hour. So they packed extra oil for their lamps to be able to see the way to meet Him. We must ask ourselves if we, like the wise virgins are prepared for the unknown hour of Christ, our Bridegroom’s return. Are we ensuring that the path to Christ in front of us is alit with light so we are walking on the right path to meet Him? And are we equipped to keep our lamps burning if He takes longer than we anticipated?

The analogy Christ uses here is to be wise and prepared for His return, we are to remain in Him through partaking in His body and blood (John 6:54-57), we are to heed His words and do them (Psalm 119:105) as they are “a lamp for our feet and a light for our path” in this dark world, and we are to continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13) until our last day, or until we see our Lord’s return.

The spiritual significance of the oil can also be viewed as being of utmost importance in my opinion.  Throughout the Bible, oil was used to anoint and sanctify through the Holy Spirit for God’s good purposes (e.g. David’s anointing and receiving of the Spirit to serve God and His people 1 Samuel16:13). In the Assyrian Church of the East, one of our seven Sacraments is the Oil of Unction or Oil of Chrismation.  H.G. Mar Awa has dedicated a whole chapter in his book ‘The Mysteries of the Kingdom’ to explain this sacrament along with the other six important sacraments of our Holy Church and I highly recommend reading this book.

H.G. Mar Awa states; “The importance of the Oil of the Apostles [Unction]may be summed up in its awesome Scriptural and theological significance as the sacrament representing the Holy Spirit, with which Christ was anointed (in His humanity) and which is perpetually present in the Church.”  ¹

With this in mind, we can view the 5 Virgins carrying extra oil as those who were living their lives in the Spirit. In faith and in good works (Galatians 5:22-26) which promise us the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven.

In contrast, the foolish virgins were not carrying extra oil with them, and were ill prepared for the Lord’s return. Similarly, the early Galatian Church were also living their lives in the flesh, and not by faith and in the Spirit and were called ‘foolish’ or unwise by St. Paul (Galatians 3:1-4). The virgins carrying the lamp without oil represent those who call themselves Christians but whose fruits or acts in life show otherwise… as they do not live their lives by the Spirit. Christ clearly says to these foolish, ill-equipped virgins, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.” (Matthew 25:12)

These verses clearly confirm to us, that we alone are responsible for our own salvation. We cannot rely on another person or blame another person for losing our salvation, and we cannot take the "extra oil” from someone else on that Day the Lord arrives unexpectedly. Each of us must be equipped and prepared each day (2Timothy 4:2).

We too can be “foolish” when we think that by merely being baptized Christians, we will be accepted by Christ into His Kingdom even though our works are evil. For as baptized Christians who are children of God, and co-heirs with Christ, we have been sealed by His Holy Spirit and are to act as Children of God throughout our lives (Ephesians 5:1) in preparation for the unknown hour of His return by living in the Spirit by whom we have been sealed; in faith, love and good deeds.

Have you spent enough time preparing for the true wedding celebration where Christ the Bridegroom will be eternally united with His Church, the Bride? If not, start today. As St. Paul says “Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION" (2 Corinthians 6:2).

So let us prepare for the ‘Big Day’ by attending Church to partake in the sacraments, reading God’s Word and acting upon it and beseeching His forgiveness while we still have the chance.

This week’s song: You are my forever love – Francesca Battistelli

1.       Bishop Mar Awa Royel, The Mysteries of the Kingdom, The Sacraments of the Assyrian Church of the East, CIRED 2011. PP 231

Fear in faithlessness, Confidence in Christ!

Many of us may know if we lack confidence in certain or all areas of our lives, but how many of us know that our personal lack of confidence is due to fear? A fear or fears that can take hold of us from many different fronts… Years ago, I read a book about property investments that was written by a very successful property investor. In the very first pages before he even discussed how he had established his capital, he stated that "fear, is the one cause that stops people from being successful". Though he was speaking from a financial, investments perspective, his statement rings true for all areas in life!

We lack confidence in ourselves because we let our previous failures and negative experiences conquer our current state of mind and emotions. We let previous failures rule our thoughts and convince ourselves that we are limited in what we can do or achieve in the present and future.

What is stopping you from leaving the current job you dislike so much and applying for the job of your dreams? What is stopping you from leaving a boyfriend who mistreats you? Or from seeking help when you are a victim of domestic violence or any form of abuse? Who is stopping you from believing that you can attain your goals? And above all, what is stopping you from offering yourself to being the faithful, trusting daughter of God you were destined to be?

Quite simply, it is fear! Fear of the unknown. Fear of failure, and ultimately, fear of stepping out in faith! This fear can be brought on by yourself, or influenced or “drilled into your head” by others.

We've heard the worldly cliché, "believe in yourself, and you can do anything". This is often deemed "good advice" when people seek help from friends and even some secular professionals when they’re experiencing a confidence meltdown or anxiety. Quite simply, this statement asserts that by relying on your own strength, human abilities and limitations, you can excel...

But this flawed advice which inevitably leaves room for human failure, and a possible bigger drop in personal belief and morale, can be superseded by advice that is given to us by God our Father. Advice, that we can rely on and trust when we are overwhelmed with fear, doubt, or just lacking the confidence we need to be the great woman, wife or mother we can be. To simply live the life that God has ordained for us.

Most of us are familiar with the famous recount of the battle between David and Goliath.

In the book of 1 Samuel 17, we see the young shepherd boy David take on the powerful Giant Goliath against all odds. When the Palestinian giant Goliath provokes the Israelite army to attack him in order to win the battle, none of the mighty, armoured soldiers are brave enough to confront him. But we see a seemingly weak and timid, unarmoured shepherd boy David, place himself in front of the giant, armed with nothing but a sling and a stone for a weapon. But his mighty faith and trust in the God of Israel was his assuring defence. Against all known odds, the young boy defeats Goliath and all the surrounding soldiers see the giant fall to the ground to his, and to Palestine’s demise.

Was it David’s sling shot and stone that fought off this terrifying giant? Or was it his unmovable faith and trust in the strength of His mighty God? David’s confidence in God shone through and eliminated any trace of fear he would have felt.  This is evident in the statement he makes to the giant before he attempts to attack him; “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted (1 Samuel 17:45).

St Paul, on his many missionary journeys experienced sufferings and hardships of many kinds. He escaped death, sickness, shipwrecks, imprisonment, beatings, persecutions and ultimately beheading all for the work of the gospel, and the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:25-30). If many of us today were to experience even a fraction of the tribulations that St Paul encountered and endured, how would we react? More than likely, we would tremble with fear because of the unknown future, doubt in God's presence and ability to protect us, and definitely lack the confidence we need to march on bravely against all opposition that comes our way.

But instead of believing in himself alone, St Paul believed in God! He knew that his work was not in vain, or for personal gain, but to glorify God’s name.  So he confidently trusted that God would deliver him in His perfect way. St. Paul’s famous statement that pulled him through and that has also pulled me through many painful and fearful moments in my life is, Philippians 4:13; I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (I actually have a small poster if this verse stuck up on my wall, so it’s the first thing I see every morning).

And let us consider the blessed Saint Shmooni whom we discussed last week. Did she allow the opposition from the king and hateful persecutors to come between her and her destiny? Did she not rather confront her biggest fears as a mother, and witness the death of not one, but all seven of her martyred sons in front of her eyes, before bravely giving her own life as a Martyr for her faith.  Her enemies tried to instil fear in her with a hope that she would compromise her faith and identity for a comfortable earthly life. But Saint Shmooni faithfully trusted in God’s good will and purpose for her and her sons and did not allow her biggest fears stop her from fulfilling her destiny and that of her sons. Even if it meant death! (Refer to last week’s Saint Shmooni blog article)

How often do we apply the simple principal of faith to our sometimes overwhelming lives?

Do we know that FAITH is the only true cure to overcoming FEAR? As unworthy children of God through baptism and the receiving of the Holy Spirit, we are to live our lives with confidence in Christ, and live by the Spirit. As St. Paul confirms in his letter to the Romans:  For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “ Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15

St. John Chrysostom writes: “If Christ is with me, whom shall I fear? Though the waves and the sea and the anger of princes are roused against me, they are less to me than a spider’s web. Indeed, unless you, my brothers, had detained me, I would have left this very day. For I always say “Lord, your will be done”; not what this fellow or that would have me do, but what you want me to do. That is my strong tower, my immovable rock, my staff that never gives way. If God wants something, let it be done! If he wants me to stay here, I am grateful. But wherever he wants me to be, I am no less grateful.”

Always remember that in any and every seemingly fearful situation that arises in life, we, like David, St Paul, and all of the mighty Saints before us, can do everything through Christ who strengthens us!

Fear, beloved sister, is not from God (2 Timothy 1:7). And God's perfect love and light casts out all the fears and insecurities that can potentially consume you (1 John 4:18). If you reflect on your current life circumstances and know that you are not living your life with the confidence that Christ’s love, conquering death and resurrection brings, then you are not living life to your fullest God-given potential.

So instead of accepting an unfulfilled existence of living with no or little self-confidence, or fear and self-doubt, offer your fearful, burdened heart to Jesus Christ your saviour, who frees you from these binding chains and shows you His healing love. Beseech Him today and ask Him to forgive your past mistakes, give you strength and help to change today, and lead you with guidance and hope for a more confident future!  (Philippians 4:6-7)

This week’s song: Casting Crowns - The Voice of Truth