Continued 👆🏽
On that day, three thousand souls believed and were baptized. Behold! The fire that once descended upon Sinai now burned in the hearts of men.
The Birth of the Church
This glorious day is rightly called the Birthday of the Church. The gathering that was once a hidden, fearful company became the living Body of Christ, filled with divine authority. The apostles themselves testified:
“At the third hour, Jesus Christ sent us the Paraclete. He filled us with power, and we spoke in new tongues. He is the Son of God, with authority to judge the living and the dead.” (Didymus 30:38–39)
And they commanded that this day should ever be celebrated, never with fasting or mourning, but with rejoicing and hymns of praise.
The Hymns and Worship of the Paraclete
The Holy Church, in her ancient liturgical wisdom, offers the Hymn of the Paraclete, composed by St. Jared:
“Let it be poured out.”
It is a hymn of resurrection, for the Spirit is the seal of Christ’s victory over death.
The readings and praises of this feast mirror those of the Resurrection, for it is the Spirit who makes Christ known, who unites us to His death and resurrection.
Not only do the faithful rejoice, but the angels of heaven and all creation glorify God: for the One who broke death has ascended and sent the Spirit, that mankind might be lifted from corruption to incorruption.
The Sundays After Pentecost
The Sundays following this Feast continue to echo its glory. The hymns chanted in the Church give thanks for the Resurrection, the Ascension, and the Descent of the Holy Spirit. They declare:
“Blessed be God, who has raised Christ, exalted Him, and poured out the Holy Spirit on His Church!”
The Call to All Who Hear
As those ancient Jews once asked, “What shall we do?”, so we too must ask:
Shall we remain unmoved by such grace? Shall we not also repent, believe, and be filled with the Spirit?
Let us not be among those who mocked, but among those who received, believed, and bore fruit.
Final Reflection
This feast, dear brothers and sisters, is not a tale of the past. It is ever present, for the Holy Spirit still descends upon those who wait in faith and prayer. The fire still burns; the tongues still speak; the Church still lives. Let us, therefore, honor the Feast of the Paraclete, not only with outward celebration, but with inner renewal, prayer, unity, repentance, and a hunger for the Spirit of Truth.
May the name of the Holy God be praised forever and ever in every tongue that He has created, today and always.
May the blessings of God's mother, the virgin, and the cross be upon us.
Amen.
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