Homily for Pentecost, the Day of the Holy Trinity

Gospel Reading: John, reading 27 — chapter 7:37–52; chapter 8:12

Dear brothers and sisters,

I congratulate you on the great Christian feast of the Most Holy Trinity!

Today we render honor and glory to the Holy Divine Trinity — the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

“Glory to the Most Holy, Consubstantial, Life-giving, and Undivided Trinity!” — with this exclamation begins every Divine Service in the church, and today we joyfully repeat these great and sacred words.

It was on this day that the Son of God sent forth from the Father the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from Him, upon His disciples and apostles, granting unto them the grace to preach the Gospel in various tongues throughout the world. The Lord, sending forth the apostles to convert the whole world from the darkness of sin to the light of repentance and truth, commanded them to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost — thus bearing witness to the unity in essence of the three Divine Hypostases.

The Descent of the Holy Ghost was not unexpected for the Apostles. Even centuries before the birth of the Savior, the Lord God had begun to prepare mankind for this moment in the work of salvation through the mouths of the prophets: “And I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28). King David addresses the Holy Spirit, saying: “Thou shalt send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created: and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth” (Psalm 103:30).

Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, departing from His disciples before His ascension into heaven, said to them: “Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49), and “ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8).

The Lord fulfilled His promise. On this day, the Jews were celebrating the great Old Testament feast of Pentecost. This feast was observed on the fiftieth day after the Jewish Passover and commemorated the covenant made by God with the Hebrew people after their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Many Jews from various lands would gather in Jerusalem for this feast.

In preparation for receiving the Holy Ghost, the disciples of Christ, together with the Most Holy Virgin Mary and other faithful believers, were in Jerusalem, in the so-called Upper Room on Mount Zion, keeping vigil in prayer throughout the night.

Saint Gregory Palamas writes: “The disciples were gathered together and of one accord in the upper chamber of that holy place — and likewise in the upper chamber of their own souls, for each was inwardly attentive in spirit.” And behold, the morning came. It was the third hour of the day by Jewish reckoning — about nine o’clock in the morning by our measure. Suddenly, there came a sound from above the Upper Room, as if of a mighty rushing wind. This sound filled the house where the apostles were gathered. At the same time, there appeared above their heads tongues as of fire, which descended upon each of them.

These tongues, as the Apostle Luke says, were “as it were of fire” — that is, they were not of ordinary material substance, but were of a wondrous nature: they gave light, but did not burn. Even more marvelous were the spiritual gifts that these mysterious tongues bestowed upon the apostles. Each one upon whom a tongue descended felt within himself a great surge of spiritual power, and at the same time, extraordinary joy and inspiration, peace of soul, and fervent love for God.

Saint Gregory Palamas explains why the Holy Ghost appeared to the apostles in the form of tongues: “To show that the Holy Spirit is akin to the Word of God, for nothing is so closely related to the word as the tongue.” He further writes: “And why were they tongues of fire? Because our God is a consuming fire, burning away iniquity; and also because of the twofold effect of apostolic preaching — for it was given both to bestow grace and to punish. Just as fire is designed both to give light and to scorch, so also the word of teaching about Christ illumines those who listen, but hands over the stubborn and rebellious to fire and everlasting torment.”

The apostles began to express their inner transformation and newfound feelings in joyful exclamations to one another. They felt as though reborn, filled with new and mighty strength. Deep and lofty thoughts filled their minds, and a faith burning like flame blazed within their hearts. They recalled all that they had once heard from their Teacher, and their enkindled souls yearned to proclaim their fervent faith. They no longer feared the Jews, nor were they afraid of death — for the Holy Ghost had mystically made them, once timid and unlearned men, bold and resolute, ready to lay down their lives for the public proclamation of the word of their Teacher — Jesus Christ.

Meanwhile, the people, astonished at the wondrous event that had taken place, gathered at the house where the apostles were. Seeing the crowd assemble, the apostles came forth from the house, offering up prayers of praise and glorification to God. Hearing these joyful prayers, the assembled multitude was struck by the marvelous speech of the apostles, which pierced their hearts. And to their great astonishment, they noticed that each of them heard his own native language — though they had gathered from many different lands. They all turned to one another in amazement, unable to comprehend how these uneducated men could suddenly speak in foreign tongues. The people asked one another in wonder: “Are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born… we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God?” (Acts 2:8–11).

The teaching of Christ was destined to be proclaimed to all the nations of the earth. The gift of tongues bestowed upon the apostles broke down the barrier of linguistic division, and now the word of Christ could freely spread throughout the world.

Yet among the multitude there were also mockers — senseless men who, scoffing, claimed that the apostles were drunken with sweet new wine. With blasphemous cynicism, they laughed at the holy inspiration of the preachers.

Seeing the confusion among the people, the Apostle Peter stepped forth from among the apostles and delivered his first inspired sermon, beginning with these words: “Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy’” (Joel 2:28).

The Apostle explained that in this descent of the Holy Ghost the salvation of mankind was being fulfilled — and for this purpose Jesus Christ had suffered the Cross and risen from the dead. He concluded his sermon with these bold words: “Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know — Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death… This same Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

The sermon of the Apostle Peter was brief and simple — but because the Holy Spirit spoke through his mouth, these words pierced the hearts of the hearers. Many of them rushed toward Peter and the other apostles, crying out: “What must we do?” — “Repent,” answered the Apostle Peter, “and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.” And then, not only would they be forgiven, but they themselves would receive the grace of the Holy Ghost.

Many believed in Christ through the apostle’s word, immediately repented of their sins, and were baptized. By the evening of that day, the Church of Christ numbered about three thousand souls. Thus began, with a miraculous event, the creation of that grace-filled community of believers — the Holy Church — in which we are all called to labor for the salvation of our souls, and which, as the Lord promised, shall remain until the end of the world unconquered, and “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Thus, the feast of Pentecost, on which the Jewish people commemorated their deliverance from Egyptian bondage and the beginning of a free life, became for those who believed in Jesus Christ the liberation from the dominion of the devil and the beginning of a new grace-filled covenant with God — a covenant in which the faithful are guided not by a harsh law, but by the commandments of love, the spirit of freedom, and divine grace.

After the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles, the Upper Room on Mount Zion became the first Christian church, and the community of Christ’s disciples became the Universal Church, embracing her children in the unity of faith, love, and truth. The greatest fruit and miracle of the Holy Spirit was, without doubt, the spiritual love of the first Christians, which enabled them to endure persecution. Every Christian felt the constant care of the entire Church. There were no worldly distinctions or barriers; there were no strangers — all were close and dear to one another. Each one warmed his neighbor with the warmth of his own heart — a true example for us modern Christians.

From that day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, He has continually guided the Church — first directly, through His chosen vessels, through apostles, prophets, and holy teachers of the Church — and later, through the Scriptures they left behind. And in the Scriptures there is no less power than in the living word. For it is written in the Gospel: “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:31).

Dear brothers and sisters! Let us call upon the Holy Spirit with boldness, that we may become partakers of the Divine nature, that we may enter into communion with Him. This closeness to God is attained only through constant prayer, the keeping of God’s commandments, by fasting, repentance, and cleansing from every defilement of sin. Therefore, let us unceasingly cry out to the Holy Spirit:

O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life — come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One!

To our God be glory, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.