09.06.2019 Whit-Sunday

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Par′thians and Medes and E′lamites and residents of Mesopota′mia, Judea and Cappado′cia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phryg′ia and Pamphyl′ia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyre′ne, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the magnitude of god.

Jesus had grown up to the rhythm of the Jewish festivals. His praying, celebrating and working was determined by his Jewish topsoil. We should remember that many religious festivals are related to nature and agriculture, in our festivals we first thank the Creator, without whom there would be no growth and prosperity. The Jews remembered the covenant on the day of Pentecost, the great gift that God made to His people, the covenant He made with them on Mount Sinai, and the 10 commandments that God has given to Moses. They are the founding rules of a good and successful life for all people. Jesus came as pilgrims to Jerusalem to celebrate Easter with his apostles, his companions, his mother and friends in the city. We know from the Gospel that he gave a new celebration during the Passover meal with bread and wine, which is celebrated to this day in his memory. How it went on, we know – trial, condemnation, death on the cross, the culmination of Jewish Easter. And then, in the morning of the morning – the empty grave – its appearance and the order to stay and to wait, what will happen

After 50 days at the Jewish Pentecost, countless pilgrims from all parts of the world were in Jerusalem again. What happened to us in the Acts of the Apostles happened: an incomprehensible event, a roar, a storm, fire flames – the people were overwhelmed as these people from Galilee speak to them and everyone hears them speaking in their own language. The disciples interpret it as “the fulfillment of all things with the Holy Spirit.” The power of the Holy Spirit also works in us, we ask him for his help, we implore him to enable us to take the right path, to fulfill the commandments of the Lord and to praise the Lord in a pure heart with our fellow men.