Pentecost / Hieromartyr Timothy of Prusa / Acts 2.1-11; John 7.37-52, 8.12
F/S/HS. Brothers and sisters, over the course of this last week I’ve had two quite different experiences. One of these experiences has been our evening vespers services. The hymnody in these services, about our Lord’s Ascension and upcoming Pentecost, helped instill peace and solace in my heart. Come Holy Spirit, come, kept rising up in my heart during one of these services.
The other experience has been my conversations with several who are going through major health crises, some of these life-threatening. More about these health crises in a few minutes.
Pentecost: The Feast that celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit who is Christ’s presence dwelling in the church and in our hearts. Pentecost: Where we reintroduce the first-half of the Trisagion Prayers—O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth … and so on—back into our personal and corporate prayer life. Pentecost: Where we fall to our knees at the end of this service to do the Kneeling Prayers, the first time that we will kneel or prostrate since late in Holy Week.
I marvel at what that first Pentecost must have looked like?! In accord with the Old Testament practice of Pentecost falling 50 days after Passover—as a celebration of the first fruits of the harvest—50 days after Jesus’ crucifixion finds a large group of Christian believers gathered together in one assembly. Their unity is pleasing to God. Their oneness of mind and spirit creates an environment which attracts the Holy Spirit. Something ecstatic is about to happen!
A sound from heaven is heard by all, a rushing mighty wind blowing through and filling the home (Acts 2.2ff). Tongues as of fire appear, alighting on each person, thus fulfilling the prophecy of John the Baptist who said that Christ would baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Luke 3.16).
Everyone present is filled with this Holy Spirit. Christ had ascended from His Disciples a week and some earlier, ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of His Father. And now He has returned, as Holy Spirit. Everyone present that Pentecost day breaks into the language of their native tongue, praising God. Yet they all understand one another.
Can you imagine it dear ones, a mighty wind blowing amongst us this morning, some breaking into Spanish, some French, some German, some Gallic, some Slavonic or Greek, some an African language. Pick any language. And all of us understanding one another. An ecstatic moment indeed!
All because of the Holy Spirit amongst us, given at Pentecost. She, like a shy wild deer, says St. Symeon, only comes out into the open when she feels safe. She, the third member of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son … and now Holy Spirit.
This Holy Spirit appeared in different mysterious manifestations in the Old Testament. She appeared at our Lord’s baptism, descending as a heavenly dove. Three weeks ago, during Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well, He tells Photini about a living water, that if she drinks this living water she will never thirst again, because it will be a fountain springing up in her unto everlasting life (John 4.10ff).
This living water, our Church fathers and mothers say, is the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus to come to His Disciples following His death. I must leave you, He told His Disciples, so that the Helper will come, Who will guide you into all truth (John 16.7ff). She will be Christ’s presence guiding His church. She will be a source of conviction. She lives in you and in me as a Comforter, a Friend, One who consoles.
Dear ones, one of the best services that you can chant at your home altar are Akathists. Did you know that there is an Akathist to the Holy Spirit? It is titled Akathist Hymn to the All-Holy and Life-Creating Spirit.
From the opening Kontakion: Come Thou, O Comforter, Holy Spirit, and make Thine abode within us! From the opening Ikos: Come, O light of Truth and spiritual Joy. From Kontakion II: In the form of tongues of fire, amidst light and a rushing, stormy wind, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles. From Ikos II and Kontakion III: Come and enflame our cold and barren piety … Wherefore, everything that hath breath doth sing Thy praise: Alleluia!
Kontakion IV speaks of the Holy Spirit as One who wounds our hearts with celestial beauty. Wounds our hearts so that we may fall asleep in peace, our conscience clean (Ikos IV), so that we may gaze with joy upon the morning of eternity. Kontakion V: If any thirsteth, let him come to Me and drink. We beseech Thee, O Son of God, Quench Thou our thirst for the spiritual life, and grant us the water of life. Pour forth a stream of grace upon us from the Holy Spirit.
From Ikos VII: Come and still the cruel tempest of turmoil and vexation! And Kontakion VIII: Let the grace of Thy life-creating Spirit descend upon the unclean vessels of our souls and give birth to those who chant: Alleluia! And Ikos XI refers to the Holy Spirit as O good Comforter.
Sisters and brothers, there are times in life where we need an O good Comforter! Over the course of this last week, I experienced in spades the role that this O good Comforter can play in the lives of people afflicted with physical suffering, who believe in Jesus.
Fr. James Bernstein reposed this past Monday. For those who followed his final days, who attended the funeral, the Comforter comforted the souls of those who loved Fr. James. People were sad, but they were not bereft. The Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, filled their hearts with that peace that surpasses all understanding. This is what a Christian believes: That the very presence of Christ is with us—as Holy Spirit, as Comforter.
On Thursday of this past week, I drove to Kadlec Hospital to visit a friend who is dying of cancer. Later that same day I visited another friend here in Walla Walla, also dying of cancer. Neither of them likely have long to live. Amidst their fears and worries, their Christian faith in the Comforter’s presence in their lives deeply moved me and aroused tears. Said one of these friends: Anytime Jesus wants to take me home, I’m ready, I’m at peace. I’ve never felt the presence of God’s Spirit more than I feel it now, though I am dying.
Our brother Samuel, recently home from treatment for his own cancer. Talk to Samuel and you will hear his gratitude, his conviction about the Holy Spirit’s healing presence in his life.
Then our sister in Christ, Yanel, went in for brain surgery this past Thursday morning. Once out of surgery, I could sense in the texts and emails that started circulating the presence of the Comforter who was filling the hearts of those who love Yanel with peace and gratitude for what appeared to be a successful surgery. Glory to God appeared on my phone from one of you. And the root of this proclamation: The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, Who abides with us, Who lives within us.
And so I conclude with the Prayer to the All-holy Spirit, at the end of the Akathist, a prayer of gratitude to God for the gift of our Lord’s Spirit given to all of us on this day that we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost: O Holy Spirit, Who fillest the whole universe with Thyself and givest life unto all, and Who withdrawest from defiled men, I humbly entreat Thee: Disdain not the impurity of my soul, but come and make Thine abode within me, and cleanse me of all the defilement of sin; that with Thy help I may live out the remaining time of my life in repentance and the doing of good works, and thus may glorify Thee with the Father and the Son, unto ages of ages. Amen. F/S/HS
