HOLY AND GREAT FEAST OF PENTECOST – THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part II)

My beloved brothers and sisters in Our Lord, God, and Savior JESUS CHRIST,

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

HOLY AND GREAT FEAST OF PENTECOST – THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT {Part II)

Some erroneously hold that Pentecost is the "birthday of the Church." But THIS IS NOT TRUE, for the Teaching of the Holy Fathers is that THE CHURCH EXISTED BEFORE ALL OTHER THINGS. In the Second Vision of THE SHEPHERD OF HERMAS we read: "Now brethren, a revelation was made unit me in my sleep by a youth of exceeding fair form, who said to me, ‘Whom thinkest thou the aged woman, from whom thou receivedst the book, to be?’ I say, ‘The Sybil.’ ‘Thou art wrong,’ said he, ‘she is not.’ ‘Because,’ saith he, ‘SHE WAS CREATED BEFORE ALL THINGS; THEREFORE IS SHE AGED, AND FOR HER SAKE THE ‘WORLD WAS FRAMED.’" Saint Gregory the Theologian also speaks of "the Church of Christ…both before Christ and after Christ." Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus writes, "The Catholic Church, which EXISTS FROM THE AGES, IS REVEALED MOST CLEARLY IN THE INCARNATE ADVENT OF CHRIST." Saint John Damascene observes, "The Holy Apostles, Evangelists, and Martyrs who have been from the very beginning, to whom were added all the nations who believed with one accord." According to Saint Gregory the Theologian, "The Prophets ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH, the Apostles CONJOINED IT, and Angels, for the Angels came INTO EXISTENCE BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD, AND THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH. Saint Clement of Rome, say in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, the Church "WAS CREATED BEFORE THE SUN AND MOON;" and a little further on, "THE CHURCH EXISTETH NOT NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME, BUT HATH BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING." (2 Corinthians 14).

That which came to pass at Pentecost, then, WAS THE ORDINATION OF THE HOLY APOSTLES, THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE APOSTOLIC PREACHING TO THE NATIONS, AND THE INAUGURATION OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE NEW ISRAEL. Saint Cyril of Alexandria says that "OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HEREIN ORDAINED THE INSTRUCTORS AND TEACHERS OF THE WORLD AND THE STEWARDS OF HIS DIVINE MYSTERIES (SACRAMENTS)…showing together with the dignity of Apostleship, THE INCOMPARABLE GLORY OF THE AUTHORITY GIVEN THEM FORTH AS BOTH STEWARDS AND PRIESTS OF THE DIVINE ALTARS… THEY BECAME FIT TO INITIATE OTHERS THROUGH THE ENLIGHTENING GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT." Saint Gregory Palamas says, "Now therefore… the Holy Spirit DESCENDED…SHOWING THE DISCIPLES TO BE SUPERNAL LUMINARIES…AND THE DISTRIBUTED GRACE OF THE DIVINE SPIRIT CAME THROUGH THE ORDINATION OF THE APOSTLES UPON THEIR SUCCESSORS." And Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Jerusalem, writes, "AFTER THE VISITATION OF THE COMFORTER, THE APOSTLES BECAME HIGH PRIESTS." Therefore, together with THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH CAME UPON THEM WHO WERE PRESENT IN THE UPPER CHAMBER, WHICH THE LORD HAD FORETOLD AS RECORDED IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, "YE SHALL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT MANY DAY NENCE" (Acts 1:5), THE APOSTLES WERE ALSO APPOINTED AND RAISED TO THE HIGH PRIESTLY RANK, ACCORDING TO SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM. On this day COMMENCED THE CELEBRATION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST BY WHICH WE BECOME "PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE" (2 Peter 1:4). For before Pentecost, it is said of the Apostles and disciples ONLY THAT THEY ABODE IN "PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION" (Acts 1:14); IT IS ONLY AFTER THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT THEY PERSEVERED IN THE "BREAKING OF BREAD," –THAT IS, THE COMMUNION OF THE HOLY MYSTERIES– "AND IN PRAYER" (Acts 2:42).

The Feats of Holy Pentecost, therefore, DETERMINED THE BEGINNING OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF GRACE, NOT THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH. Henceforth, the Holy Apostles proclaimed the good things "IN COUNTRY AND TOWN," PREACHING AND BAPTIZING AND APPOINTING SHEPHERDS, IMPARTING THE PRIESTHOOD TO THEM WHOM THEY JUDGED WERE WORTHY TO MINISTER, as Saint Clement writes in his First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 42). (Resources: The Great Horologion)

Please note: As it is the Holy Tradition of the Church, on the day after every Great Feast, to honor those through whom it came to pass–our Lady on the day after the Lord’s Nativity, Joachim and Anna after our Lady’s Nativity, the Holy Baptism the day after Theophany, and so forth–ON THIS DAY WE HONOR OUR GOD THE ALL-HOLY SPIRIT, THE COMFORTER PROMISED BY OUR SAVIOR TO HIS DISCIPLES (John 214:16), WHO DESCENDED UPON THEM AT HOLY PENTECOST AND GUIDED THEM "INTO ALL TRUTH" (John 16:13), and through them, us.

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious and Life-Giving Descent of the Holy Spirit,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God,
+ Father George