The Word of the Day

On Sunday it will be helpful to know two words.

Ruach and pneuma.

In my dyslexic phonetics they are roo-aw-ck and new-ma. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to pronounce them before I say them first.

They both mean sort of the same thing – bigger than a breath and more dynamic that the wind. Ruach (רוּחַ) is a Hebrew word, in Genesis it described the animating breath of God breathed into creation. From the New Testement, pneuma (πνεῦμα) is a Greek word for breath or spirit. I love the Stoic philosophy definition; a mixture of air and fire that binds the cosmos together.

It’s ruach or pneuma that is referenced in the Biblical Pentecost story in Acts 2. Though, it’s really a Shavout story. The major Jewish holiday celebrating the revelation at Sinai, the giving of the Torah and the formation of God’s covenant with the Israelites, it is the gift of the sacred text that is the Jewish foundation. My friend Rabbi Seth says that Shavout gets the short end of the Jewish holiday stick because while theologically it is a MAJOR holiday, in practice there aren’t any ritual tied to it and given it’s placement in the Gregorian calendar, it’s often overlooked.

The story goes that the early followers of Jesus, still fresh with grief, are gathered together in Jerusalem for Shavout,

“And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind that filled the entire house. Tongues of fire appeared among them and rested on each of them. All were filled with the Holy Spirit (pneuma) and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit (pneuma) gave them ability.”

Everyone is speaking in different languages, but they can hear and understand each other in their own native language.

“Utterly amazed, they asked: ‘Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!’”

Peter and the disciples get up and try to explain to people what they believe is happening. Quoting the prophet Joel;

“In the last days, God says,

‘I will pour out my Spirit (ruach) on all people.

Your [children] will prophesy,

your [young people] will see visions,

your [elders] will dream dreams.’”

I’ll stop there because I don’t want to spoil the ending and you need some reason to come on Sunday. We don't typically "celebrate" Pentecost, but it's one of my favorite liturgical holidays. I'm excited to explore the story with you this week. I love any reason to celebrate the wily spirit!

Sunday, May 24,

4 pm at the church

110 Eleventh Ave SE