In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
“Let us celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Spirit” (from vespers)
The Holy Spirit was known to the ancient prophets. He spoke through them, as we say in the Creed: “I believe… in the Holy Spirit… Who spake by the prophets.” The Gospel says about St Simeon the God-bearer: “And the Holy Spirit was upon him” (Luke 2). St John the Baptist “was filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1)
But on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on all of mankind, regardless of man’s merits, only for the merit of faith in Jesus Christ and the Holy Baptism. It was predicted by the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh” (Joel 2)
On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles as tongues of fire, and He is communicated to mankind in the same manner as fire spreads from one object to another. As one candle communicates its fire to other candles, likewise the Holy Spirit was conveyed from the Apostles to their disciples, bishops and priests, through the laying on of hands and in this way, continuously, to all the faithful till the end of the world.
In the early Church the new Christians after baptism and laying on of the Apostle’s hands immediately received supernatural gifts, such as prophecy, speaking in new tongues, healing of illnesses.
This is what we read in the Acts of the Apostles:
“And it happened that… Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the One Who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all”. (Acts 19)
These supernatural gifts were present in the Church for about a century, and then gradually ceased. Not because God’s grace became weaker, but because no longer was there need in these visible signs. These signs were needed for the unbelieving; the visible signs which the faithful received in the mysteries confirmed the presence of the invisible gift of the Holy Spirit. But when the Christian faith was spread everywhere and became strong, these signs ceased.
“Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20) – the Lord says to Thomas”.
One can receive the Holy Spirit only through the church mysteries. All of us have received the gift of the Holy Spirit in the mysteries of Baptism and Chrismation, (which replaced the laying of bishop’s hands). The grace of the Holy Spirit given us is perfect, but it becomes manifest in us gradually, in proportion to our own effort in Christian life.
St Paul writes to Timothy, his disciple: “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim 1).
Now after liturgy we will serve the vespers with 3 kneeling prayers written by St Basil the Great. These exceptional prayers are read only once in a year. In them the Church intercedes for all, the living and the dead. For the living the Church asks the Lord for the grace of the Holy Spirit which strengthens us and supports; and for those who passed away, peace and ease.
Celebrating Pentecost, we pray that the gift of grace will be renewed in our hearts.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me”.
“Cast me not away from Thy face, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me”.
“Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and strengthen me with Thy Sovereign Spirit” (Ps 50).
Amen.
