The Spirit will not be barred.

            Eight some years ago, when I first became Pastor of St. Stephen, someone pointed to the looming metal door to my office, and told me:
            “Having a firm door was part of the plan after the 1967 riots where a South Plainfield policeman was murdered. If Black Panthers took over the worship service,” I was told, “the plan was for the Pastor to escape and barricade himself in his office and call the police… with things the way they are these days… shouldn’t we maybe think of doing that again pastor?”

“What have I gotten myself into?” I wondered.
“What kind of place is South Plainfield, and what kind of people have called me?” I wondered.
“By taking this call have I betrayed the people of Tabernacle in West Philly and St. John’s in North West Baltimore? Who showed me, as a Seminary Student, more kindness and patience than I deserved?”

            I shouldn’t have worried—the Spirit takes the strangest combinations and makes them combust into grand powers we would never expect.

            Several years later, there were pulpit swaps between Cross of Life and St. Stephen. I remember one Parishioner saying, “If you’d told me ten years ago there would be a black gay man in St. Stephen’s pulpit, and I’d like it, I’d never have believed you!”

            Later still, whole congregations crossed that invisible line between South Plainfield and Plainfield. Several of you told me you’d not transgressed that boundary line since 1967.

            Later still, we mourned with Cross of Life at its closing, and became a place for many of their members
—our members now
—to be a part, to assume leadership positions on council and beyond.
Sunday may be the most racially segregated day of the week
—but not here!
Not at St. Stephen.

            I don’t recount this series of fortunate events to toot any horns, but instead to state unequivocally that
Jesus doesn’t do doors
—the Spirit will not be barred.

            Prayer

            These two stories of Pentecost in John and Acts seem familiar…
yes of course we read Acts 2 every year—the poor Lector has to cut their teeth on Cappadocia and Phrygia… every year…

            But, I think it is familiar too, because it appraises and parallels our present reality,
pointing out the continuities and discontinuities between our Story and the Spirit’s Story.

             In that way, Pentecost is timeless and timely.

            Listen to Acts
—violent wind and fire, the Spirit turning the whole world upside down. “blood, fire, smoky mist—the sun dark, the moon blood.”

            Hasn’t it felt like…
since the fires in Australia at the start of this year (or maybe even years before)
we’ve been in some sort of upside down, rickety and condemned,
roller coaster version of the world?

            By way of example, the fires and smoke in Minneapolis and around the country
—clouds of indiscriminate pepper spray,
a police station torched,
reporters arrested and shot with pepper bullets,
my cousin’s corner pharmacy…
she went in it on Wednesday,
 it was burnt down by Friday.

            Do we not get a whiff of what Peter is pointing to?

            In Acts, the Spirit speaks the Gospel in every language,
the Spirit, as Peter explains, will be poured out on all flesh…
not some flesh, all flesh.
Pentecost is the reversing of Babel
—because of the Spirit’s work of reconciliation among and between all people,
we can all come together,
all understand each other,
all be one…

            Yet, that reconciliation seems so far off.

So far off, when Ahmaud (A-mod) Arbery was executed by self-styled vigilantes while jogging in Georgia. 

So far off, because Breonna Taylor was killed while waking up in Kentucky. 

So far off, when Dreasjon Reed—shot 8 times in Indiana.

So far off, ‘cause of Christian Cooper’s close call in Central Park. So far off…

            The reconciled reality that the Spirit is bringing, seems so far off, because our society acts like the lives of Black Folk don’t matter, but Black Lives do Matter!

            

            And then in John’s Gospel… from Jesus’ lips the Holy Spirit surely given,
given that we might have true peace…
the breath of God on offer…

            Breath offered as George Floyd echoes Eric Garner before him,
“I can’t breathe!” Begging for his life while it is squeezed out of him for all to see in Minnesota.
“I can’t breathe!”

            Breath offered as the Corona Virus fills the lungs of so many with fluid until they gasp for breath,
until, even,
they expire.

            Breath offered through mask shielding and mourning clothe.

            The breath, the Spirit!
Holy Spirit come with peace!
Peace, as Scriptures makes abundantly clear, not as the world gives…
for there will be those who shout “peace peace” and there is no peace…

            The Spirit’s Peace
shows the pierced side and wounded hands,
on the other side of execution.

            The Spirit’s Peace is intertwined
—Father to Son and Son to his Beloved Community
—intertwined in the mission,
our mission,
to redeem the whole world.

            

            Finally, doors locked for fear
—at least that one feels familiar.
Jesus “enters in and stands among them” even when they’re afraid…
and does the same for us.

            Afraid of a virus that takes our most vulnerable, and then surprises us with its greed and appetite, taking still more. The Spirit will not be barred.

            Afraid that our community will fray and fall away if we continue to keep everyone safe by gathering for worship in a dispersed and remote manner.
Jesus doesn’t do doors.

            Afraid of our neighbors who are different from us in one way or another
—afraid that the drum beat of tribe and race will drown out the possibility of friendship and connection and respect.
The Spirit will not be barred.

            Afraid that the heavy weight of history and the rotten fragrance of prejudice and hatred will shape our encounters with police, and store clerks, and doctors, and others we wish we could trust.
Jesus doesn’t do doors.

            I have to believe the Spirit that took that barrier (that blast-door) of an office door, and all that goes with it, and is transforming us into this new community…

I have to believe that the Spirit Jesus breathed upon the Disciples, and every generation of disciples after them…

I have to believe the Holy Spirit that spoke in Jerusalem and was spoken of by the Prophet Joel.

            I have to believe that Spirit will work in unexpected ways to turn this world upside down, bringing about healing and justice.

            Will breath life into folk who cannot breathe, and courage and will into all who can do something about it.

            Will rebuild areas threatened with death, into communities of new life.

            Will bring true peace, a peace that faces the world as it is and as it ought to be, and as it shall be.

            I have to believe that Jesus doesn’t do doors and that the Spirit will not be barred.

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