Pentecost During A Pandemic

As Eastertide begins to end, it leads to the next and last Holy Day before entering into Ordinary Times (which will be discussed in a different post): Pentecost.

This year, Pentecost is on Sunday May 31st. I assume that most will have some understanding of Pentecost, but if not, here is a brief summary of Pentecost.

Pentecost occurs fifty days after Easter, it's name derived from the Greek Πεντηκοστή (Pentēkostē), which means, "fiftieth." "Pentecost" during the Second Temple Period actually was (and still is) the Greek rendition for the Jewish festival of שבעות (Shavuot), which means, "weeks." Shavuot also occurred fifty days after Passover (you may notice the similarities between the Jewish and Christian holy days, with the Church "morphing" their meaning, for a lack of a better phrase). It's origins were based on the celebration of the early summer wheat harvest, but it later also celebrated the giving of the Torah (the Laws) to Moses on Mt. Sinai. It was a pilgrimage festival, meaning that they had to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem where God's Temple resided to celebrate it.

For the Church, Pentecost turned into the day when the Church commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit, who descended upon the Apostles and others who were with them as "tongues of fire." They begin to speak in different languages, confounding the pilgrims. Peter then began to preach the Gospel, that Jesus was crucified and then resurrected, and now is the Christ, the Messiah, the King. It was said that about 3,000 of these pilgrims changed their hearts, swore allegiance to Jesus, and was baptized. This event is seen as the beginning of the Christian Church.

Traditionally, Pentecost was a prime time for baptism in the early church. The liturgical color was red to symbolize the "tongues of fire."

So how does one celebrate Pentecost during the pandemic? Flo Oakes, a contributor for The Diocese Of Churches For The Sake Of Others (C4SO), provides five ways to celebrate:

1. Feast Together.

It is a feast day, after all! Pick out your favorite feast foods and break bread together. Use red napkins at the table. Afterward, put on your favorite music and hold a living room dance party. Maybe even wear red.

Ask: I wonder how the disciples felt when God gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit?

2. Listen Together.

Grab a blanket and sit outside on the grass. Close your eyes. Pay attention to the physical sensations of being outside. Do you hear any birdcalls? Is it windy outside? Can you hear the rustling of the grass in the breeze or feel the wind on your skin?

Ask: I wonder if there is anything about being outside that reminds you of God?

3. Read Together.

Light a candle and read the story of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-2) together as a family. Depending on the ages of your family members, you could read from a storybook Bible or straight from scripture (for older members, you could read Acts 2 in its entirety). You might even consider lighting a bonfire outdoors if you are able.

Ask: I wonder if the disciples were afraid of the fire?

4. Create Together.

We see the Holy Spirit represented at times as fire, wind, and even a dove. Younger children may enjoy making a pinwheel like this and seeing what happens on a breezy day. We can’t see the wind, but we can see what happens to a pinwheel when the wind turns it.

Ask: We can’t see wind, but we know it’s there—I wonder if that reminds you of anything else?

Very small children might like to make a dove craft like this using their hands:

Ask: I wonder why God sometimes used a dove to represent the Holy Spirit?

5. Sing Together.

God gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples on Pentecost—can you imagine how they had felt up to this point, waiting for this promised gift, wondering what in the world was going on after their world had been turned upside down? How they longed to hear from their friend, Jesus!

We are currently in a time of waiting as well. We long to hear from God in these strange and unprecedented days. “Spirit of the Living God,” by Audrey Assad, reminds us that God is the same God then and now. It’s God’s voice and breath that we have always longed for. Sometimes God’s voice is clear and sometimes we wonder where God is—or if God is even with us at all. Children feel all of these things, too. Consider learning/singing this song together as a family.

Ask: I wonder if there is a time you can remember when you heard from God, or when God felt close?

Pentecost is a day to commemorate the beginning of the Church, from a couple dozen to about three thousand people. It commemorates the beginning of the Church's mission to preach the Good News that Jesus is Lord and that the Kingdom of God is here and is coming.

We may be stuck inside, but mission doesn't stop, it continues no matter what, just in a different form at this time.

Reference:

Oakes, F. (2020, May 18). 5 Ways to Celebrate at Home. The Diocese Of Churches For The Sake Of Others. https://www.c4so.org/5-ways-to-celebrate-pentecost-at-home/

Martin Luther King Jr. On Riots

This is an excerpt taken from MLK Jr. in his 1986 speech titled "The Other America," and this is what he had to say about the existence of riots (bolded, mine):

I'm absolutely convinced that a riot merely intensifies the fears of the white community while relieving the guilt. And I feel that we must always work with an effective, powerful weapon and method that brings about tangible results. But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.

I find this unfortunately relevant regarding the murder of George Floyd. I find this also relevant in other parts of the world such as Hong Kong or India, even if the issue at hand is not about racism.

Mabel Ping-Hua Lee

Picture taken from NextShark's article, "Meet the First Chinese American Woman to Fight for Voting Rights That History Almost Forgot"

Can you think of a well-known Chinese American Christian besides Francis Chan and Jeremy Lin? I sure can't, not immediately at least, let alone try to think of a well-known, influential Asian American Christian. In addition, can you think of a well-known Asian Christian, that is Christians from the Asian continent? That's a hard one for me as well.

If you can't, that is totally understandable. I think being part of the Evangelical movement in the U.S. has unfortunately blinded us from seeing influential Christians who are not white. I've posted about Eugene Cho, who is Korean American and is having a strong influence over Evangelicalism, which I welcome. Now, I want to introduce you to someone from the past who you probably never heard of before, but you definitely must: Mabel Ping-Hua Lee.

To say that Mabel Ping-Hua Lee was a titan and a remarkable woman is a massive understatement. Lee was a Chinese American women's suffrage advocate and a leader in her contemporary Baptist tradition. She was born on October 7, 1897 in Guangzhou, China, and was the daughter of a missionary pastor. When she was nine years old, Lee earned an academic scholarship that allowed her to relocate to the U.S. to attend school, and so her family emigrated to Chinatown in New York City in 1905.

Early on, Lee was involved in the feminist and women's suffrage movement, influenced by her father's religious convictions and New York City's liberal environment. She rode on horseback as a teenager in the campaign for women's suffrage in New York state. On May 4, 1912, at the age of sixteen, Lee led a parade in support of women's suffrage, which grew a large crowd of ten thousand people. In 1914, when she attended Barnard College, the women's college connected to, at that time, the all-male Columbia University, Lee wrote for The Chinese Students' Monthly about the importance and need of feminism, as well as her care for the reconstruction of China as it leaves the age of European colonialism.

In her article titled, "The Meaning of Woman Suffrage," Lee writes:

In furtherance of such a cause we students should take a leading part. To us girls especially, who are among the first to emerge, will fall the duties of pioneers and, if we do our share, ours will be the honor and the glory.

The welfare of China and possibly its very existence as an independent nation depends on rendering tardy justice to its womankind. For no nation can ever make real and lasting progress in civilization unless its women are following close to its men if not actually abreast with them.

Lee also gave speeches; here's an excerpt from her speech "China's Submerged Half":

Our [Chinese] statesmen for century back have felt the need for female education and must have wished for it. But what was the good of their mere wishing?

The missionaries came in their turn. They not only wished and prayed, but they labored. And it is largely due to their untiring efforts in the face of obstacles well-nigh insurmountable, that the present interest in women’s education owes its existence.

Now it is our turn. What are we going to do in answer to the call of duty?

In 1917, women finally won the right to vote in New York state, but Lee herself was unable to vote because of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which Barred Chinese immigrants from naturalizing; it's unclear if Lee was ever able to vote after the repeal of the Act or if she became a U.S. citizen.

Regarding her education, she majored in philosophy and history. and then later received a master's degree of educational administration at Barnard College. In 1917, she was admitted to Columbia University for a doctorate in economics . In 1921 or 1922, she received a PhD., becoming the first woman to do so from Columbia University. Her dissertation was on the economic history of China. With her PhD., Lee hoped to help her people in China in its reconstruction process; however, many factors ranging from the May Thirtieth Movement to the death of her father pushed her to remain in the U.S.

After the death of her father in 1924, Lee took over his role as head of the Baptist mission in Chinatown at the age of 28. Although she expected for this to be a temporary position, it turned into her lifelong work. Lee raised funds from the American Baptist Home Mission Society and local Chinese American organizations to created a Chinese Christian Center in memory of her father. It came into fruition in 1926 when she purchased a building in Chinatown. The center provided support for the Chinese community -- who were often marginalized and oppressed in American society -- with many services such as English classes, medical clinic, vocational workshops, and a kindergarten.

Lee was able to solely secure the property under the First Chinese Baptist Church in 1954, becoming fully independent. She believed that it was important for Chinese Christians to gain independence from the larger white-led Baptist mission, as she believed that this will allow the Chinese community to be more fully independent regardless of the larger society's marginalization of non-whites. In addition, she believed that it was important that a Chinese Christianity is to be formed, and not to follow the typical Euro-American Protestantism.

Lee never married and maintained financial independence, which was rare during her lifetime. She continued to dedicate her life and work to Christ and the Chinatown community until her death in 1966 at the age of 70.

The First Chinese Baptist Church is still operational and continues to offer social services started by Lee and continues to follow in her footsteps of advocating for civil rights.

This is the amazing life and work of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee. Fully Chinese, fully woman, and fully Christian. She selflessly labored to ensure women's suffrage, support the Chinese American community and bringing the Kingdom of God here. For that, I personally admire and salute her.

May she receive glory in the Age to Come.

References:

• Alexander, K. L. (2020). Mabel Ping-Hua Lee. National Women's History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mabel-ping-hua-lee

• Mabel Ping-Hua Lee. (2020, March 2). Wikipedia. Retrieved May 25, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabel_Ping-Hua_Lee

• Tseng, T. (2013, December 12). Asian American Legacy: Dr. Mabel Lee. Tim Tseng. https://timtseng.net/2013/12/12/asian-american-legacy-dr-mabel-lee/