The miracle of Pentecost

It was Pentecost. One of the greatest feasts of the Hebrews. It was decreed to commemorate the Ten Commandments, which were given to the Hebrews fifty days after the exodus from Egypt. This is why it is celebrated fifty days after Passover. During the feast of Pentecost, which coincides with the beginning of the harvest and the gathering of the first crops, which is called the first fruits, the Jewish people expressed their thanksgiving to the most gracious God for the new fruit of the earth with a public religious celebration because, without seasonable weather, rain, and the warmth of the sun, what can bear fruit? A great many people from the country, and from distant places, too, where the Jews had spread, came to the capital in great numbers to celebrate Pentecost at the unique Temple of Solomon. During this year the flocking together of pilgrims from all parts was greater than at any other time because Christ’s fame had gone beyond the boarders of Palestine and many people came to see and hear the Rabbi. But alas! They had not come in time. Because Jesus’ enemies in Jerusalem seized Him and crucified Him. Certainly, many people were talking about the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. But a strong voice defending Jesus as we have said, was not heard. The disciples did not appear publicly. Where were they? They were in the upper room in Jerusalem, praying. There they were awaiting the fulfillment of the promise of the Lord. (Acts 1: 4-5)

Suddenly a loud sound was heard. There was not a person in Jerusalem that did not hear it. It sounded like a very strong wind. A sound that did not come from the earth but from heaven. A heavenly sound. It came down from high above forcibly. The sound was directed toward the house in which the disciples of Jesus were congregated. The house filled up with the sound. Immediately tongues appeared which were like fire, they separated and each of them alighted on each of the disciples, and they started speaking in different languages. Not only all those who lived permanently in the capital, but those who came to Jerusalem from different places, from Parthia, Media, Elam and Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Pontos, Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and Libya, Rome, Crete, and Arabia. All these people, whether they were Israelites by birth or foreign proselytes, or were not proselytes at all but were at Jerusalem for various reasons, all this people, representatives so to speak of all the known world, heard the Apostles speaking in their own language and dialect about Jesus Christ. And because all knew that the disciples were from Galilee, and only spoke the Jewish language, they were astonished at this amazing and unprecedented phenomenon. It happened before a countless multitude. A miracle of enormous proportion. A miracle? No, say the enemies of the faith, those who refuse to believe in any supernatural element out of hand. Representatives of the unbelievers were found there, too, at that time. They saw the miracle but they did not believe. Not only didn’t they believe, but they derided it and said about the Apostles: “They are full of new wine!” They are very drunk! What a distortion, what a slander of the most evident and eloquent expression of the Holy Spirit! But worldly men, who are superficial and corrupt, attribute vile causes of the most divine things.

They interpret everything according to their corrupt dispositions and hearts. But their interpretations are ridiculous, as ridiculous as the interpretation given by the Jehovah’s Witnesses to the miracle of Pentecost. They said that the disciples were drunk. First of all, it was morning when the miracle took place, a time when men did not get drunk. After which, and most importantly, the Apostles did not appear to be drunk. The drunk is not capable of speaking his own language properly. He babbles. While the Apostles spoke those foreign languages flawlessly. This by itself was something that was amazing. For how could simple men, by fishermen profession, who had never gone beyond the boarders of Palestine, suddenly know foreign languages? In order to learn a foreign language, either one must go to a foreign land and live there for years, or go to a school where foreign languages are taught and study for years. And still their knowledge will not be complete. But the Apostles had never gone outside of Palestine, nor studied in schools or books on foreign languages. And yet in a twinkling they became linguists.

But the astonishing thing is not just the Apostle’s knowledge of foreign languages. There are people who speak many languages. But what is that? It a would be better to know only their mother tongue. Because, being without any sense, whatever foolishness might have in their brains they will express it in more than one language, and appear ridiculous to many people. Language is not an end but the means by which ideas are expressed. And the ideas that the Apostles were expressing were the clearest, the highest, the most beneficial of all ideas. If gold were coming out of their mouths, it would not have been worth the words that were coming out of their spirit-moved lips. Their minds were exalted. Because of this, though prior to this they spoke of worldly and humble things, and quarreled about who would have first place amongst them, and could not rise to the heights of the thoughts of the Teacher, and heard from Him: “Are you also still without understanding?” (Matthew 15: 16) Now their tongue becomes a “pen of a swiftly writing scribe.” (Psalm 44: 1 LX)

Now the Apostles speak with strength, with persuasion, with invincible arguments. They speak about the “grandeur of God.” Everything, no matter how great it appears in the eyes of the world, appears small and unimportant in the eyes of the Apostles before the revealed mystery, before the surpassing love of God Who became man, suffered the cross and death in order to elevate man in the glory of His Kingdom. The philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and other philosophers, compared to the teaching of the Apostles, prove to be worthless metal before pure gold. What foolishness and errors the books of the wise have. A small child who hears the pure teaching of the Apostles, acquires pure ideas about God, about the world, about man, about the soul and immortality.

An ancient philosopher, no matter how great he might be, would be amazed to hear a Christian child speak about the above higher matters, and would say: “What does this mean?” (Acts 2: 12) Comparing Plato to Peter, St. John Chrysostom says: “And Plato having spoken about many things is silenced; He, however, is not only speaking only to his own, but even to Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Indians, and to everywhere on earth, to the ends of the universe. Where is the conceit of Greece now? Where is Athen’s name? Where is the prattling nonsense of the philosophers? The disciples from Galilee, from Bethesda overcome all of these.”

My dear readers! We have seen the miracle of Pentecost. The miracle was witnessed not just by a few people, but by thousands of people, because everyone who was attracted to Christianity through the preaching of the Apostles, received the rich blessings of the Holy Spirit and constituted living proof of the miracle. The Church, composed of believers filled with the Holy Spirit, was a living Church, whose presence was felt by the whole world. It did not matter that the Apostolic Church did not have the external splendor of today’s Church. It did not matter that it did not have beautiful houses of worship. It did not matter that it did not have golden icon stands, candlesticks and censors. It did not matter that the hierarchs did not have gold embroidered vestments. It did not matter that they did not have golden chalices. It did not matter that they did not have material riches. So what? It did not have gold and silver, but it had golden hearts?

The tongues of the bishops, the priests, and the teachers of the Church were tongues of fire. Each one of them ignited thousands of torches. And the whole Church was illuminated. Each one of them burned the heresies like dry grass, and cleared the field of God. Each of them invoked the name of Jesus of Nazareth and performed miracles. And the tongues of infants lisped the words of eternal life. Thus the miracle of Pentecost was witnessed by thousands of people.

But today? Even though they live in the midst of God’s mysteries and miracles, people have become wretched worshipers of material things. They put their faith only in material things and live for them. And they are even ready to fight for and shed their blood for particles of matter. Matter is their god. They do not want to hear anything about the Spirit. And like their ancient brothers they sneer at the mystery of the Holy Spirit. They mock and speak derisively about those who dare to speak about the spirit ....

Has the dove flown away from the earth? Has the heavenly fire been put out? Has a glacier of religious indifference and unbelief covered the earth? Have we again come to a day and age in which these awful words of God apply: “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh.” (Genesis 6: 3) Has the time come for another worldwide catastrophe, in which the mockers and scoffers of the saving fire of the Holy Spirit are destroyed?

But let us not despair. The Holy Spirit exists. He exists in the sacraments. He exists in the Word of God. He exists in the Saints who are wondrous in the Lord. He exists in every believing heart. The Holy Spirit flows wherever He wishes. And He can again repeat the miracle of Pentecost. As St. John Chrysostom observes: “We can have Pentecost always.”

The Holy Spirit! How necessary is your presence in today’s materialistic world! Again blow as a strong wind shaking the consciences of sinners. Uproot the awful passions. Speak to the world again with fiery tongues. Raise up warm and burning men, like the Apostles and great fathers and teachers of the Church, in order that they may again speak with power about Your grandeur to the whole earth. Turn the world back to You. Multiply Your miracles upon the earth.

Come, Holy Spirit.