Today we remember the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the first disciples of Christ. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
The apostles received not only the gift of tongues but also other promised gifts: “In my name they will drive out demons; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Similar gifts were given to people before. Yesterday, for example, at Vespers we heard how God sent His Spirit upon the seventy men chosen by Moses. And when the Spirit of God rested on Elisha, he was able to part the waters of the Jordan, cleanse from leprosy, and even raise the dead. And the apostles themselves, even before Pentecost, drove out demons, could call down fire from heaven, and perform other miracles.
But on Pentecost, something great and unprecedented happened. On this day, the Holy Spirit descended not to accomplish any particular work of God’s providence. Yesterday at Matins, we heard the words that the Lord had never said to anyone before: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
And today He addresses all those to whom He sent His apostles: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.
When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the elders of Israel, it was to give the people wise judges. When the Spirit came upon the prophet Jonah, it was to turn the people of Nineveh away from their sin.
But on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out to establish on earth the beginning of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Therefore, He was poured out only on the disciples of Christ. On those who were together in one accord in one place under one roof in a single prayerful aspiration to God.
Thus, the Holy Spirit descended only on one single day, in one single place. On earth, one single source of living water was opened, called to quench the thirst of the entire universe.
Once, before Pentecost, the Apostle John asked: “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” The Lord then replied: “Do not stop him.”
But now the Holy Spirit is given only through those who received Him at Pentecost. It is given either through their prayers, or during their preaching, as with Cornelius the centurion, or immediately after baptism.
Why is there only one such source? Because God is one, and the way to Him can only be one, so that the thirsty know where to go, so that those who have can give in simplicity of heart, and those who do not have can receive without doubt.
And when the successor of the apostles, a bishop or priest, anointed us after baptism with holy chrism with the words: “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit,” we received the same grace as the apostles.
It is in us, this seed, full of life-giving power; it will sprout and bear the fruits of the Spirit, just as in the apostles, if only we labor to make the soil of our soul not as cold and dry as it is.
Think about what a treasure we carry within us, and what a terrible responsibility lies upon us if the One who sowed comes and sees it neglected amidst all kinds of uncleanness. Think about what a terrible disaster it will be if the Holy Spirit with His heavenly gifts remains by Himself, and we remain by ourselves with our passions, with our vanity, if earthly life passes by, and the heavenly one never begins.
Heavenly King, cleanse us from all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One. Amen.
.
Митрополит Антоній Сурожський
LEAVE A REPLY