Feast focuses on a renewal

Fifty days after our Lord’s glorious Resurrection from death to life, the Feast of Pentecost is celebrated in all Orthodox churches and by other Christian denominations.

Pentecost represents a renewal of life. Green vestments and foliage and branches of trees will decorate our churches symbolically reminding us of this. Some writers refer to Pentecost as the “birthday of the church,” as we place great emphasis on the correlation between Pentecost and new beginnings.

Christ gave the Apostles the challenge of laying the foundation for his church. They completed their task well, but we must remember that it was only a foundation that they built.

The Apostles left the responsibility for the growth and development of the holy church to us. Empowered by the Lord, they bequeathed to all generations of Christians to follow in the great testimony of faith that they left. They also gave this bold summons to action given by the Lord himself: “Go ... teach ... baptize.”

If we are to be obedient to this divine command, like the Apostles on that first Pentecost, we must open our hearts and minds and be receptive to the “descent,” power and operation of the Holy Spirit.

At the beginning of the Pentecost liturgy, the Orthodox priest calls upon the Holy Spirit in the following prayer.

“O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, which are in all places and fillest all things, the treasurer of blessings, and giver of life, come and abide in us. Cleanse us from all impurity and of your goodness save our souls.”

What we are asking for is the fervent plea of the Holy Spirit to bring life to our church. We ask that the spirit of all truth come and dwell in us as we commence any effort, any endeavor in the life of the church, whether in our routine daily lives or in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy which takes us to the heights of worship.

Without the spirit of God, we are nothing. On the day of Pentecost, the Apostles were transformed into something they had not been, just as we are capable of becoming. Just as the fiery tongues descended upon each of the Apostles to purify, refine and consecrate, the working of the Holy Spirit does the very same for us as we endeavor to do God’s will. This is truly the meaning of the Pentecost feast.

We are not orphans, for the Holy Spirit has come to take Christ’s place until He comes again on that great day. The results of Pentecost must propel us towards that goal. Not one of us can do anything holy or spiritual on our own; only the Holy Spirit can change us; only he can provide us with the spiritual comfort that allows us to turn to him as a treasury of blessings.

“O Holy Spirit, come an dwell within us, and save our souls, O Gracious One.”

Rev. Daniel Rohan is pastor of St. Mark Orthodox Church in Liberty.