LENT V
March 26, 2023
“The Language We All Know”
Even though I don’t pay attention to television commercials, occasionally I catch a message anyway. The Hershey chocolate people found a way to get my attention a while back, when their ad showed an earnest teenage boy practicing American Sign Language in front of a mirror. He was holding a classic chocolate bar, gesturing and talking to himself, evidently wanting to be sure he was “saying” something correctly. The next scene shows him approaching a girl in the school hallway, and he signs “Do you like chocolate?” (thank you, subtitles!). She breaks into a huge smile, and signs, “I love chocolate!” and he hands her the candy bar. They stand there, smiling, and it looks like the beginning of a conversation.
Featuring a couple of appealing youngsters sharing their appreciation for candy is clever marketing, of course, but I’d like to suggest there’s another message in this little vignette as well. Just because communication isn’t easy doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try, whether making the effort to learn some words and phrases, or being creative in some way.
Through the accounts of Jesus’ ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing, we become aware of the many languages and dialects spoken in the rather small geographic area through which he and his disciples traveled. However it happened, people heard, understood, and believed the message of love, forgiveness, and freedom.
Throughout the Bible we can read accounts of communication — God speaking to Moses through the burning bush, or the young Samuel responding to God’s call. I’ve always found the description of the Day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts to be exceptionally compelling. The apostles had come together, when suddenly a mighty wind rushed through the house, and they began to speak in other languages. Hearing them, a crowd of people gathered, every individual amazed to hear the message in his native tongue. What a remarkable demonstration of how the Holy Spirit has the power to break down barriers of language, prejudice, ignorance and hatred.
As we struggle to make ourselves understood and to understand others in this world, we can be encouraged and strengthened by the knowledge that the Gospel of Christ crosses all obstacles, whether geographic, cultural, political, or religious. Every Sunday, as we speak the words of the Apostles’ Creed, remember Luther’s explanation of the Third Article: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith.” (Luther’s Small Catechism)
And so we are assured and reminded that we are not alone, that we have one another, all the saints who have gone before us, and most importantly, the power of God’s Holy Spirit to speak in a language that all will hear and understand.
Trusting the Holy Spirit to call, gather, and enlighten us all,
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers