HOLY PENTECOST: THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part III)

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

HOLY PENTECOST: THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part III)

"… And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the
Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father;
Who with the Father and the Son together
is worshipped and glorified; Who spoke by
the Prophets…" (Creed)

The MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A STRONG WIND is significant, because it shows that the Holy Spirit conquers all things, passes over the walls of the evil one, demolishes the cities and every fortification of the enemy. At the same time He humbles the proud, lifts up the humble of heart, puts together what is badly damaged, breaks the bonds of errors and releases what is confined (Saint Gregory Palamas). By the power of the Holy Spirit MAN CAN BECOME A LIVING MEMBER OF THE CHURCH AND CONQUER ALL THE POWERS OF THE ENEMY, OVERCOME EVEN DEATH ITSELF.

The fact that Christ’s work and that of the Holy Spirit DO NOT DIFFER FROM EACH OTHER is also seen from the way which the Holy Spirit was manifested on the day of Pentecost. The Evangelist Luke, who is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles, writes: "Then there appeared to them forked tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:3-4).

Saint Gregory Palamas, analysing this fact, makes very theological observations, which we should point out here, because they show THE EQUALITY IN HONOR AND GLORY OF THE Holy Spirit and Christ.

First, the perceptible manifestation of the Holy Spirit came IN THE FORM OF TONGUES TO SHOW THE UNION WITH THE LOGOS/WORD OF GOD, BECAUSE NOTHING IS MORE CLOSELY RELATED TO THE WORD THAN THE TONGUE. So He showed by this that the Holy Spirit’s work does not differ from that of the Logos/Word of God. At the same time He is manifested perceptibly by the tongue in order to show that the teacher of truth needs a tongue favoured with grace.

The tongues in which the Holy Spirit was manifested were FIERY. This too has great significance. It shows the Holy Spirit and His CONSUBSTANTIALITY with the Father and the Son, for God IS A "CONSUMING FIRE." This manifestation indicates that the Holy Spirit HAS THE SAME NATURE AND ENERGY AS THE FATHER AND THE SON. Moreover, the tongues of fire also show THE DOUBLE MANNER OF ACTION OF THE HOLY APOSTLES’ PREACHING. Fire gives light and inflames. It is the same with Christ’s teaching: IT ILLUMINES THOSE WHO OBEY AND PUNISHES THOSE WHO DISOBEY. Of course this fire in which the Holy Spirit made His appearance was not created, but UNCREATED, so the Holy Evangelist did nto say "tongues of fire", but "TONGUES AS OF FIRE."

The tongues of fire were SEPARATED ON THE HEADS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES. This too has its own meaning, because it wants to show that only Christ has the whole divine power and energy, for He has the same nature as the Father and the Holy Spirit. The GRACE WHICH THE SAINTS RECEIVE IS NOT GOD’S NATURE, BUT HIS ENERGY, WHICH GIVES DIFFERENT GIFTS OF GRACE TO EACH ONE. No one else has the whole divine grace but Christ alone, Who has ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE GRACE OF GOD IN THE FLESH.

The fact that these tongues came to rest on the heads of the Holy Apostles MANIFESTS THE VALUE OF THE LORD, AS WELL AS THE UNITY OF THE Spirit of God. It is NOT a matter of created energy, but OF GOD’S UNCREATED ENERGY, and this is why it is presented as if seated, A SIGN OF ROYAL GLORY. At the same time, while the grace and energy of the Holy Spirit is separated it remains single. Actually the Holy Spirit is present and working "INSEPARABLY SEPARATED AND WHOLLY SHARED, LIKE THE SUN’S RAYS." That is to say that while all receive the sun’s ray, at the same time they also receive the sun’s energy undivided. When an Orthodox Christian receives Holy Communion, PARTAKING OF THE Sacred Body and Precious Blood of Christ, HE DOES NOT PARTAKE OF A PIECE OF THE Body of the Lord, BUT OF THE WHOLE Body of Christ. In the Divine Liturgy the priest says: "the Lamb of God, which is broken AND NOT DIVIDED, IS BROKEN AND SHARED…".

Therefore the energy of the Holy Spirit is also ENERGY OF THE LOGOS/WORD and the FATHER, it is energy of the TRIUNE GOD. Man’s SALVATION IS PARTICIPATION IN THE UNCREATED ENERGY OF THE HOLY TRINITY.

After promising to His Disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit, Christ gave a clear command: "stay in the city of Jerusalem UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN CLOTHED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH" [Luke 24:49]. The Holy Disciples kept this command and remained together in the Upper Room in Jerusalem IN STILLNESS AND PRAYER, WAITING FOR THE OUTPOURING OF THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Therefore the holy Evangelist Luke assures us: "And they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God" (Luke 24:53).

"…It is well known that with Holy Baptism, which IS REGARDED AS AN INTRODUCTORY MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) because IT INTRODUCES US INTO THE CHURCH AND WE BECOME MEMBERS OF THE Body of Christ, WE HAVE CLOTHED OURSELVES WITH HIMSELF: "FOR AS MANY OF YOU AS WERE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE PUT ON CHRIST" [Galatians 3:27).  But at the same time WE CLOTHE OURSELVES IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AS WELL, ACCORDING TO CHRIST'S EXPLICIT PROMISE.  Moreover, this is THE PURPOSE OF THE TWO MYSTERIES (SACRAMENTS) OF BAPTISM AND CHRISMATION, WHICH ARE INTERCONNECTED.