Time to rediscover the hidden language of God

Homily for Pentecost Sunday

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues…
yet each one heard them speaking in his own language.” (Acts 2:1-11)

What language were they speaking? Not the language of the United States, or Mexico, or the Philippines, or any other nation. They were speaking the language beneath every language — the language of God.

Pentecost is the time to remember our true, native language.  It is the language an infant knows in the womb, the language the saints hear as they behold the face of God, the language whispered in your soul when you dare to be still. It is older than creation.  The language Adam spoke to Eve before the fall, the language Jesus spoke to the Father when He cried out from the cross.

It is a powerful language. This is the language Jesus used to open the ears of the deaf, cast out demons, raise a dead child, and send a dying thief into paradise.  Every human being knows this language, but not everyone speaks it.

On this Pentecost, let us begin speaking once again the language of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

There is a risk.  When Jesus spoke the language of God, some listened and followed. Others walked away sad. The same thing happened at Pentecost. The disciples spoke, and everyone heard the message in their own language. Some opened their hearts and recognized the voice of God. Others closed their hearts and heard only drunken nonsense.

The language of God can be bold, like a driving wind and tongues of fire.  But the language of God is usually less dramatic. Sometimes it is as gentle as a dove descending from heaven. Sometimes it is as quiet as a newborn resting in a mother’s arms. Sometimes it is as simple as Jesus silently entering a room and saying, “Peace be with you.”

[On Pentecost, the language of God united what sin had scattered. When the disciples went out speaking this language, the world changed. Hearts recognized something they had forgotten. People heard Love calling them home. They heard Truth cutting through the fog. They heard the Good Shepherd speaking their name.]

When we speak the language of God, something in the human heart stirs with recognition. It remembers who we are and whose we are.

But there is a battle. To speak the language of God, we must recognize that it is at war with the language of the world.  Here are the battle lines. 

The language of God unites; the language of the world divides. The language of God builds bridges; the language of the world builds walls. The language of God speaks truth; the language of the world sells illusions. The language of God reverences every human life; the language of the world disguises violence with words like “choice” and “freedom.”

The language of God is like the breath of Jesus filling the hearts of the frightened disciples with peace.  The language of the world is like a hammer — loud, aggressive, eager to silence anything holy.

The world tries to bludgeon the language of God into submission. Or seduce it with the glamour of evil. Or intimidate it with mockery and insult. That is why speaking the language of God requires courage — Holy Spirit courage, Pentecost courage, upper‑room courage, cross‑shaped courage.

So what do we do? In a world that has forgotten the language of God, what can we possibly do?

One.  Start speaking the language of God at all times.  Avoid the language of the world.  Avoid the language of division, cynicism, accusation, and fear. Refuse to let those words shape your heart. Instead, speak the language of God — the language the Spirit places on your tongue.  Let all your words bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit:  love, joy, peace, kindness, generosity…

Two.  Recognize the difference between the language of God and the language of the world. [It’s the language of forgiveness, not resentment. Compassion, not indifference.  Encouragement, not discouragement.] It is the language that speaks healing where there has been hurt; patience where there has been frustration; peace where there has been conflict. And to a world grown numb and cynical, the language of God speaks wonder and mystery.]

Three.  And have faith. The language of the world may be loud, but it is not lasting. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, our breath, our fire. Jesus promised He would be with us always. The final word belongs to God.  When the kingdom comes, all will be speaking this language. 

Pentecost is not just a feast. It is a mission. A calling. A reminder of who we truly are.

Let us never forget our native tongue. Let us speak the language of God in all circumstances. When we speak this language with the power of the Holy Spirit, we will renew the face of the earth.

Throughout the week, ask yourself: Are my words and my actions speaking the language of God or the language of the world?