Pentecost Sunday and Mother’s Day

Today is certainly a day for contemplation, whether you are going by the Church calendar, or the American calendar. I want to highlight both.

On the liturgical calendar, today is Pentecost Sunday. It is a day in which we remember the events that took place 50 days after the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord, where the promised allos paraklêtos (another helper, John 14.16) found fulfillment in the coming of the Holy Spirit. In remembrance of this, consider Luke’s record of the events in Acts 2:

When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.

There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. When this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were astounded and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? How is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages the magnificent acts of God.” And they were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What could this be?” But some sneered and said, “They’re full of new wine!”

But Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: “Jewish men and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you and pay attention to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning. On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
I will even pour out My Spirit
on My male and female slaves in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will display wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness,
and the moon to blood,
before the great and remarkable day of the Lord comes;
then whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
-Acts 2.1-21

Today also happens to be Mother’s Day. In honor of Mother’s Day, I want to share with you this song written by Sojourn’s own Jamie Barnes for Mother’s Day called Prayer of Hannah [direct link to download], which is based off of Hannah’s silent prayer at the altar found in 1 Samuel 1. I tried to transcribe the lyrics as best I could, but if you see anything that needs corrected, be sure to let me know!

Prayer of Hannah
by Jamie Barnes

Remember me, Oh God, in my affliction.
Your daughters call upon Your name.
I’m not full of new wine-
But holy spirit-
Tossed in the wake of our shame.

If you read the lips of this silent prayer,
faith, your servant, mine to bear.
No razor shall come to see no hair
of our young… of our young.

Let the joy that lives in me-
leap in your proximity.
Oh mothers of Israel,
Behold the son
who has opened the womb of the barren.
You have opened the womb of the barren.
You open the womb.

Remember me, Oh God, in my condition.
Your daughters call upon Your name.
We do not fear the snow,
We’re draped in scarlet,
Hued by the blood of the lamb

May we raise our children to call us blessed,
And bathe them with tongues of righteousness,
As we claim them back from the jackal’s breast.
We will claim them back… we will claim them back.

Let the joy that lives in me-
leap in your proximity.
Oh mothers of Israel,
Behold the son
Who has opened the womb of the barren.
You have opened the womb of the barren.
You open the womb.