Today is the fiftieth day—Pentecost—when we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. In the Old Testament, today marked the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), celebrated a week of weeks (49 days) after the second day of Passover. This feast began as a harvest thanksgiving, but by the time of Jesus it also commemorated the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. At Sinai, God descended in fire and thunder, giving the Law on tablets of stone. Today, in the Upper Room, the Holy Spirit descends in fire again—this time upon the hearts of the Apostles—writing the new Law within them.
Our Gospel reading from John 7 takes place during a different feast: the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), when Israel recalled her journey through the wilderness and God’s provision of water from the rock. On the final day of that feast, the priests poured water at the Temple altar—which is why Christ’s says: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink... Out of his belly [meaning his inner being or heart] shall flow rivers of living water.” (Jn 7:37–38) St. John tells us: “He said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive.” (v. 39). So while the Gospel reading takes place at the Feast of Tabernacles, it points to Pentecost—when this living water would flow abundantly upon those disposed to receive it.
In the reading from Acts, the miracle occurs in the hearing of the Gospel: “Each one heard them speaking in his own language.” St. Gregory the Theologian beautifully explained that this was a reversal of the curse of Babel. He says, “[At Babel] tongues were divided through pride; here [at Pentecost], they are united through the Spirit.”
The Troparion for today helps us better understand the mission of Pentecost. We sing: “Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who have filled the fishermen with wisdom by sending down the Holy Spirit… and who through them have caught in your net the whole world...” By the power of the Spirit, the apostles became fishers of men, casting the net of the Gospel to every nation and tongue. Though many have rejected Christ and His Church, the goal remains: to catch the world—to bring all into the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
Yet, as we see in both the Gospel and Acts, the Spirit does not nullify our free will. Some are convicted and believe. Others reject the gift. Pentecost demands a human response. Will we receive the Spirit? Or will we remain satisfied with the world? To receive the Holy Spirit is to receive the grace which enables us to follow Christ in spirit and in Truth. The Holy Spirit is not given so that we can wield magic powers, but to sanctify our souls through the Gospel Way.
So today, let us invite the Holy Spirit—not as an ephemeral emotion or so called “spiritual experience”, but as the next step in our conversion, our communion with Christ, and our call to holiness through the life of the Church. The Holy Spirit is given to make saints out of sinners, temples out of fallen nature, and to lead us into the life of the age to come.
Oh, Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth …come and abide among us and in thy goodness, save our souls. Amen.
Why isn't the Theotokos in the featured icon?