Spitual topics

Life Book 2011 39 common sense tips to make Life more fulfilling and stress-free.

Put the Glass Down and See the Difference The problems and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. But think about it a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.

Pay It Forward As I walked to my car just amazed at God's love that had just been shown. I cried when I told my husband because I just felt right there, right then, in a world where there is so much going bad, I witnessed God's love.

The value of friendship: Priceless Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person’s life. God puts us all in each other’s lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.

The Second Chance Wont Come... Life might not give you a second chance. So never waste a moment when you can make up for your deeds.

The Daffodil Principle The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principle of celebration: learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time - often just one baby-step at a time - learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time.

Don't Let Life Get in The Way of Your Life We all have our forts destroyed at some time in our lives. Many of those forts aren't all that big or strong. Some, like mine, don't fall so easily. But, when they do, we need a plan to rebuild.

Have Faith and Move Forward They tell me all the time "sometimes when things pass you by, it's because there is something better waiting for you in the wings, You need to have faith and move forward", so that's what I did. I had faith and I moved forward.

Glass of Milk The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again, at least you will have made the world a better place - And, after all, isn't that what life is all about?

The Prince of Screw Ups The heroes of the Bible were screw ups too. Imagine if you will a television announcer making the introductions of the great Bible heroes.

What do you fear? Fear can be debilitating. Fear cripples many, limits abilities to enjoy even the simplest things in life and in some cases stops people from having medical procedures that could prevent major health issues.

10 Rules for a Happy Day and Happy New Year

What Goes Around, Comes Around This is a true story that had happened in 1892 at Stanford University. Its moral is still relevant today.

Pencil and Eraser I found this conversation between the pencil and the eraser very inspirational.

God's Love We are living in a time where the love of many are going cold. Due to lack of love many problems are happening in family, in society and even in churches. It may be easy to love our own family or our own church members. But to love others it may be difficult.

White Envelopes It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.

It Must Be Raining The news reporter was telling the story of one of many food banks in our area that were serving those in need of the basics for the holidays. Throughout the holidays we see such reports over and over, unlike the other 11 months when the same people are hungry, in need of clothing, basic services and a little help with life.

Why walk when you can fly? Soar Beyond Your Fears

Ten Points of Prayer (by Parumala Thirumeni) Prayer helps education to enhance truth, virtuous life, faith, reverence and mutual respect.

Prayer and God's Help Prayer gives expression to our striving towards communion with God. This communion is the natural manifestation of our love for God and of God's love for us.

God's love is always available Fear arises from the absence of God's love in a person's life. Of course, God's love is always available to anyone who wishes to receive it. But many times, we ignore the hand that God lovingly holds out to comfort, encourage and guide us into his family circle.

Important Tips for Life Be yourself. Because whatever you are, YOU are the best.

The Sacrifice of...Fools! 1 Samuel 15:22 tells us that, "to obey is better than sacrifice." God Himself reiterates this concept in Hosea 6:6 by saying, "I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice."

Sleeping While the Wind Blows When you're prepared -- spiritually, mentally, and physically -- you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?

God Used A Toothache... (Touching Story) The service was unbelievable. Mr. Scott shared the "untold" stories from Columbine, the stories he has dedicated every waking moment of the rest of his life to sharing. He talked at length about the 12 students, including his daughter Rachel, who left this world on April 20.

Me and God A Good Lesson for those who are on the verge of losing Hope and contemplating 'Quitting Life.'

I Believe ... The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything..

The Kingdom of God is Like...GRAVITY!

The Secret of Contentment

Some Good Quotes to Reflect on

Positive Thoughts This should probably be taped to your bathroom mirror so you can read it every day.

The Gossip A woman repeated a bit of gossip about a neighbor. Within a few days the whole community knew the story. The person it concerned was deeply hurt and offended.

On The Development of an Ever-Widening Fruitful Perspective A tree is known by its fruits, as Christ said. As the tree springs forth and grows taller & wider, its horizons widen and more and more people around it begin to notice it.

You Can't Do That Kyle is the adventurer of this decade and many more to come. He will amaze many with his extraordinary skill and make us all reflect on the things we never attempted, because we were told, "You can't do that!"

A Story to Live By "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."

A Good and Comforting Read

Respecting Everyone God uses ordinary people to carry out His extraordinary plan. So, don't dismiss anyone as not important.

Identify The True Spirituality Jesus and his disciples, during their life time, healed many sick people. But they never had the attitude put out by today’s so called ministry healers.

Calling God Father Lord's prayer begins with 'Our Father.' We must consider two things here: 1) in what sense God is our Father, and 2) what we owe Him because He is our Father.

Sanctifying Ourselves We are the body of Christ. Let us sanctify ourselves.

Charismatic Influence in Orthodox Church The Pentecostal and all other churches are doing some missionary works in converting some people to Christianity by employing various means, including false propaganda of miracles, charismatic healing and bribing and through several unchristian methods.

Cursed under law Blessed in JESUS Have we ever seen how Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law? Have we ever seen the King in His beauty through a faiths view of our Saviour allowing our curse of the broken law to be placed upon His head?

Afflicted for good Every trial that Moses had just been through was of the goodness of God. The goodness of God is where Moses saw His glory.

Holy Fear We accept the inspired Book as infallible and prove our esteem by our obedience. We have no terror of the Word, but we have a filial awe of it.

The Empty Box There will come a time when each of us will be asked by our Father to share what we value most.

God's service Three choice blessings will be ours in the glory-land.

Triune Progress Orthodox spirituality has as its goal the deification of man and his union with God, without being merged with Him.

The Most Rewarding Virtue We have to respect people who are less talented and versatile than we are. They too are God's children. It is not their fault that they do not have great talents. God gives different talents to His children so that all can work together in harmony for the common good.

The Most Powerful Effective Spiritual Work Christ call upon us to pray before God. He persists in asking us to pray and not lose heart, to pray with persistence and passion. This call points to the source from which we receive the power for conversion, renewal, and growth.

Ten Point Program - Translating Orthodox Christian Ideals Into Daily Life By living the Orthodox Life you put Christ's commandments and way of life deep into...

A Power That Changes Lives The world now thirsts to see living faith in the person of Jesus Christ; not simply to hear about it, but to live it. So many books tell about Christ; so many preachers speak about Christ; but so few people live and speak WITH Christ.

Faith - an Illustration What is faith and how is it different from science?

Idols I wonder if there are idols in life that are not so obvious? If a person gives all of their attention to something, works at improving their connection to it and trusts that something to make their life worthwhile; is that an act of worship?

Having a Bad Day I really hate that and when I see the ugliness in me, I want to cry because I couldn't or didn't stop it.

Theosis From The East by St Ephrem the Syrian Divinity flew down to draw humanity up. For the Son had made beautiful the deformities of the servant and so he has become a god, just as he desired.

I am the light of the world Light from Sun is same. But same light that makes plants grow, hardens clay. The response is completely different. Likewise, blessings are.

What makes a Saint? A true Christian must encourage the people to come nearer to the LORD, and not to the Saints. Yes, we must respect the Saints because God has established them as his holy people and we must also respect the relics of Saints because these are `anointed by the SPIRIT' too.

The Second Coming of Christ As Christians, we look forward to the return of Christ – the Second Coming. It will be a time of blessing for believers but also a time of upheaval and judgment for the wicked.

Some Thoughts on Prayer

Blessings & Difficulties In the world we live in today, it is very easy to get so incredibly caught up in all of the demands that culture places on us that we don't have any time to spend with God.

Can You Run and Hide from God? Lessons from Jonah and Ninevah.

Some Thoughts on the Book of Revelation

Faith is 'Taking God at His Word' 'Taking God at His word' is alien to the current Secular Humanistic way of thinking that doubts even the 'Virgin Birth' and the 'Resurrection'. Secular Humanism is part and parcel of God's plan for the 'end times'.

Who is God? Who Is Man?

Peace of God A Christian Perspective. In those stressful times when we feel like we just need a break, could it be that we are really looking for peace? What about when we awake in the middle of the night and can't sleep, what are our thoughts then? Isn't the cry of our heart really to find peace?

Give the Gift of Hope this Holiday Season During the holidays, it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of decorating, shopping and socializing. While all this activity is part of what makes the season special, it is important to take time to reflect on the larger meaning of the holidays -- caring and sharing.

The Heart of a Humble Parent When you make a decision that negatively affects your life or the lives of others, be the first to admit it. Admit your mistake and resolve to handle any resulting consequences of your actions.

Focus On The Joy It's the Holiday Season --A new year is just around the corner! You're already thinking about how you'd like next year to be a little different than the last, right? But instead of thinking of performance, and efficiency, and control, I'd like you to take this opportunity to think about how many things in your daily life do you do " just for the joy of it"?

Joy and Spirituality "A merry Heart does like good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones." Although this verse was written 3,000 years ago, it reflects knowledge discovered through fairly recent scientific investigations. Depressed people have weakened immune systems, and humor is good for your health.

Our God Is Awesome Amazing Story that illustrates that with God everything is possible.

Heaven and Hell: The Real Difference A man spoke with the Lord about heaven and hell.

Positive Attitude Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator.

What if You're God His words echo in my consciousness. Even now - nearly 20 years later. "You can learn something from every person you encounter in your life." These were the words spoken by my 9th grade Latin teacher. It's unclear why his words have stuck with me all these years.

Mrs. Thompson and Teddy An inspirational story of how a teacher learned that she could make a difference in her students. Teaching involves more than just teaching reading, writing and arithmetic.

It all depends on the way you look at things. If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude towards life, you've got everything! You can't buy any of these things. You can have all the material possessions, but if you are poor in spirit, you have nothing.

Parable Of The Pencil There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be. And the principles apply to our lives too.

Take Hold Of Every Moment "Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion". Those words changed my life.

A Child Can Make a Difference Everyone has dreams. It's just a matter of whether or not they're ever acted upon. Most children have big dreams there's no way they could materialize on their own. This is where you come in.

Catch of a Lifetime An 11-year old learns a valuable lesson while fishing: Ethics are simple matters of right and wrong. It is only the practice of ethics that is difficult.

It's What You've Got That Counts In order to experience the value of change in your life, you don't have to throw out everything you already have and start all over. That's not only intimidating, it's usually just not possible, and is much less practical. Here are some unique ways to use what you've got to help your life work FOR you instead of against you.

Compassion and Forgiveness By Dr. J. Mathew, Chief Editor, Holisticonline.com Recently, I read two stories that touched me greatly. They convinced me that, in spite of all the headline news about terrorism and evil in all parts of the world, there is some “good” left in ordinary people. I would like share these stories with you.

The Man Who Didn't Have Email A great story with a moral. According to the author, the moral of the story is, "1- Internet is not the solution to your life. 2- If you don't have internet, and work hard, you can be a millionaire." However, unfortunately, you may be closer to be an office boy in Microsoft than being a millionaire!

The Trouble Tree Don't take your troubles home. Hand them over to God and let Him tackle it.

In The Valleys I Grow Sometimes life seems hard to bear, Full of sorrow, trouble and woe It's then I have to remember That it's in the valleys I grow.

The Big Rocks If you sweat the little stuff, then you'll fill your life with little things you worry about that don't really matter, and you'll never have the real quality time you need to spend on the big, important stuff.

Lunch with God An inspirational story of how a little boy and an old lady learned a valuable lesson while looking for God. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring; all of which have the potential to turn a life around. Take no one for granted and embrace all equally with joy!

Thank you, God, for sending me a professional! A woman received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left work and stopped by the pharmacy for some medication for her daughter. When returning to her car, she found with dismay that she had locked her keys inside the car.

Letting Go - Simple tips to staying in balance An important part of becoming healthy and staying in balance is letting go of tension, stress and deeply buried or surface negative emotions such as anger, frustration, fear, hurt, pain and hate. I mentioned these so-called negative emotions because I have not yet found anyone who was ill or out of balance because he or she was living in or holding onto an abundance of joy and love. However, people are often ill because of the loss of joy and love from their lives; some have never known either of these emotions.

Changing Destinations ... Universal Detours for a Better Life I recently worked with several people who are in the lowest points in their lives. It seems that everywhere they turn and everything they do creates a new avalanche of loss. Some of these people were, at one time, wealthy individuals, but, because of changes around them, they suddenly lost everything. The others were living comfortable lives and it seemed like everything just stopped working for them. In all cases, they were slowly sinking into despair because they couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Open Letter from God A refreshing and inspiring reading when the whole world seems to be fighting for religious supremacy - to determine whose religion is the right one. Is there any need for fighting or arguing among us to see who is powerful, whose belief is right etc. Open Letter from God may help you to live a righteous life and put your priorities in the right place.

A Morning Wish The sun is just rising on the morning of another day. What can I wish that this day may bring me? A very inspiring, almost prayer-like reflection on our needs, wishes and priorities.

The Perfect Heart What makes a heart perfect is not by its shape or its condition. It depends on how it is used. A flawless heart does not make it perfect. To be perfect, you should share your love and accept love from others.

From Failure to Gratitude A great inspirational story. Read it when you think life had been cruel to you and when you are trying to dig out of difficulties faced in life. Even in the midst of great tribulation and hardship, there is much to be thankful for.

A Heavenly Vision I would like to share a spiritual experience with you that not only was very personal to me, but I believe it has value to every person's life. This occurred in a devastating moment of my life.

Your Greatness Begins With The Tiniest of Waves If you wait for "just the right moment" before you undertake any significant venture, you're likely going to be about where you are now -- still waiting. Why is that? Because as most anyone who has gone before you will tell you, there is rarely a "right time" to set out in search of one's destination.

A Beautiful Flower In A Broken Pot An inspirational, must read story. How a family learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.

What Goes Around Comes Around Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country. A story of unconditional love.

God is only One, but He has revealed Himself very distinctly as three persons, so that we mere creatures can come to a better understanding of Him, however we are unworthy to know God completely and He remains the greatest mystery of our faith.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is a fire of Divine Love that comes to touch us and refine us in an ardent desire to possess God. It gives us a passion for God, it destroys all the earthly affections because it opens our spiritual eyes to see how precious God is.

Promises of the Holy Spirit in Old Testament

God saw our need to have His Holy Spirit, otherwise we would be doomed. For this reason He made a promise in the Old Testament which was fulfilled with the coming of Christ, He spoke through different prophets.

The Holy Spirit in the New Testament

We are temples of the Holy Spirit and to be filled with the Spirit of God we must cleanse our temples with the waters of repentance through baptism. However we are supposed to stop sinning in order to receive the fire of the Holy Spirit. So this promise of God is conditional to our repentance.

What the Holy Spirit Really Looks Like
by David Lose

Have you ever seen the Holy Spirit? (No, that's not a trick question.) Seriously, then: have you seen the Spirit? No, of course not. The best we get in the Bible are descriptions of tongues of flame (Acts 2) or a freely blowing breeze (John 3). I think that's what makes preaching on – or for that matter even talking about – the Holy Spirit so difficult. We don't know what the Spirit looks like.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

Gifts of The Holy Spirit

The Bible contains five major lists of gifts given by the Holy Spirit. All the gifts of Holy Spirit given in both books of the Bible are compiled in this article.

The Personality of the Holy Ghost
by the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon

I invite your attention to this passage (John 14:16-17) because we shall find in it some instruction on four points: first, concerning the true and proper personality of the Holy Ghost; secondly, concerning the united agency of the glorious Three Persons in the work of our salvation; thirdly we shall find something to establish the doctrine of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in the souls of all believers; and fourthly, we shall find out the reason why the carnal mind rejects the Holy Ghost.

Sins Against the Holy Spirit
by John Chrysostomos

Many things have ye spoken against me. These things I forgive you on your repentance, and exact no penalty of you; but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven, no, not to those who repent. And how can this be right? For even this was forgiven upon repentance. Many at least of those who said these words believed afterward, and all was forgiven them.

Sins Against the Holy Spirit
by Fr. Paul O'Sullivan, OP

The sins against the Holy Ghost are commonly said to be six in number: despair, presumption, impenitence, obstinacy, resisting truth, and envy of another's spiritual welfare. Some of these are less difficult of pardon than others. Final impenitence is absolutely unpardonable. Those, too, who from deliberate malice refuse to recognize the work of God, as the Pharisees did when they saw the miracles of Our Lord and attributed them to Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils are unpardonable.

More on the Sins Against the Holy Spirit

In reflecting at length why certain sins against holy spirit are unforgiveable, several things have come to mind regarding each one of the 6 sins: despair, presumption, impenitence, obstinacy, resisting truth, and envy of another's spiritual welfare. They all have one thing in common: We judge ourselves, taking the supreme authority from God. When we commit one of these grievous sins, we refuse God's love and forgiveness. These sins are all made by our own choosing to commit them. They are all intentional.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Prayer to The Holy Spirit
by St. Antiochus

Veni, Creator (hymn)
Invocation of Holy Spirit

A Pentecost Meditation
by Father Mark

The Order of Pentecosty Feast
(includes all 3 Kneelings, English) (Syrian Orthodox)

Questions and Answers on the Holy Spirit

Pentecost, the Birthday of the Church: A Scriptural Reflection on the Solemnity of Pentecost
by Carl E. Olson

For Christians, Pentecost is the celebration of a formative event in the history of the early Church—the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the newly birthed Church and the first bold proclamation of the Gospel by Peter, the head apostle, among the Jews. The gift of the Spirit ushers in a new era in the ‘dispensation of the mystery’ the age of the Church, during which Christ manifests, makes present, and communicates his work of salvation through the liturgy of his Church, ‘until he comes.’

Pentecost Paradoxes
by David Lose

What would you say if I suggested that we regularly misinterpret Pentecost? Actually, not just misinterpret it a little, but generally get Pentecost completely backwards. Intrigued? Curious? Offended? Read on.

What is the relevance of Pentecost in our Church?
by Fr. Saji K. Mathew

When we think about Holy Spirit the two factors which rush to our mind are Love (agape) and Cooperation (Selfless Unity with identity intact). Both these things are found in perfection in the Holy Trinity. Holy Trinity is the model and source of encouragement for humanity in the contemporary world. We should derive energy to grow in spirit from that divine source.

Preaching a Present-Tense Pentecost
by David Lose

Few holidays present themselves as ripe for nostalgia as Pentecost. After all, weren't these the glory days of the church – spirit-filled preaching; attentive, even miraculous listening; three thousand converted in a single day? Exactly. And what have most of us seen or done since that could possibly compare?

Sermon for Pentecost Sunday
by St Leo the Great

The Majesty of the Holy Ghost is never separate from the Omnipotence of the Father and the Son, and whatever the Divine government accomplishes in the ordering of all things, proceeds from the Providence of the whole Trinity. Therein exists unity of mercy and loving-kindness, unity of judgment and justice: nor is there any division in action where there is no divergence of will. What, therefore, the Father enlightens, the Son enlightens, and the Holy Ghost enlightens: and while there is one Person of the Sent, another of the Sender, and another of the Promiser, both the Unity and the Trinity are at the same time revealed to us, so that the Essence which possesses equality and does not admit of solitariness is understood to belong to the same Substance but not the same Person.

Pentecost: the Holy Spirit Comes
by Victor Hoagland, C.P.

The Holy Spirit is Jesus’ “first gift to those who believe, to complete his work on earth, and bring us the fullness of grace.” Just as
the Father sent him, his disciples are to go into the world to renew the face of the earth. With different gifts, they form one body. Performing different works, they are members of the body of Christ, the church.

A Sermon for Pentecost
By Dr. Robert Crouse

Wind and fire: ancient symbols of divine power and presence - The Breath of God, moving over the waters of chaos, producing the forms of life; breathing into lifeless clay, bringing forth a living soul; the breath of God in the Valley of Dry Bones, making those dry bones live. The fire of God: the refining and consuming fire of God's wrath and God's love. "A rushing mighty wind...and cloven tongues, like as of fire" - these are the mystical symbols of God's coming in power.

Pentecost Sermon: The Counselor
by Edward F. Markquart

John, chapters 14-16, is the high water mark in the Bible about the Holy Spirit. If you want to find out about the Holy Spirit, you can read the book of Acts, but an even better place to read about the Spirit is John 14-16.

Why the Kneeling down and Sprinkling of water on the Feast of Pentecost in Syrian Orthodox Church?
by Rev. Fr. George Pulikkottil

As it is very clear in the message of Christ, repentance is the only way to attain the Kingdom of God. Receiving the renewal of Holy Spirit is the sign and expression of becoming a member in the Kingdom of God. In Eastern Church kneeling down and crying Kurielaison is the most genuine and powerful expression of real repentance. There is no other way to invocate the Holy Spirit than our real repentance and confession.

You are the Light of the World
by Edward F. Markquart

Your Christianity is to be visible. Your Christianity is to be seen, is to be noticed, is not to be hid. People are to know you are a Christian by what you say, by what you do, by who you are. If you are a Christian, you cannot hide it. It is the very nature of discipleship to be seen.

Reflections on Holy Spirit by Church Fathers and Others

The Holy Spirit, Gift of God's Love
by St. Augustine

There is no gift of God more excellent than this (love). It alone distinguishes the sons of the eternal kingdom and the sons of eternal perdition. Other gifts, too, are given by the Holy Spirit; but without love they profit nothing. Unless, therefore, the Holy Spirit is so far imparted to each, as to make him one who loves God and his neighbor, he is not removed from the left hand to the right. Nor is the Spirit specially called the Gift, unless on account of love.

The Holy Spirit, River of Grace
by St. Ambrose of Milan

The Holy Spirit is the River, and the abundant River, which according to the Hebrews flowed from Jesus in the lands, as we have received it prophesied by the mouth of Isaiah. This is the great River which flows always and never fails. And not only a river, but also one of copious stream and overflowing greatness, as also David said: "The stream of the river makes glad the city of God." For neither is that city, the heavenly Jerusalem, watered by the channel of any earthly river, but that Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Fount of Life, by a short draught of Whom we are satiated, seems to flow more abundantly among those celestial Thrones, .., rushing in the full course of the seven virtues of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit, Purifier
by St. Basil the Great

Through His (Holy Spirit) aid hearts are lifted up, the weak are held by the hand, and they who are advancing are brought to perfection. Shining upon those that are cleansed from every spot, He makes them spiritual by fellowship with Himself. Just as when a sunbeam falls on bright and transparent bodies, they themselves become brilliant too, and shed forth a fresh brightness from themselves, so souls wherein the Spirit dwells, illuminated by the Spirit, themselves become spiritual, and send forth their grace to others.

The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles
by Dom Columba Marmion, O.S.B. Abbot of Maredsous

The Holy Spirit appeared under the form of tongues of fire in order to fill the Apostles with truth and to prepare them to bear witness to Jesus. He also come to fill their hearts with love. He is the Person of Love in the life of God. He is also like a breath, an aspiration of infinite Love, from which we draw the breath of life. On the day of Pentecost the Divine Spirit communicated such an abundance of life to the whole Church that to symbolize it "there came a sound from heaven, as of a violent wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they (the Apostles) were sitting."

Holy Spirit Shares the Love of Father and Son
by Pope John Paul II

It can be said that in the Holy Spirit the intimate life of the Triune God becomes totally gift, an exchange of mutual love between the divine Persons, and that through the Holy Spirit God exists in the mode of gift. It is the Holy Spirit who is the personal expression of this self-giving, of this being-love. He is Person-Love. He is Person-Gift. Here we have an inexhaustible treasure of the reality and an inexpressible deepening of the concept of person in God, which only divine Revelation makes known to us.

Holy Spirit, The Gift of the Father and Son
by Pope Leo XIII, 1897

We ought to pray to and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each one of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more to fly to Him who is the never-ceasing fount of light, strength, consolation, and holiness. And chiefly that first requisite of man, the forgiveness of sins, must be sought for from Him: "It is the special character of the Holy Ghost that He is the Gift of the Father and the Son. Now the remission of all sins is given by the Holy Ghost as by the Gift of God. "

Selected Sermons

Pentecost: Feast of the New Covenant
by Pope Benedict XVI

The Holy Spirit "illuminates the human spirit and, by revealing Christ Crucified and Risen, indicates the way to become more like him,... to be 'the image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ'"... The images used by St. Luke to indicate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit — wind and fire — recall Sinai, where God revealed himself to the people of Israel and offered his covenant (cf. Ex 19:3ff.). The feast of Sinai, which Israel celebrated 50 days after the Passover, was the feast of the Covenant.

The Holy Lent Resources

Articles Life in Christ - Message of The Holy Lent from Holy Father (2011) Apostolic Bull for The Holy Lent -2011 The holy gospel is a reliable record of the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ in words and deeds during His divine economy in the flesh. It does not impose on us orders. It does not give us commandments to blindly hold to. It does not list prohibitions. Rather, it presents to us Jesus Christ as a living paradigm to longue for and a model to pursue carrying His cross. We shall follow Him so that we obtain eternal life through Him.Fasting by HH Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Patriarch of Universal Syrian Orthodox Church and All The East Fasting is a voluntary act of abandoning worldly life. It is a sign of man’s obedience to, and respect of God’s laws and his observance of God’s offices by his voluntary abstinence from food or drink for a specific period of time. The Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well - A Lenten Reflection A Lenten reflection based on St. John 4: 6 Are You Condemned? My religion is Christianity. There are a set of practices that are associated with the Christian religion, but I think my Christian belief encompasses much more than a set of practices or rules of behavior. Lenten Rumination The Lent is meant to cleanse the whole being, both the inner and chemical by being with God. How to clean the physical man? The abstinence from food for hours and days allow the body to consume all the toxins accumulated by our day to day inherent infirmities. The Significance of Fasting in the Struggle against Fallen Spirits Fasting is acceptable to God when it is preceded by the great virtue of mercy; fasting prepares a reward in heaven when it is foreign to hypocrisy and vainglory; fasting works when it is joined with another great virtue – prayer. Conversion Through Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving Lenten conversion is not a superficial renewal. What the Lord wants is not just the change of bad habits and worldly vices; He wants a clean soul and no half-measures will do. Fasting Enlightens the Soul Fasting helps to have serenity of the soul because the one, who hungers in his stomach, enlightens his intellect. Therefore, the hunger is a key, which opens the door of wisdom. The General Canons of Fasting Bar Ebroyo depends upon the decision of the Synod of Laodicea and Patriarch Timotheos and Patriarch John III of Antioch to describe the dos and don'ts in the The Holy Lent. Examination of Conscience Here is a helpful examination of conscience, based on the Ten Commandments. Perform a brief examination every night, but go through a more thorough examination before confessing your sins to the priest. Preparing for Confession - Orthodox Church In Orthodox Church, the confession guides are typically centered around the 10 Commandments and The Beatitudes. Here is an excerpt from the Greek Orthodox Church Guide to Preparing for Confession. Similar confessionals are used in other Orthodox Churches. Preparing for Confession - Guide for Adults Here is a document prepared by a Catholic Lay member about preparing for the Confession. It is an excellent article to prepare for a Lifetime Confession and as a guide for the Examination of Conscience. Mid Lent and Erection of Golgotha The Golgotha and erection of cross in the of the church also signifies that God came down from heaven and dwelt among us in this world. This is why the Golgotha is in the middle of the church with us, the common folks, and not in the Madbaha as we normally expect to find it. Pathi Nombu (Mid Lent) The 25th day of the lent which is always a Wednesday is known as mid lent. This is one of the very few days during the The Holy Lent when the Holy Qurbana is celebrated on a weekday other than Sunday or Saturday. The Holy Lent - A Time for Spiritual Renewal in Jesus Christ The Church gives us The Holy Lent to be renewed, to escape the dreariness and weariness of life, and enter into the bright joy of life in Jesus Christ. The Holy Lent: A Season of Renewal for All Prophet Isaiah was emphatic in arguing that lent and fasting are not just pious "obligatory Observances" for the people of God, but a tremendous transforming force. Being mortal and feeble, humans need periodic renewal of body, mind and soul. How is this possible? The Number and Days of Fasts - Part 1 There are a number of fasts in the Syrian Orthodox Church and often many questions are asked from the part of the believers as to the dos and don'ts in the fasts, the beginning, duration, and ending of the fasts etc. The Number and Days of Fasts - Part 2 Other than the fasts on Wednesdays and Fridays, there are five more Fasts in a year. The The Holy Lent begins on the Monday coming closer, before or after the full moon between second February and eighth March. The Material Benefits of Fasting In accordance with the fact that Bar Ebroyo himself was a doctor, he underlines through a quotation from the doctors of his time that fasting improves the health of the body. The Efficacy of Fasting and the Different Categories of Fasting. According to Bar Ebroyo, the fasting may be defined in terms of time, of the kind of food or in terms of both time and food, and they are the three different categories of fasting. God Shut Noah and Family in before the Flooding began Since Noah walked with God during his life before the Great Flood, he certainly knew about this key point which made him leave God's job for God. There, we see an equilibrium between God's will and Noah's obedience or submission. Some Thoughts On The Holy Lent In Relation To The Nature Each rubric of the liturgy is meticulously designed in such a manner as to go in tune with the episodes of the incarnation of Christ and in tandem with the tempo of the Nature where we live. It is surprising that liturgical seasons of the church happen more or less in the same timing as that of the natural seasons. The essence of Lent: Learning and struggling to bend our knees, mend our hearts, and lend our hands The prayers during lent remind us that there is no use of observing lent if we do not change inside. No amount of abstinence from food and other things will help us in any way if we do not bring about a renewal inside us. The Holy Lent in Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch During the period of the The Holy Lent and other periods of fasting throughout the year, an individual makes a special attempt or connection to reach our God, and evaluate his calling as a Christian, to listen to the voice of the Gospels and heed its commandments. Lent - An Explanation for Children Fasting, prayer, confession, reconciliation, Holy Communion, charity and capping with love are the steps to reach and experience the resurrected Jesus in person. Lessons from Zacchaeus - Importance of Lent During this The Holy Lent, Jesus is asking us to learn from Zacchaeus to realize our weaknesses and find remedies to them as he did. We must realize our shortness in spiritual life, the falls we had in the past and the sins we committed which together made us unable to see Christ directly. Third Friday of The Holy Lent and Annunciation to St. Mary Devotional Humility is what we need to become faithful Christians. If we carefully examine ourselves we may observe that almost always we are trying to justify, defend, exalt or praise ourselves in our interactions with others and sometimes even before God, knowingly or unknowingly. This focus on self - our ego - can often keep us from hearing God's voice and prevent us from being faithful in our walk with God. Fasting Guidelines during The Holy Lent for Orthodox Christians We Orthodox Christians, in obedience to the words of our Divine Savior, and in imitation of the saints, set aside a period of intense fasting and prayer in order to purify our spiritual senses so we may see the Holy Resurrection. Real Fasting When we have gone through the labor of fasting, we forfeit not the crown of fasting, we should understand how, and after what manner, it is necessary to conduct this business; since that Pharisee also fasted, but afterwards went down empty, and destitute of the fruit of fasting. The Spirituality of Lent There are two different ways of looking at this fast because there are two different versions of these forty days, or forty segments of time, in the Scriptures. One is the blessing of the revelation of what it is that we need to do in service to God and to humanity. And the other is of the purification that needs to happen for God to set things straight in us and around us. The Holy Lent We Syriac Christians observe 50 days lent in preparation for the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday. The Patriarchal Encyclical of the Holy The Holy Lent 2010 The time for the Forty Days Holy The Holy Lent has arrived. It is a golden opportunity offered by our mother holy church to examine ourselves, to refrain from vices, uphold virtues, and return to God with repentance. Like the eagle training his young ones to soar high in the air, so does the holy church is training the faithful to soar in spiritual heights, giving them the graceful means to be liberated from earthly gravity that attracts them. Study: Monthly fasting may help heart A study in Utah, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is based, found that people who skipped meals once a month were about 40 percent less likely to be diagnosed with clogged arteries than those who did not regularly fast. Fasts and Feasts in Mar Thoma Church: Fire for the Journey of Faith There are a growing body of data from the causal conversations with members of the church indicate that approximately more than fifty percentage of members are not confident on the place of 'fast and feasts' in the liturgical life of the church. Fasting is a Great Weapon for Christians Read More: Spiritual/Moral Articles | Inspirational Articles | General Articles | Sermons and Essays | eBooks | Multi Media Subukono Service at Manarcad Cathedral, March 2011 - Part 1 | Part 2 Shubhkono - The Holy Lent - Kalpana_Kappan Devotional Song: En..prananum.. Em Aayussum Devotional Song: Njaan Ariyaathe See All Lent Multimedia Resources at The Holy Lent Multimedia Resources Home

Join The Malankara World Community If you want to know what is happening in Malankara World, you need to add your name to our list. This will be the only way to keep you connected with the various aspects of Malankara World. We have a newsletter that we would like to send it to you.You will need an email address to join. We do not send newsletters etc. by other means. You can be absolutely certain that we do not send spam or sell your list to others. Click here to register your name with Malankara World. Read the Previous Newsletters Holy Passion Week The Last week of the The Holy Lent is the Passion week, the most important week for Syriac Christians. We have a separate portal for the passion week. Take a peek here: Passion Week Supplement in Malankara World - The Road to Resurrection This Week in The Holy Lent - Week 6 Lenten Reflection 5: Lord, If Only You Had Been There - The Story of LazarusLenten Webinar- Part 2: Prayer (Video) Lenten Webinar Part 3A Fasting (Video) Lenten Webinar- Part 3B: Giving Things Up During Lent (Video) The Holy Lent Multimedia collection This Week's Sermons (Week 6: Sunday of the Blind Man) Daily Meditations and Bible Reading: Day 40 - Friday before Hosanna (40th Friday) Day 39 - Thursday before Hosanna Day 38 - Wednesday before Hosanna Day 37 - Tuesday before Hosanna Day 36 - Monday before Hosanna Day 35 - Sixth Sunday of the The Holy Lent Daily Meditation and Bible Reading Archives This Week in The Holy Lent - Week 5 Lenten Reflection 3A: Lord, Give Me This Water (Video) Fasting - A Lenten Reflection (Video) Lenten Webinar- Part 1: Introduction (Video) The Holy Lent Multimedia collection This Week's Sermons (Week 5: Crippled Woman) Daily Meditations and Bible Reading: Day 34 - Fifth Saturday of the The Holy Lent Day 33 - Fifth Friday of the The Holy Lent Day 32 - Fifth Thursday of the The Holy Lent Day 31 - Fifth Wednesday of the The Holy Lent Day 30 - Fifth Tuesday of the The Holy Lent Day 29 - Fifth Monday of the The Holy Lent Day 28 - Fifth Sunday of the The Holy Lent This Week in The Holy Lent - Week 4 Lenten Reflection 4: The Man Born Blind (Video)Lenten Retreat 4 - I do Believe (Video) This Week's Sermons (Cananite Woman) Daily Meditations and Bible Reading: Day 27 - Fourth Saturday of the The Holy Lent Day 26 - Fourth Friday of the The Holy Lent Day 25 - Fourth Thursday of the The Holy Lent Day 24 - Fourth Wednesday of the The Holy Lent (Mid Lent) Day 23 - Fourth Tuesday of the The Holy Lent Day 22 - Fourth Monday of the The Holy Lent Day 21 - Fourth Sunday of the The Holy Lent This Week in The Holy Lent - Week 3 Lenten Reflection 3: Tabor and Golgotha (Video)Lenten Retreat 3 (Video) This week's Sermons: Palsy - Paralytic- Sunday Daily Meditations and Bible Reading: Bible Readings for Week 3 of the The Holy Lent Day 20 - Third Saturday of the The Holy Lent Day 19 - Third Friday of the The Holy Lent Day 18 - Third Thursday of the The Holy Lent Day 17 - Third Wednesday of the The Holy Lent Day 16 - Third Tuesday of the The Holy Lent Day 15 - Third Monday of the The Holy Lent Day 14 - Third Sunday of the The Holy Lent Daily Meditation and Bible Reading Archives Archives: This Week in The Holy Lent (Week 2) This Week in The Holy Lent (Week 1) Prayers for The Holy Lent Prayer Book for the The Holy LentThe Holy Lent Prayer Book - English The Holy Lent Prayers - Malayalam- includes prayers for all 7 Yamams The Holy Lent Prayers (Valia Nombu Namaskaram - Malayalam and English Transliteration) Aghni Parthene - O Pure Virgin Russian Orthodox Devotional especially chanted during the Lent Season Prayer for Lent - Reconciliation Psalm 51 - Repentance Prayer A reconciliation prayer for the The Holy Lent Lenten Prayers of St. Nersess Saint Benedict: Prayer for Guidance Bible Studies: Isaiah 58 - True Fasting Includes Matthew Henry's Commentary and John Wesley's Explanatory Notes on Isaiah 58. Isaiah 58 tells about a true lent or fasting that is pleasing to our Lord. More Bible Studies Devotionals Today with Jesus - by Rev. Fr. V.V. PauloseDaily Morning and Evening Devotionals by Spurgeon Daily Devotional with Oswald Chambers Wisdom from the Desert Devotional Weekly Devotional - by Rev. Fr. Dr. Dimitri from New Zealand More Devotionals - Devotionals from selected evangelists Sermon for the Week This week's Sermons based on the Lectionary of the ChurchThis Week's Sermons (Crippled Woman) Fourth Week's Sermons (Cananite Woman) Third week's Sermons: Palsy - Paralytic- Sunday Second Week's Sermon (Leper Sunday) First Week's Sermon (Marriage at Cana) See more sermons at: Sermons Based on the Lectionary of the Church | Church Lectionary Food: Selected Recipes for Lenten Times Fresh Vegetable JuiceTom Solomon’s Spicy Hot Vegetable Juice Thai Vegetable Rolls Cinco De Mayo Soup (Mexican Bean Pot) Italian Vegetable Soup Spicy Bean Soup Lentil Vegetable Soup Mushroom soup Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Clam Chowder Pierogi Selected Recipes for The Holy Lent from Malayala Manorama More Recipes Passion Week Supplement

The Holy Lent Articles from 1stHolistic.com Why Should We Observe the Lent and Fasting? We should keenly look forward to the Lent- because the purpose of Prayer & Fasting is to defeat the Satan. On Prayer: Patriach Encyclical It is customary since ancient times for the Patriarch of Antioch to issue a lengthy encyclical for the The Holy Lent exhorting the faithful to observe the lent in its true spirit. Here is one on prayer. The The Holy Lent- An Opportunity for Us to Cleanse Our Mind, Body and Soul While confessing, repenting and seeking forgiveness, we too should prepare ourselves to forgive others. In that way, let us get rid of all the ill-feelings from our mind and purify it, so that the heavenly peace can enter our hearts and stimulate us, to lead a true Christian life. True Nature of Fasting The primary aim of fasting is to make us conscious of our dependence upon God. It is to lead us to a sense of inward brokenness and contrition; to bring to us to the point where we appreciate the full force of Christ's statement, `Without Me you can do nothing.' Synopsis for Sermons and Meditations During the Lenten Period A great tool to help us cleanse ourselves of our hurtfulness. Covers faith, love, forgiveness, repentance, mercy, and more. St. John Chrysostom on Fasting Miracle at Cana On the first day of The Holy Lent the Holy Church introduces Jesus as the Creator of Universe. Faithful is on a spiritual pilgrimage with Jesus Christ knowing Him as Creator, Divine healer, Lord of Sabbath, Light of the world, Life-giver, Triumphant ruler and the one and only atoning sacrifice for the redemption of humanity. The pilgrimage culminates in the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ, hope of eternal life. Holy and The Holy Lent/Catechetical Homily Our Church through the Holy Fathers designates that each year the season of The Holy Lent be set aside as a time for repentance. Although repentance is necessary every day and every hour, during Lent our Church invites us to experience repentance in a deeper sense.

4 The Orthodox Faith (Dogma)4 Family and Youth 4 Sermons 4 Bible Study 4 Devotional 4 Spirituals 4 Fasts & Feasts 4 Coptics 4 Religious Education 4 Monasticism 4 Seasons 4 Missiology 4 Ethics 4 Ecumenical Relations 4 Church Music 4 Pentecost 4 Miscellaneous 4 Saints 4 Church History 4 Pope Shenouda 4 Patrology 4 Canon Law 4 Lent 4 Pastoral Theology 4 Father Matta 4 Bibles 4 Iconography 4 Liturgics 4 Orthodox Biblical topics 4 Orthodox articles4 St Chrysostom

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Pentecost Homily
by Pope John Paul II

The Holy Spirit gave the Apostles "the necessary light and strength to teach the nations and to proclaim Christ's Gospel to them all. In this way the Church was born and lives in the fruitful tension between the Upper Room and the world, between prayer and proclamation"...The witness of the Spirit is divine in itself: it comes from the depth of the Trinitarian mystery. The Apostles' witness is human: It transmits, in the light of revelation, their experience of life with Jesus. In laying the foundations of the Church, Christ attaches great importance to the human witness of the Apostles.

Devotional Thoughts for Pentecost Sunday
by Rev. Dr. V KurianThomas Valiyaparambil

Christian churches see Pentecost as the final fulfillment of the mission of Jesus. It is traditionally called the beginning of the Holy Apostolic Church. It reveals the identities of the divine trinity, namely, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...Pentecost is a great harvest of the Holy Spirit to empower and renew our life to be a witness for Christ. Our faith in God cannot live on man's wisdom alone. We need the experience of the Holy Spirit to sustain our faith and empower us to be the disciple of Christ.

A Model Relationship
by HG Yuhanon Mor Meletius

Taking all the four readings (prescribed for Pentecost) together, a theme is presented before the congregation by the Church. It can be put in one word, ‘relationship’; relationship between God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and with life of humans in relationship. From the kind of relationship exists between the Holy Trinity, Jesus derives a model for the human relationship. This is a unique kind of methodology. We humans derive models for our life in this world from Godhead and the relationship that exists within Godhead. Christian faith in the Holy Trinity is not just a talk about some philosophical theory, rather it is the talk about a model, inspiration and guide for our lives in this world.

Sermon for the Day of Pentecost
by Charles Henrickson

Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, was one of the three great pilgrimage festivals in the Hebrew calendar. The first was Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in the early spring, commemorating the Lord bringing the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. The second great festival of the year, then, was Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, in mid-to-late spring, celebrating the Lord bringing them into the Promised Land, settling them in that good land flowing with milk and honey. The third great festival occurred in the fall, the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths, commemorating how the Lord provided for the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land.

Sermon for Pentecost Sunday
by Martin Luther

The historical facts of this day, as well as the beautiful sermon the Holy Spirit delivered through the apostle Peter, which might appropriately be fully treated at this time, we shall leave for the special sermons on the various festivals of the year. For the present we will but briefly speak of the occasion of this festival, and of the office of the Holy Spirit.

Sermons and Bible Commentaries/Bible Studies for Pentecost

A Trinitarian Pentecost
by The Rev. Charles Henrickson

The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. The exalted Son receives from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, and then he bestows the Spirit upon his church. That’s what happened at Pentecost, and it continues to this day. Jesus gives the Spirit to his church to empower her preaching of the gospel, bringing salvation to untold millions of people around the world, from the day of Pentecost up until this day, and till the day of Christ’s return. The Holy Trinity is doing something, actively rescuing sinners, giving us salvation, by bringing us the saving gospel. You yourself are among those recipients. By faith we receive the good news, in joy. By the Spirit’s working we believe in our Savior Jesus and so share in his victory. And by that same faith we now have and now a loving heavenly Father. It’s all good!

Pentecost Sunday
St. John's Orthodox Church

On this day, the fiftieth after Easter, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost when the fullness of the Holy Trinity was revealed through the coming of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit... Today faithful Orthodox Christians, members of the Church, of all ages and all over the world and of all nationalities and languages, celebrate the Feast of Pentecost together. Today we concelebrate the Feast with the Apostles and the Fathers, the Martyrs and the Confessors, of all ages, of ages past and of the present age and of the age to come. For we confess the same Orthodox Faith of the Holy Spirit, 'Who proceeds from the Father and rests on the Son', for we confess the same Orthodox Faith of the Holy Spirit, Who brings Wisdom and Unity wherever there is humility and purity of heart.

Devotional thoughts for The Feast of Pentecost
by Rev. Fr. Dr. VC Jose Chemmanam

On the day of pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon each of them in the form of Wind, Fire and Tongues. That is, the Holy spirit is compared to these three symbols: Let us meditate on these 3 symbols. The Holy Spirit descended in the form of Wind or Air. The Holy Spirit descended upon them in the form of Fire. The Disciples received the Holy Spirit in the form of Tongue. Without the Grace of the Holy Spirit there is no salvation, no true Christianity. The gift of the Holy Spirit is imperative in the life of Christians. Every Holy Qurbana becomes a pentecost - through the descent of the Holy Spirit on the faithful and the gifts (bread & wine) transforming them into the body of Christ.

Devotional thoughts for Meditation on Pentecost Sunday
by Rev. Fr. Alexander J. Kurien

This Sunday is that blessed Pentecost Sunday, 'the birthday of the Church'. Pentecost is a Greek word meaning '50', so we celebrate Pentecost 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. Forty days he taught and encouraged his followers, then after his Ascension, they waited another ten days for his gift of the Holy Spirit. In ancient Israel, Pentecost was the celebration of the wheat harvest, 50 days after the slaying of the Passover lamb. Since biblical times, the Jewish celebration ('Shavuot') also commemorates the day the Ten Commandments were revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Devotional Thoughts for the Sunday of Pentecost
by Rev. Fr. Dr. George Pulikkottil

The event of Pentecost is the link between Gospel and other part of the New Testament. It shows that the Church is the Church of Triune God; continuation of Creation, redemption in Christ and growing in Spirit. Why the liturgy of this Feast is like what a demonstration of the Holy Trinity, why there are three parts for the order of Service of the Feast of Pentecost? We worship the Triune God – The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Each of our prayers starts and ends in the name of Triune God. No doubt, we believe in One True God - "The Father who by His grace created the world, the Son who by His precious suffering redeemed the world and the Holy and Living Spirit who fulfills and perfects all that has been and all that will be."

Jesus as the Model of Love
by William Loader, Murdoch University, Australia

Abiding in Jesus: Joy, Faith and Discipleship
by Susan Hedahl

Exegetical Notes of John 15:1-8
by Brian P. Stoffregen, Faith Lutheran Church, Marysville, CA

Vine as a Symbol of Salvation
by William Loader, Murdoch University, Australia

Devotional Thoughts for the Feast of Pentecost
by Rev. Fr. Sam Mathew Kavumkal

Devotional Thoughts for Pentecost Sunday
by Jose Kurian Puliyeril

4 The Orthodox Faith (Dogma)4 Family and Youth 4 Sermons 4 Bible Study 4 Devotional 4 Spirituals 4 Fasts & Feasts 4 Coptics 4 Religious Education 4 Monasticism 4 Seasons 4 Missiology 4 Ethics 4 Ecumenical Relations 4 Church Music 4 Pentecost 4 Miscellaneous 4 Saints 4 Church History 4 Pope Shenouda 4 Patrology 4 Canon Law 4 Lent 4 Pastoral Theology 4 Father Matta 4 Bibles 4 Iconography 4 Liturgics 4 Orthodox Biblical topics 4 Orthodox articles4 St Chrysostom

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4 Pope Shenouda4 Father Matta4 Bishop Mattaous4 Fr. Tadros Malaty4 Bishop Moussa4 Bishop Alexander4 Habib Gerguis4 Bishop Angealos4 Metropolitan Bishoy

4 Prayer of the First Hour4 Third Hour4 Sixth Hour4 Ninth Hour4 Vespers (Eleventh Hour) 4 Compline (Twelfth Hour) 4 The First Watch of the midnight prayers4 The Second Watch of the midnight prayers 4 The Third Watch of the midnight prayers4 The Prayer of the Veil4 Various Prayers from the Agbia4 Synaxarium

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Pentecost - The Birthday of the Church

"Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back to the Kingdom of heaven, and adopted as children, given confidence to call God "Father" and to share in Christ's grace, called children of light and given a share in eternal glory." - St. Basil, De Spiritu Sancto

Holy Spirit

The third person of the Holy Trinity, who is distinct from the Father and the Son but one in being, coequal, and coeternal with them, because, like them, he is in the fullest sense God. He is also called the Spirit of Truth, the Creator Spirit, the Sanctifier, as the gifts of revelation, of creation (and re-creation), and of sanctification are the outpourings of God's love, and therefore appropriated to the Spirit of Love, though whatever God does outside the Trinity (in the world of creatures) belongs to the common or united action of the three divine persons. Holy Spirit is usually represented artistically as a Dove, because it was in this form that he descended visibly upon Christ in the Jordan (Mark 1:10).

Introduction to Holy Spirit

God is only One, but He has revealed Himself very distinctly as three persons, so that we mere creatures can come to a better understanding of Him, however we are unworthy to know God completely and He remains the greatest mystery of our faith.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is a fire of Divine Love that comes to touch us and refine us in an ardent desire to possess God. It gives us a passion for God, it destroys all the earthly affections because it opens our spiritual eyes to see how precious God is.

Promises of the Holy Spirit in Old Testament

God saw our need to have His Holy Spirit, otherwise we would be doomed. For this reason He made a promise in the Old Testament which was fulfilled with the coming of Christ, He spoke through different prophets.

The Holy Spirit in the New Testament

We are temples of the Holy Spirit and to be filled with the Spirit of God we must cleanse our temples with the waters of repentance through baptism. However we are supposed to stop sinning in order to receive the fire of the Holy Spirit. So this promise of God is conditional to our repentance.

What the Holy Spirit Really Looks Like
by David Lose

Have you ever seen the Holy Spirit? (No, that's not a trick question.) Seriously, then: have you seen the Spirit? No, of course not. The best we get in the Bible are descriptions of tongues of flame (Acts 2) or a freely blowing breeze (John 3). I think that's what makes preaching on – or for that matter even talking about – the Holy Spirit so difficult. We don't know what the Spirit looks like.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

Gifts of The Holy Spirit

The Bible contains five major lists of gifts given by the Holy Spirit. All the gifts of Holy Spirit given in both books of the Bible are compiled in this article.

The Personality of the Holy Ghost
by the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon

I invite your attention to this passage (John 14:16-17) because we shall find in it some instruction on four points: first, concerning the true and proper personality of the Holy Ghost; secondly, concerning the united agency of the glorious Three Persons in the work of our salvation; thirdly we shall find something to establish the doctrine of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in the souls of all believers; and fourthly, we shall find out the reason why the carnal mind rejects the Holy Ghost.

Sins Against the Holy Spirit
by John Chrysostomos

Many things have ye spoken against me. These things I forgive you on your repentance, and exact no penalty of you; but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven, no, not to those who repent. And how can this be right? For even this was forgiven upon repentance. Many at least of those who said these words believed afterward, and all was forgiven them.

Sins Against the Holy Spirit
by Fr. Paul O'Sullivan, OP

The sins against the Holy Ghost are commonly said to be six in number: despair, presumption, impenitence, obstinacy, resisting truth, and envy of another's spiritual welfare. Some of these are less difficult of pardon than others. Final impenitence is absolutely unpardonable. Those, too, who from deliberate malice refuse to recognize the work of God, as the Pharisees did when they saw the miracles of Our Lord and attributed them to Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils are unpardonable.

More on the Sins Against the Holy Spirit

In reflecting at length why certain sins against holy spirit are unforgiveable, several things have come to mind regarding each one of the 6 sins: despair, presumption, impenitence, obstinacy, resisting truth, and envy of another's spiritual welfare. They all have one thing in common: We judge ourselves, taking the supreme authority from God. When we commit one of these grievous sins, we refuse God's love and forgiveness. These sins are all made by our own choosing to commit them. They are all intentional.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Prayer to The Holy Spirit
by St. Antiochus

Veni, Creator (hymn)
Invocation of Holy Spirit

A Pentecost Meditation
by Father Mark

The Order of Pentecosty Feast
(includes all 3 Kneelings, English) (Syrian Orthodox)

Questions and Answers on the Holy Spirit

Pentecost, the Birthday of the Church: A Scriptural Reflection on the Solemnity of Pentecost
by Carl E. Olson

For Christians, Pentecost is the celebration of a formative event in the history of the early Church—the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the newly birthed Church and the first bold proclamation of the Gospel by Peter, the head apostle, among the Jews. The gift of the Spirit ushers in a new era in the ‘dispensation of the mystery’ the age of the Church, during which Christ manifests, makes present, and communicates his work of salvation through the liturgy of his Church, ‘until he comes.’

Pentecost Paradoxes
by David Lose

What would you say if I suggested that we regularly misinterpret Pentecost? Actually, not just misinterpret it a little, but generally get Pentecost completely backwards. Intrigued? Curious? Offended? Read on.

What is the relevance of Pentecost in our Church?
by Fr. Saji K. Mathew

When we think about Holy Spirit the two factors which rush to our mind are Love (agape) and Cooperation (Selfless Unity with identity intact). Both these things are found in perfection in the Holy Trinity. Holy Trinity is the model and source of encouragement for humanity in the contemporary world. We should derive energy to grow in spirit from that divine source.

Preaching a Present-Tense Pentecost
by David Lose

Few holidays present themselves as ripe for nostalgia as Pentecost. After all, weren't these the glory days of the church – spirit-filled preaching; attentive, even miraculous listening; three thousand converted in a single day? Exactly. And what have most of us seen or done since that could possibly compare?

Sermon for Pentecost Sunday
by St Leo the Great

The Majesty of the Holy Ghost is never separate from the Omnipotence of the Father and the Son, and whatever the Divine government accomplishes in the ordering of all things, proceeds from the Providence of the whole Trinity. Therein exists unity of mercy and loving-kindness, unity of judgment and justice: nor is there any division in action where there is no divergence of will. What, therefore, the Father enlightens, the Son enlightens, and the Holy Ghost enlightens: and while there is one Person of the Sent, another of the Sender, and another of the Promiser, both the Unity and the Trinity are at the same time revealed to us, so that the Essence which possesses equality and does not admit of solitariness is understood to belong to the same Substance but not the same Person.

Pentecost: the Holy Spirit Comes
by Victor Hoagland, C.P.

The Holy Spirit is Jesus’ “first gift to those who believe, to complete his work on earth, and bring us the fullness of grace.” Just as
the Father sent him, his disciples are to go into the world to renew the face of the earth. With different gifts, they form one body. Performing different works, they are members of the body of Christ, the church.

A Sermon for Pentecost
By Dr. Robert Crouse

Wind and fire: ancient symbols of divine power and presence - The Breath of God, moving over the waters of chaos, producing the forms of life; breathing into lifeless clay, bringing forth a living soul; the breath of God in the Valley of Dry Bones, making those dry bones live. The fire of God: the refining and consuming fire of God's wrath and God's love. "A rushing mighty wind...and cloven tongues, like as of fire" - these are the mystical symbols of God's coming in power.

Pentecost Sermon: The Counselor
by Edward F. Markquart

John, chapters 14-16, is the high water mark in the Bible about the Holy Spirit. If you want to find out about the Holy Spirit, you can read the book of Acts, but an even better place to read about the Spirit is John 14-16.

Why the Kneeling down and Sprinkling of water on the Feast of Pentecost in Syrian Orthodox Church?
by Rev. Fr. George Pulikkottil

As it is very clear in the message of Christ, repentance is the only way to attain the Kingdom of God. Receiving the renewal of Holy Spirit is the sign and expression of becoming a member in the Kingdom of God. In Eastern Church kneeling down and crying Kurielaison is the most genuine and powerful expression of real repentance. There is no other way to invocate the Holy Spirit than our real repentance and confession.

You are the Light of the World
by Edward F. Markquart

Your Christianity is to be visible. Your Christianity is to be seen, is to be noticed, is not to be hid. People are to know you are a Christian by what you say, by what you do, by who you are. If you are a Christian, you cannot hide it. It is the very nature of discipleship to be seen.

Reflections on Holy Spirit by Church Fathers and Others

The Holy Spirit, Gift of God's Love
by St. Augustine

There is no gift of God more excellent than this (love). It alone distinguishes the sons of the eternal kingdom and the sons of eternal perdition. Other gifts, too, are given by the Holy Spirit; but without love they profit nothing. Unless, therefore, the Holy Spirit is so far imparted to each, as to make him one who loves God and his neighbor, he is not removed from the left hand to the right. Nor is the Spirit specially called the Gift, unless on account of love.

The Holy Spirit, River of Grace
by St. Ambrose of Milan

The Holy Spirit is the River, and the abundant River, which according to the Hebrews flowed from Jesus in the lands, as we have received it prophesied by the mouth of Isaiah. This is the great River which flows always and never fails. And not only a river, but also one of copious stream and overflowing greatness, as also David said: "The stream of the river makes glad the city of God." For neither is that city, the heavenly Jerusalem, watered by the channel of any earthly river, but that Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Fount of Life, by a short draught of Whom we are satiated, seems to flow more abundantly among those celestial Thrones, .., rushing in the full course of the seven virtues of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit, Purifier
by St. Basil the Great

Through His (Holy Spirit) aid hearts are lifted up, the weak are held by the hand, and they who are advancing are brought to perfection. Shining upon those that are cleansed from every spot, He makes them spiritual by fellowship with Himself. Just as when a sunbeam falls on bright and transparent bodies, they themselves become brilliant too, and shed forth a fresh brightness from themselves, so souls wherein the Spirit dwells, illuminated by the Spirit, themselves become spiritual, and send forth their grace to others.

The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles
by Dom Columba Marmion, O.S.B. Abbot of Maredsous

The Holy Spirit appeared under the form of tongues of fire in order to fill the Apostles with truth and to prepare them to bear witness to Jesus. He also come to fill their hearts with love. He is the Person of Love in the life of God. He is also like a breath, an aspiration of infinite Love, from which we draw the breath of life. On the day of Pentecost the Divine Spirit communicated such an abundance of life to the whole Church that to symbolize it "there came a sound from heaven, as of a violent wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they (the Apostles) were sitting."

Holy Spirit Shares the Love of Father and Son
by Pope John Paul II

It can be said that in the Holy Spirit the intimate life of the Triune God becomes totally gift, an exchange of mutual love between the divine Persons, and that through the Holy Spirit God exists in the mode of gift. It is the Holy Spirit who is the personal expression of this self-giving, of this being-love. He is Person-Love. He is Person-Gift. Here we have an inexhaustible treasure of the reality and an inexpressible deepening of the concept of person in God, which only divine Revelation makes known to us.

Holy Spirit, The Gift of the Father and Son
by Pope Leo XIII, 1897

We ought to pray to and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each one of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more to fly to Him who is the never-ceasing fount of light, strength, consolation, and holiness. And chiefly that first requisite of man, the forgiveness of sins, must be sought for from Him: "It is the special character of the Holy Ghost that He is the Gift of the Father and the Son. Now the remission of all sins is given by the Holy Ghost as by the Gift of God. "

Selected Sermons

Pentecost: Feast of the New Covenant
by Pope Benedict XVI

The Holy Spirit "illuminates the human spirit and, by revealing Christ Crucified and Risen, indicates the way to become more like him,... to be 'the image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ'"... The images used by St. Luke to indicate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit — wind and fire — recall Sinai, where God revealed himself to the people of Israel and offered his covenant (cf. Ex 19:3ff.). The feast of Sinai, which Israel celebrated 50 days after the Passover, was the feast of the Covenant.

Pentecost Homily
by Pope John Paul II

The Holy Spirit gave the Apostles "the necessary light and strength to teach the nations and to proclaim Christ's Gospel to them all. In this way the Church was born and lives in the fruitful tension between the Upper Room and the world, between prayer and proclamation"...The witness of the Spirit is divine in itself: it comes from the depth of the Trinitarian mystery. The Apostles' witness is human: It transmits, in the light of revelation, their experience of life with Jesus. In laying the foundations of the Church, Christ attaches great importance to the human witness of the Apostles.

Devotional Thoughts for Pentecost Sunday
by Rev. Dr. V KurianThomas Valiyaparambil

Christian churches see Pentecost as the final fulfillment of the mission of Jesus. It is traditionally called the beginning of the Holy Apostolic Church. It reveals the identities of the divine trinity, namely, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...Pentecost is a great harvest of the Holy Spirit to empower and renew our life to be a witness for Christ. Our faith in God cannot live on man's wisdom alone. We need the experience of the Holy Spirit to sustain our faith and empower us to be the disciple of Christ.

A Model Relationship
by HG Yuhanon Mor Meletius

Taking all the four readings (prescribed for Pentecost) together, a theme is presented before the congregation by the Church. It can be put in one word, ‘relationship’; relationship between God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and with life of humans in relationship. From the kind of relationship exists between the Holy Trinity, Jesus derives a model for the human relationship. This is a unique kind of methodology. We humans derive models for our life in this world from Godhead and the relationship that exists within Godhead. Christian faith in the Holy Trinity is not just a talk about some philosophical theory, rather it is the talk about a model, inspiration and guide for our lives in this world.

Sermon for the Day of Pentecost
by Charles Henrickson

Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, was one of the three great pilgrimage festivals in the Hebrew calendar. The first was Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in the early spring, commemorating the Lord bringing the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. The second great festival of the year, then, was Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, in mid-to-late spring, celebrating the Lord bringing them into the Promised Land, settling them in that good land flowing with milk and honey. The third great festival occurred in the fall, the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths, commemorating how the Lord provided for the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land.

Sermon for Pentecost Sunday
by Martin Luther

The historical facts of this day, as well as the beautiful sermon the Holy Spirit delivered through the apostle Peter, which might appropriately be fully treated at this time, we shall leave for the special sermons on the various festivals of the year. For the present we will but briefly speak of the occasion of this festival, and of the office of the Holy Spirit.

Sermons and Bible Commentaries/Bible Studies for Pentecost

A Trinitarian Pentecost
by The Rev. Charles Henrickson

The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. The exalted Son receives from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, and then he bestows the Spirit upon his church. That’s what happened at Pentecost, and it continues to this day. Jesus gives the Spirit to his church to empower her preaching of the gospel, bringing salvation to untold millions of people around the world, from the day of Pentecost up until this day, and till the day of Christ’s return. The Holy Trinity is doing something, actively rescuing sinners, giving us salvation, by bringing us the saving gospel. You yourself are among those recipients. By faith we receive the good news, in joy. By the Spirit’s working we believe in our Savior Jesus and so share in his victory. And by that same faith we now have and now a loving heavenly Father. It’s all good!

Pentecost Sunday
St. John's Orthodox Church

On this day, the fiftieth after Easter, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost when the fullness of the Holy Trinity was revealed through the coming of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit... Today faithful Orthodox Christians, members of the Church, of all ages and all over the world and of all nationalities and languages, celebrate the Feast of Pentecost together. Today we concelebrate the Feast with the Apostles and the Fathers, the Martyrs and the Confessors, of all ages, of ages past and of the present age and of the age to come. For we confess the same Orthodox Faith of the Holy Spirit, 'Who proceeds from the Father and rests on the Son', for we confess the same Orthodox Faith of the Holy Spirit, Who brings Wisdom and Unity wherever there is humility and purity of heart.

Devotional thoughts for The Feast of Pentecost
by Rev. Fr. Dr. VC Jose Chemmanam

On the day of pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon each of them in the form of Wind, Fire and Tongues. That is, the Holy spirit is compared to these three symbols: Let us meditate on these 3 symbols. The Holy Spirit descended in the form of Wind or Air. The Holy Spirit descended upon them in the form of Fire. The Disciples received the Holy Spirit in the form of Tongue. Without the Grace of the Holy Spirit there is no salvation, no true Christianity. The gift of the Holy Spirit is imperative in the life of Christians. Every Holy Qurbana becomes a pentecost - through the descent of the Holy Spirit on the faithful and the gifts (bread & wine) transforming them into the body of Christ.

Devotional thoughts for Meditation on Pentecost Sunday
by Rev. Fr. Alexander J. Kurien

This Sunday is that blessed Pentecost Sunday, 'the birthday of the Church'. Pentecost is a Greek word meaning '50', so we celebrate Pentecost 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. Forty days he taught and encouraged his followers, then after his Ascension, they waited another ten days for his gift of the Holy Spirit. In ancient Israel, Pentecost was the celebration of the wheat harvest, 50 days after the slaying of the Passover lamb. Since biblical times, the Jewish celebration ('Shavuot') also commemorates the day the Ten Commandments were revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Devotional Thoughts for the Sunday of Pentecost
by Rev. Fr. Dr. George Pulikkottil

The event of Pentecost is the link between Gospel and other part of the New Testament. It shows that the Church is the Church of Triune God; continuation of Creation, redemption in Christ and growing in Spirit. Why the liturgy of this Feast is like what a demonstration of the Holy Trinity, why there are three parts for the order of Service of the Feast of Pentecost? We worship the Triune God – The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Each of our prayers starts and ends in the name of Triune God. No doubt, we believe in One True God - "The Father who by His grace created the world, the Son who by His precious suffering redeemed the world and the Holy and Living Spirit who fulfills and perfects all that has been and all that will be."

Jesus as the Model of Love
by William Loader, Murdoch University, Australia

Abiding in Jesus: Joy, Faith and Discipleship
by Susan Hedahl

Exegetical Notes of John 15:1-8
by Brian P. Stoffregen, Faith Lutheran Church, Marysville, CA

Vine as a Symbol of Salvation
by William Loader, Murdoch University, Australia

Devotional Thoughts for the Feast of Pentecost
by Rev. Fr. Sam Mathew Kavumkal

Devotional Thoughts for Pentecost Sunday
by Jose Kurian Puliyeril

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