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Reflection of the Week – 19 May 2026

Into our world of noise, the story of Pentecost speaks.

Posted May 19, 2026 in Faith

A Pentecost reflection

by Clive Conway

“And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.” (Acts 2:6)

We live in an age of unprecedented noise – the drums of war beat across multiple continents; politicians batter truth into three-second soundbites designed to inflame and polarise rather than illuminate or unite; algorithms reward outrage; misinformation spreads faster than any correction can follow. And in the middle of all of it, ordinary people, increasingly unable to tell truth from fabrication, struggle to hear anything that actually matters.

Into our world of noise, the story of Pentecost speaks. Of course, it tells of great noise and brouhaha of its own; of “a sound like the rush of a violent wind” and “tongues of fire”. But what is most startling is not merely the din, wind and fire, but what follows – that the crowd, drawn from every nation under heaven, each heard the disciples in their own language. Despite the noise of voices, wind and fire, something pretty radical was happening – a communication that met people precisely where they were, in the language of their own hearts.

And herein lies the challenge Pentecost sets before us as Christians today: it is not enough to be right. It is not enough to have better arguments, more accurate information, or a more inclusive theology. The question the Pentecost story puts before us is, are we actually reaching people where they are? Are we speaking the language of the unemployed person who is fearful of immigration; of the young person who sees no future because he is overwhelmed by climate grief; of the First Nations person trying to hang on to culture; of the farmer watching seasons that no longer make sense; of the refugee and her children who are homeless and displaced; even of the wealthy industrialist profiting from our mineral reserves?

It’s no use trying to shout over the noise. Instead, we are challenged to smother that noise with God’s peace and compassion; to show respect even for those with whom we disagree, and connect with people through something that even AI can’t create: the quiet ring of truth spoken in love.