When you think about holidays in the months of May and June, what comes to mind? Do you think of Mother’s Day (May 11), Memorial Day (May 26), and Father’s Day (June 15)? What about Cinco de Mayo (May 5), Flag Day (June 15) or the First Day of Summer (June 20)? All great holidays in our secular calendars.
Now, what about in our religious or sacred calendar, can you name any special days in May or June? You may have to think about this for a while. I’ll wait.
Did you know that May 1 is our National Day of Prayer? There is more information on this in this newsletter about our prayer vigil that day (Thursday) in the chapel from noon to 1:00 pm. Another sacred day in the month of May is Ascension Day (May 29) which marks the day Jesus ascended into heaven in front of 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:6) forty days after Easter. Then, there is June 8 when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13).
Why do we know more about the secular than the sacred? One reason may be that there are more ads throughout the media for the secular. Whoever saw an ad for light weight clothes for Ascension Day or translation apps for Pentecost? These days just do not “fit in” with today’s modern secular world. And yet, two of the three that I mentioned are some of the most significant historical days in human history.
This year’s theme for our National Day of Prayer is Pour Out to the God of Hope and Be Filled (based on Romans 15:13). Perhaps more than ever, we need hope in the days to come. As Paul said in Romans, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
The two previously mentioned historical events, the ascension of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit both attest to the power and presence of the “God of Hope” mentioned by Paul. Let’s take a brief look back at what happened on those two days.
The risen Christ remained on earth for a time (40 days) to help the disciples understand the significance of his death and resurrection. “He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised: but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:44-49).
A few days later, while “they were all together” (Acts 2:1) perhaps in the Upper Room where they had shared the Last Supper with Jesus, “suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. …All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:2-4). We mark this day on Pentecost Sunday (June 8) as the beginning of the church of Jesus Christ. It is the birthday of a nation far greater than any nation on earth for it is eternal. This is our heritage. Should we not celebrate this with great joy and peace? For we put our trust in Him who “died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit” (1Peter 3:18). Now that’s worth celebrating! And all God’s children said, “AMEN”.