Photo: lavra.ru In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen!
The Feast of Holy Pentecost is celebrated each year on the fiftieth day after the Holy Feast of Pascha and ten days after the Feast of the Ascension of Christ. Pentecost is an enormous triumph, the birthday of the Church, the Orthodox Church, the ark of our salvation, and perhaps we could say that it is the day of our spiritual birth. It is a remembrance of our birth into the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) for us, when the priest Baptized or Chrismated us with Holy Chrism and said, “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit”. Pentecost has happened to us. The Great Feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit is celebrated together with the full revelation of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The fullness of the Godhead is revealed when the Holy Spirit comes to humanity, marking this manifestation as the ultimate act of God’s self-disclosure and self-giving to His created world. For this reason, in the Orthodox Christian tradition, Pentecost Sunday is also called Holy Trinity Day. Our temple is dedicated to Life-Giving Holy Trinity from its Anglican times and till becoming an Orthodox Christian under the omophorion of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). Life-Giving Holy Trinity Orthodox Church and Orthodox Church of India (Moscow Patriarchate) has completed twelve years since its birth under the omophorion of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).
The Jewish Feast of Pentecost, celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Passover as the commemoration of the Exodus of the Israelites from captivity and slavery in Egypt, is a celebration of God’s gift of the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). In the New Covenant of Christ, the Passover Feast takes new meaning, the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection, the Passing over from death to life and from earth to heaven, the exodus of God’s People from this sinful world to the eternal Kingdom. Jesus Christ said to His disciples, Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter [that is, the Holy Spirit] will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7, 13). The Jewish Feast of Pentecost was a great pilgrimage feast; many people from throughout the Roman Empire were gathered in Jerusalem on this day. The New Testament Pentecost is also fulfilled and made a new day by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ. When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed as resting upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–4). When the people in Jerusalem heard the sound, they came together and heard their own languages being spoken by the Apostles (Acts 2:5–6) The people were amazed, knowing that some of those speaking were Galileans, and not men who would normally speak many different languages. They wondered what this meant, and some even thought the Apostles were drunk (Acts 2:7–13). Please, don’t be confused with the Pentecostal church, one of the Protestant churches that claims to possess the very Spirit of Pentecost by an emphasis on the experience of speaking in an unknown language (glossolalia), they typically use words like Raba Khaba Shaba. But the Apostles spoke in was local languages to be understood by local people, and it was needed in that time of urgency. The purpose of the miracle was not to overcome any linguistic barriers to Peter’s preaching, but rather to reassure Peter in an extraordinary way that these uncircumcised Gentiles were just as much heirs to the promise of the Gospel as were the Jews and Samaritans who had believed. The Gentiles, too, could enter fully into the Pentecostal mystery without the justification of the Law. After all, the Spirit descended on the Apostles themselves, not the people. But locals in Jerusalem mocked the miracle instead of glorifying the power of God. They thought the Apostles were drunk.
Here, I would like to share with you my experience of a miracle that happened to me two days ago. When I was leaving for home after a long day at the office, I discovered that the rear tire of my motorcycle was punctured. I felt very sad because, after working all day, I had hoped to go home early, but now this problem had arisen. My office is far from home, and night was approaching. Just then, I remembered that there was a shop nearby that repaired tire punctures. I thanked God and said that it is because of your grace that the shop is very close; otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do. Then, pushing the motorcycle, I reached that shop, I was disappointed to find it closed. Anger began to rise within me. Continuing to push my motorcycle, I came upon another shop and asked if he repaired motorcycle tire punctures. He replied, “Yes, I do. Why, what happened to your motorcycle?” I felt irritated by his weird question—what else could have happened if I am inquiring about a tire repair? After explaining my situation, he said, “No, we do not repair motorcycle tire punctures.” Frustrated, I moved on in search of another shop. At the second shop, I encountered the same conversation as at the first one, therefore, my anger was growing. I began asking passersby where I could find a shop that could help me. Most told me that I would have to push my motorcycle two to three kilometers, which felt impossible at that moment. Feeling angry and sad, I questioned God about why this was happening to me. Just then, I met a man who seemed a bit mentally unstable. I asked him for help, and he told me that there was actually a motorcycle tire puncture repair shop nearby. He informed me that I didn't need to travel two to three kilometers, and he kindly pointed out the shop. I went there, got the puncture repaired, and was finally able to ride home safely. Moral of the story: Those people who were considered sensible in the eyes of the world could not help me, but God sent a person who was considered mentally unstable in the eyes of the world to help me. God’s miracles work in every small thing; it is important for us to understand it, but the definition of miracles of worldly people is different—that is why people mock the miracle instead of glorifying the power of God.
Fr. Clement sent me a video in which it was shown that the life of a priest is exactly like a tht of a soldier. Just as a soldier wears his uniform, a priest wears his cassock in the same way. Just as a soldier picks up his gun to fight, similarly, the priest also picks up the cross of Lord Jesus Christ to fight the devil and his demons. Just as a soldier goes out of the door of his tent fully prepared, similarly, the Priest also goes out of the Royal Doors. In this way, the similarity between the priest and the soldier is shown. Just as soldiers fight to protect us, similarly a priest also fights against the devil and evil spirits to protect us. Just as a soldier fights a continuous hostile battle for our physical life and martyrs himself, similarly, a priest fights a continuous hostile battle for our spiritual life and martyrs himself. Therefore, we should never disappoint our priest; we should share in his joys and sorrows. He also needs encouragement, we should encourage him if he needs it, because he is bearing our responsibility before God.
Just as a priest fulfils his duty with full responsibility, it is our responsibility too, as laypeople, to serve and glorify our God. I am a promoter of business; I usually encourage people to do business. A businessperson or a merchant knows how to do business, how to trade, how to make a profit, how to minimize risk and loss, how to multiply business/trade/profit. Therefore, Orthodox Christian lay life should also be that of a businessperson or merchant who knows how to multiply his spiritual talent, because he received the Holy Spirit at his Orthodox Baptism or Chrismation. We are all human beings, we get tired, lazy, sometimes we don't feel like doing anything or praying. I can't blame anyone, because I am the laziest man in the world. However, whenever I have to pray, I feel lazy, but I don't back off; instead, I stop myself, overcome laziness, and force myself to pray so that laziness doesn't overpower me. When we come before God, we have to come like an empty glass. If a glass is already full, anything else is poured into it will overflow, and everything will fall down. Similarly, if our mind and heart are already full, then nothing will enter. Everything will overflow and fall down. Therefore, when we come before God, we have to come like an empty glass. We have to leave our ego outside the temple of God, so that it can be filled with God’s things, which are good and right in every aspect, which are beneficial to our life and soul.
God remembers everything. God remembers even the smallest thing we have done. If we have not prayed or helped anyone but swept His temple, God remembers that and has mercy on us. If we have not swept His temple but helped someone in the name of God, God remembers that and has mercy on us. If we have not done anything but prayed to God for someone, God remembers that and has mercy on us. He is the Merciful God. We should not concern ourselves with gifts of the Holy Spirit for their own sake, but we should focus on the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which God expects from us—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Gal. 5:22-23). If we have love and peace, we should spread it; if we have goodness, we should do all things good for others; if we have meekness and temperance, we should meek and temperate with everyone; if we know how to pray, we should prayer for those who need it; if we have a helping and encouraging nature, we should encourage and help those who need it. And today, I encourage you to do the things that I just told you. Because these fruits alone serve as a definitive testament to the presence of the Holy Spirit within our hearts and lives.
In confession, we confess many things to our spiritual father or priest, but we forget to confess, what is very important and primary: “I do not Love God.” Because if I Love God, I must follow His Commandments, and if I am not following them, it means I do not Love God—and this is the first and worst sin (John 14:15, 21, 23, 24). Second is that, “I do not believe in His word, Holy Scripture, Eternal Life or whatever God promised to us,” because if I did then I would be at peace, I would not have any kind of worry, I would have full faith in what God has told me this through the Holy Scriptures, it means it has been done for me or it has been given to me, and now there is reason to worry. But due to our lack of faith, we keep suffering, remain in worry, and pain. Today, the Great Feast of Pentecost calls us to leave everything, whether it be sin, bad things, etc., and to be born again and renew ourselves in the Holy Orthodox Church in the name of the Holy Trinity. Today is the birthday of our Holy Orthodox Church and Temple of the Life-Giving Holy Trinity Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of India). Today, we remember our birth in the Holy Russian Orthodox Church. Let us come together and be filled by the Holy Spirit in the Orthodox Church, so that we can Love our God wholeheartedly and follow His commandments, keep trust in His words, Holy Scripture, Eternal Life, or whatever He promised to us. God’s promise and benefit are so great that we cannot even comprehend it: for the Lord promised to send not an Angel, not a man, but the Holy Spirit Himself. The Holy Spirit comforts those who are weighed down by misfortune, prevents them from becoming exhausted in spirit, having the Holy Spirit as our Comforter, Invincible Power, and Great Defender—our God and co-fighter—we need not fear the enemy or be daunted by opposing forces. Instead, we can face our struggles with courage and resilience, engaging in the daily battles before us with unwavering determination. We remain vigilant against the deceptions of the serpent, refusing to be swayed by his relentless temptations.
It is crucial to recognize that sinful desires are not true pleasure or joy; rather, they are a perilous affliction, clouding our judgment and leading us into darkness. True fulfilment lies not in the fleeting allure of such desires, but in the light and clarity that comes from aligning ourselves with God’s will. We must have a passion for something; we must have a passion for our God, so that we may fulfil the will of our God. But we must not be possessed by anything so as not to act against the will of God. Let us flee from the things that enslave our souls—anger, envy, hatred, vanity, and self-will—so that we are not caught unprepared by death, which could distance us from God. Remember that separation from God is a very terrible thing; it is an eternal death. Those who fail to perform deeds that are pleasing to God face inevitable condemnation and punishment. No mortal can withstand the weight of such condemnation; even the mere thought of it, prior to experiencing the torments, is already a source of suffering. In order that we might escape the wrath of God, which comes upon the children of disobedience (Eph. 5:6), let us do good works, that the Lord may rejoice in His works (Ps. 103:33). Let us embark on a steadfast journey to please God, cleansing ourselves and renewing our spirits. Take courage, for The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon Him, to all that call on Him in truth (Ps. 144:19). Let us repent every day, and in doing so, God will forgive our sins, comfort us, and bestow upon us the gift of Eternal Life, which we may receive in Christ. Thus, we will glorify the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
