The Pentecost

by Fr. Mathai Varkey Puthukkunnathu

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”. St. John 14:26 

Jesus promised The Holy Spirit to his disciples who became desperate and confused after the horrifying crucifixion of their Master. Zechariah 13:7 "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the LORD Almighty. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.” This scattered folks are reinvigorated during the first appearance of Jesus to the disciples. “Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! 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 his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." John 20:21-23. The encouraging promise of Christ, reassured the strewn disciples to wait for the Day of Pentecost when they received the fullness of the Holy Spirit. 

As per the Old Testament tradition, the Festival of Pentecost was celebrated on the 50th day from the day of Passover. This was also a harvest festival lasted for 2 days either the end of the month of May or the first week in June. That is the reason why there were multitudes of people in Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples. “Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.” Acts:2:5.

The (invisible) presence of The Holy Spirit, One person in the Holy Trinity, the Godhead, was there in the Old Testament time too. Psalm 51:11. “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” Isaiah 63:11 “Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people— where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them,--.” “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.” Ezekiel:37:1. 

But the visible presence of the Holy Spirit is seen at the Baptism of the Son of God (in form of a Dove) and at the Day of Pentecost(in form of divided tongues); “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.” Acts 2:1-3. And the visible nature of the Holy Spirit is proclaimed by Peter during his witness to the multitudes of people on that day in Jerusalem, in the 33rd verse. “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.”

The Holy Syrian Orthodox Church believes and feels the presence of the Holy Spirit. The full and unwavering proclamation of the Holy Church with regard to the Holy Spirit is clearly portrayed in the readings of the Pentecost Liturgical Service. (Parakaleetha Ruha in Malayalam; parakletos in Greek and Ruho Kudesho Parakelletho in Syriac- This term, often translated as "Comforter," "Counselor," "Advocate," or "Helper," refers to a person who is called or summoned to aid one, especially in legal settings, where he serves as an advisor, or advocate for the accused.) We worship the Holy Spirit as the Sanctifier of Churches, the Perfector of all the Divine ministries, the Giver of Priesthood, the Fulfiller of Baptism, the Consecrator of Sacraments and the Absolver of sins. The Holy Spirit searches in the depths of thoughts, who declares hidden things, who proclaims things to come, and who performs marvelous miracles. The Holy Spirit, who is the receiver and not the giver, (meaning, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, but does not give to the Father)The Perfector and not needing to be perfected; Who declares but cannot Himself be expressed in words, the Sanctifier who needs no sanctification, the Deifying, who has no need to be deified. The everlasting Holy Spirit is not less in age than the Father, at the same time not younger than the Son. The Spirit has neither beginning nor end, and is neither precedent to the Father nor more ancient than the Son. (Ma’De’Dono- Aanduthaksa. The Book of Church Festivals by the Late Lamented H.E. Mor Athanasisus Yeshue Samuel)

How do we understand the Holy Trinity and the Holy Parakleetho, is inevitably the cornerstone of the True Faith of the Holy Church. Gregory of Nyssa explains the nature of the Holy Spirit in his work Against Eunomius 1 [A.D. 382]; “[The] Father conveys the notion of unoriginate, unbegotten, and Father always; the only-begotten Son is understood along with the Father, coming from him but inseparably joined to him. Through the Son and with the Father, immediately and before any vague and unfounded concept interposes between them, the Holy Spirit is also perceived conjointly. 

The established teachings of Origen proves this further; “We believe, however, that there are three persons: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; and we believe none to be unbegotten except the Father. We admit, as more pious and true, that all things were produced through the Word and that the Holy Spirit is the most excellent and the first in order of all that was produced by the Father through Christ (Commentaries on John 2:6 [A.D. 229]).” 

One who receives the Holy Spirit shows the fruits in the rest of his/her life. St. Paul urges us to live a life, reflecting the fruits of the Holy Spirit. “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:16-21. 

The followers of Christ Jesus and those who walk in the Holy Spirit would show the following qualities such as “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Galatians 5:22-27.

As we celebrate the great Feast of Pentecost, let us examine ourselves to ascertain where we stand in our relation to God who sent us the Holy Spirit and our current position with regard to the Fruits of The Holy Spirit. Wishing you all a Blessed Pentecost.