Our Sermons
24 May 2026
Feast of Pentecost
What is Tradition?
Last Wednesday I went with my family to Chiswick Cinema. A good friend of mine, Andrea Carnevali, runs a very interesting cinema club there every Wednesday. This week we watched Dead Poets Society.
Set in 1959 at the fictional Welton Academy, the film follows English teacher John Keating (Robin Williams), whose unconventional methods inspire his students to think independently and to embrace their passions. Many of you will remember the famous lines:“Carpe diem—seize the day”, or“O Captain! My Captain!” It is truly a beautiful and moving story.
At the end of each screening, Andrea usually offers some insightful reflections on the film—its direction, its meaning, and how the language of cinema conveys deeper messages. This time, what captured my attention most was the theme of “Tradition”, one of the four pillars of Welton Academy.
Andrea pointed out how the director uses the camera to emphasise the rigidity of the school—almost like a prison—contrasting it with the freedom and creativity that Professor Keating brings. Whenever the institution is shown, the camera is fixed and still. But when Keating is teaching, the camera moves—alive, dynamic, free.
Fascinating… and worth watching again.
But more importantly, it raised a deeper question:
What is Tradition? And what does it have to do with Pentecost?
The word tradition comes from the Latin tradere, meaning “to hand over.”
Tradition, then, is about handing on—passing from one generation to the next the beliefs, values, and practices we have received. These are expressed in words, rituals, music, and symbols. This is true for the Church, but also for many human institutions.
The problem arises when institutions become rigid, forgetting the original meaning of their traditions. They begin to pass on empty forms—rituals disconnected from real life.
This is exactly what we see in Dead Poets Society: a system unable to respond to change, unable to listen to a new generation.
Pentecost: A Living Tradition
What does this have to do with Pentecost?
Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and is often described as the birth of the Church.
We heard the story in the Acts of the Apostles:
The disciples, fearful and uncertain after Jesus’ departure, are suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit. There is wind, there is fire, and something extraordinary happens—they begin to speak in different languages.
But here is the key:
each person hears the message in their own language.
Pentecost is not about uniformity.
It is about unity through diversity.
Some even thought they were drunk! But the disciples insisted: this is not confusion—it is the Spirit of God.
This moment is often seen as the reversal of Babel: where language once divided humanity, now it becomes a bridge.
The Holy Spirit acts like a divine translator—communicating God’s love in ways that each culture can understand.
Tradition vs. Rigidity
Here is the important point:
Rigid tradition creates walls
Living tradition builds bridges
When tradition becomes rigid, it stops speaking to people. It becomes like Babel: we no longer understand one another.
But Pentecost shows us something different:
A Tradition that is alive, creative, and responsive—without losing its essence.
A Powerful Image
One of my professors once gave a beautiful definition:
Imagine a house on fire.
The conservative tries to save everything.
The traditionalist saves what is essential—what allows continuity with the past while still being useful for the future.
That is true Tradition:
Not preserving everything but preserving what truly matters.
The Role of the Holy Spirit
Pentecost reminds us that Tradition must always be renewed by the Spirit.
The Spirit is not static.
In the Bible, the Spirit (Ruah) is the breath of God, hovering over creation, bringing life and renewal.
So how do we know when tradition is alive?
When:
there is creativity
there is understanding
there is connection with the next generation
When we can still “hand on” the faith in a meaningful way.
In “Invictus”, that amazing film about Nelson Mandela, there is a key scene when Nelson Mandela receives Francoise Pinar, Captain of the Spring bocks the South African Rugby team. He asks him: “How do you inspire your team to do their best?”. And he replies: “By example”. And Mandela says: “That’s right, but how do you get them to be better to what they think they can be? Inspiration. How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing less will do?”...and ends saying to him: “We need inspiration because in order to build our nation we must all exceed our own expectations”.
This is what the Holy Spirit does.
The Spirit inspires us, guides us, and helps us to exceed our own expectations—just as it did at Pentecost.
So, what is Tradition?
Not simply repeating the past.
But handing on living faith—faith that speaks, adapts, and inspires.
Pentecost teaches us that a true Tradition:
remains faithful to its roots
yet is always open to renewal
It is not about rigidity, but about life.
Because: “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God… the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” (Romans 8:14–15)