05/21/2026
Join us this Sunday for Pentecost!
Do you remember Schoolhouse Rock? Growing up, Saturday mornings meant cartoons—most of which had about as much educational value as a bowl of sugary cereal.
Maybe that’s why ABC slipped in those clever little musical lessons between shows. Schoolhouse Rock taught me reading, writing, and arithmetic—but let’s be honest, the real hits were about American history.
Somehow, I learned the Preamble to the Constitution and how laws are made (and unmade) in Congress—all set to tunes that still got stuck in my head. Not bad for a subject that can feel a little… dry. Those songs gave me an appreciation for the balance of power in the great American experiment—proof that even civics can have a catchy chorus.
Long before animated bills sat on Capitol steps, the ancient Hebrews had their own way of celebrating the law. They marked its giving—specifically the Ten Commandments—during a harvest festival called Pentecost.
This feast took place 50 days after the second day of Passover (or, for Christians, 49 days after the resurrection of Jesus). It was a time of celebration, sacrifice, and learning.
The Law of Moses was studied and discussed, often alongside the book of Ruth—a reminder that true justice isn’t just written in laws, but lived out in generosity. It shows up in how we care for the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner among us—in other words, in how we love our neighbor as ourselves.
The people celebrated by eating bread from the wheat harvest, along with foods made from milk and honey—symbols of God’s provision, both in giving them the law and in leading them to a fruitful land.
Turns out, whether it’s set to music or written on stone tablets, the law has always been worth learning… and celebrating.
Happy Pentecost!