Watching Zubin Mehta conduct an orchestra of world-class musicians on his 80th birthday or viewing Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers’ partnership of 229 runs at the IPL T-20 series are out-of-this-world experiences. Differences in culture, religion, language, style and temperament of these maestros notwithstanding, their synergy is awesome, incredible and heavenly! Sublime examples of unity in diversity.
Three days of this week celebrate unity in diversity: Pentecost Sunday (May 15), UN World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (May 21) and International Day for Biodiversity (May 22). While the first is a Christian feast, the second celebrates our humanity: united-in-diversity, and the third commemorates the differences that characterise our cosmic communion.
The word Pentecost (Greek, meaning “50th day”) was traditionally celebrated as the 50th day after the Jewish Passover feast. Christians celebrate it as the 50th day after Easter Sunday, when Christ rose from the dead and promised his disciples the “gift of the Spirit”. The Acts of the Apostles narrates the disciples’ experience when the Holy Spirit descended upon them in the form of tongues of fire. There’s a pun on the word glossa that can mean both, “tongue” and “language”. Animated by the Spirit-filled tongues, when the disciples begin preaching Jesus’ “good news” (gospel), their speech is understood by all peoples — each one in one’s own language.
Since Pentecost was also a harvest festival, the Bible speaks of “fruits of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are virtues that need to be cultivated to lead a spirited, happy, healthy and spiritual life. All the major religions propagate these values in one way or the other.
Celebrating “World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development” we could heed the UN’s exhortation to take concrete action to support diversity. Amidst the darkness of rising intolerance and forced homogenisation of cultures and creeds, we have the Spirit-gifted power to foster intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Fortunately, many people and organisations are uniting to initiate common ventures that will serve the common good.
Washing the feet of Muslims, Hindus and Christians last Maundy Thursday, March 24, 2016, Pope Francis said, “We are different, we have different cultures and religions, but we are brothers and sisters and we want to live in peace.” Leaders like the Dalai Lama, and other world religionists too, zealously promote universal oneness-in-diversity.
Ultimately, humankind’s oneness in diversity is part of a larger cosmic harmony where everything and everyone is intimately interconnected. Biodiversity and ecosystems must not only be protected but also promoted so as to bequeath to our children and their children a beautiful mother earth. Today, let’s pledge to live as one: delighting in our differences, and always united in spirit and in truth.
Francis Gonsalves is a professor of theology. He can be contacted at fragons@gmail.com
