Pentecost / Trinity Sunday (Κυριακή της Πεντηκοστής)

We celebrate Pentecost and the coming of the Spirit, the appointed time of the promise and the fulfilment of hope. How great is the Mystery? Great indeed and revered! And so we cry out to you: Creator of all, Lord, glory to you!  (1st Hymn of Vespers)

The feastday of Holy Pentecost is the high point of the Penticostarion period. This feastday is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and is called the “Birthday of the Church”, because of the events that took place. The hymnographer tells us very eloquently what happened that day: Marvellous things all the nations saw today in the city of David, when the Holy Spirit came down in tongues of fire, as Luke, God’s mouthpiece, declared. For he said: When Christ’s Disciples were assembled, there came a sound as of a mighty wind, and filled the whole house where they were sitting; and all began to speak with strange words, strange doctrines, strange teachings of the Holy Trinity. (1st Hymn of Lauds)

The Apostles were blessed by the Holy Spirit that day and were able to speak different languages, even though some of them had never even been to school! St. Peter the Apostle preached that day in front of everyone, putting to rest the comments of some that day that the Apostles were merely “drunk.” He told them that Jesus was the One to come and save us all from our sins and that they should “repent and be baptized”. That day, about 3000 people became Christians. Ever since, the Gospel had been preached to billions of people, and the Eternal Truth of Jesus Christ lives in the Church.

 For the Church, this is the day she started Her ministry. It is our duty to also continue this ministry with everyone we know. People who were against the Church found themselves being Her greatest ambassadors (such as St. Paul the Apostle). We can show the Church’s love by a simple smile, a “hello” to someone we see that needs that ‘hello’, to sharing the Truth of Jesus Christ with those that might have not met Him yet. Let us continue the work of the Apostles and know that Jesus “will be with (us) always, even until the end of the age. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20)

OT Readings: Numbers 11:16-17, 24-29; Joel 2:23-32; Ezekiel 36:24-28.

Epistle: Acts 2:1-11

Gospel: John 7:37-52, 8:12

Monday of the Holy Spirit (Δευτέρα του Αγίου Πνεύματος)

The Vespers service of Pentecost (in some Churches, this service is done immediately after the Divine Liturgy) is called the “Vespers of the Kneeling” (Ο Εσπερινός της Γονυκλισίας). During this Vespers, the faithful kneel three times and pray for the Holy Spirit to illumine them and guide them as the period of the Penticostarion comes to a close.

Both this Vespers and the next day is dedicated to the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit came as “tongues of fire” upon the heads of the Apostles on Pentecost and illumined them for their ministry. We know that the Holy Spirit is “the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets.” We know that the Holy Spirit is the “Comforter”, who guides us in our lives.

We are also illumined and comforted by the Holy Spirit at our baptism and chrismation, and continue to accept this illumination throughout our lives if we choose to accept it. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit may illumine our lives.

Please note: This week is a fast-free week (no fasting on Wednesday or Friday, and we still receive Holy Communion on Sunday if we are prepared).

Epistle: Acts 6:1-7

Gospel: Mark 15:43-16:8