Speaking in tongues - October 13

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:1-24; PM Psalm 12, 13, 14, Jer. 37:3-21; 1 Cor. 14:13-25; Matt. 10:24-33

I have been reading The Lord of the Rings. It has been on my shelf for years, and I have tried to get into it before, to no avail. Recently, I felt pulled to reopen the legendary work of J. R. R. Tolkien. Last night I was reading of Frodo and his buddies stopping over at the home of the heartwarming, poetic, mysterious Tom Bombadil. Tom is part spirit, part adventurer, part musician…and all heart. He creates a space of shelter and respite for the hobbits on their journey. He also weaves stories of present and past, tales of adventure and creation, spiked with music and poetry such that time stops moving and yet reels forward simultaneously. The messages he imparts bring Frodo and his hobbit companions into understanding of the darkness of their journey and yet instill the hopefulness that can be. As I listened, I wondered about what Tom Bombadil’s words must have sounded like? Was it as if he was speaking in tongues? It definitely sounded other-worldly.

As I ponder speaking in tongues, I am mystified by this means of communicating at a spiritual level with God. It is not a practice common in the Episcopal Church today, yet we read about this spiritual gift in the New Testament readings appointed for several days of this week. The apostle Paul instructs the people of Corinth about this form of deep and revelatory prayer.

If I am really honest, as I read these words, I first push back my own irritation with Paul’s at-times superior tone. Then, I feel riveted as I get pulled into the charismatic world of speaking in tongues when praying. And here is what stands out to me about this gift of speaking in tongues: the act of prophesy – speaking in tongues with interpretation included – builds up the church by sharing the holy messages with others. Faith can abound when exposed to such spiritual energy. Perhaps the church in Corinth needed this boost of energy from God. Paul advises the congregation that speaking in tongues ought not be their highest goal, for it can lead to a deepening of the dichotomy between those who understand and those who do not understand. Those who are believers are being called to compassion toward the unbelievers, so that the ways of worship invite even outsiders to see how God is present in that space.

Zooming out, and forward two thousand years, I wonder what of our worship today sounds like speaking in tongues…language that alienates those who are not yet believers. How can we be like Tom Bombadil from The Lord of the Rings, offering sweet melodies and inviting those who are vulnerable and lost? How can we bring others to Saint Stephen’s as a space of respite and refueling, so that their lives may be enlivened and enriched by the love of the Creator?

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection

Who is a storyteller who draws you in so that time feels as if it has stopped?

What practices have left you feeling excluded in a church setting? What has helped you feel engaged and welcome?

Daily Challenge

Revisit chapter 14 of 1 Corinthians. Read and pray through these words of guidance from Paul. Listen for how your prayer life can be deepened. Then, pray intentionally for someone outside of your immediate circle of family and friends.