WHITSUNDAY 2002
(Traditional Anglicans use as Epistle the 2nd choice found on page 182 Book of Common Prayer I Cor. 12:4 - that is the text for the sermon. Use Gospel found on page 181 Book of Common Prayer John 14:15-21
Introduction
1. Origin of the Feast of Pentecost
A feast of the universal Church which commemorates the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ, on the ancient Jewish festival called the "feast of weeks" or Pentecost (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). Whitsunday is so called from the white garments which were worn by those who were baptized during the vigil; Pentecost is the Greek for "the fiftieth" (day after Easter).
In Italy it was customary to scatter rose leaves from the ceiling of the churches to recall the miracle of the fiery tongues reported in Acts 2; hence in Sicily and elsewhere in Italy Whitsunday is called Pascha rosatum. The Italian name Pascha rossa comes from the red colors of the vestments used on Whitsunday. In France it was customary to blow trumpets during Divine service, to recall the sound of the mighty wind which accompanied the Descent of the Holy Ghost.
2. The birthday of the Church
The feast of the Holy Trinity (otherwise, Pentecost) is dedicated to the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on the fiftieth day after the
Resurrection of Christ. This event brought into existence the Church of Christ and gave rise to the Christian faith on earth. On the feast of Pentecost the
Church brings its children to the doors of its spiritual life and appeals to them to renew and strengthen in themselves the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to them in Baptism. Spiritual life of an individual is impossible without God’s grace, which possesses the mysterious power of rebirth and transforms the whole of the Christian’s inward life. However lofty and valuable his desire might be, it will be fulfilled by the Holy Spirit. That is why the
feast of Pentecost is always so joyfully celebrated by Orthodox Christians.
3. The Epistle in I Cor 12 tells of the variety of gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to the Christians in order to build up the church’s service in this world.
Have you ever received a Christmas gift, that you had no idea how to use? Have you ever asked yourself, what am I to do with this? Have you ever given a gift away or hidden it?
In Miss Manner’s "Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior," much is made of thank-you notes, especially thank you notes for wedding presents.
Most of just have received gifts that we weren’t quite sure how to use. We smile politely, say, "thank you very much," but think to ourselves, "what on earth am I supposed to do with this?" With any luck, the giver will give us some clue as to the intended purpose of the item. But, just as often, we are left to figure it out for ourselves.
No doubt many have thoughts about the gift of the Holy Spirit - and the question is asked, "What on earth am I supposed to do with this?"
That is the question we should reflect on today. What am I to do with this gift the Lord has given me?
The Church, from the New Testament, has identified Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The Seven Gifts sanctifying gifts of the Spirit are: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord.
We can all use more wisdom, more understanding, more knowledge can’t we? Don’t we all need to have more fortitude, more piety, and fear of the Lord? These are gifts that God gives us inhe Christian life. The Spirit of God works with us in improving this new creature that we are to be.
WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
A. John 14:25 HE IS OUR ADVOCATE
Jesus says that if he goes away, he will send a Comforter, and Advocate. Literally, He was saying The Father, in My Name, will send One to stand beside you, be on your side.
Our spiritual enemy is called in the New Testament “The Accuser of the Brethren.”
If you have ever been slandered, you know how it hurts, especially if you were blamed for something when you were trying to do a good thing. Each one of us has a slanderer in our own mind which makes us on occasion blame others when we have failed.
That same slanderer makes us doubt ourselves when we are asked to do something for Christ’s Kingdom. Have you ever thought of a project that should be done for the good of others, or for the Church, and immediately doubted you could do it? You can bet it was not Christ speaking to you at that moment.
In those times, try to remember that Jesus is on your side. The spirit that the Father sends, inspires you to good and great things. You wouldn’t have the
Good idea if it were not given to you. Any good the Spirit helps you to see as necessary, can be accomplished. Only our old spiritual enemy, the Slanderer stirs up doubts, and immobilizes us.
B. THE SPIRIT IS OUR TEACHER John 14:26
“The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the father will send in my name–he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”
Later in the Gospel of John we read that Jesus breathed on the Disciples and said “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Jesus promised (Mat. 28:18-20) to be with his Disciples as they told the Gospel story and baptized persons so they too would receive
the Holy Spirit.
Jesus promises his followers that they need not be overly concerned about what to say when witnessing, that the words would be given, would come to
them. We call this inspiration, which literally means filled with the spirit.
Our word enthusiastic comes from a Greek phrase that means being filled with God.
That does not remove from us the responsibility to prepare by reading the Bible and prayerful study. We should say with King David, “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” We should, as St. Paul said, “Study to show ourselves before God as approved workmen.” But if we do our part, God’s spirit will be present to aid us, to inspire our memories.
Not every Christian has to witness with words, or by occupying an office in the Church. A person who shows kindness and charity is often a better witness than the
person who teaches.
C. THE SPIRIT IS THE BRINGER OF PEACE AND UNITY AND FORGIVENESS
Jesus said to his disciples “Peace is my farewell to you, my peace is my gift to you.” (John 14:27) “ Do not be distressed or fearful.”
This Holy Spirit that is given to us by The Father and The Son, is to bring peace. If you find any undertaking takes away the peace of Christ, then you have a clue it is ill founded, wrong. Inner peace is the best gauge we have that we are on the right
track.
Sometimes, very rarely, it is our duty to correct others. If we cannot do this and maintain inner peace, we are on a fool’s mission.
One purpose of the Gift of the Holy Spirit to us is to enable us to “maintain the unity of the faith in the bond of peace.” If we have lost peace at home, at work, at church, or within ourselves, that is a sure sign we need to repent. We need to stop dead in
our tracks and go to confession. We should do this whether a priest is available or not. "If we confess our sins (that is our alienation from God and His righteous ways), He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
When Jesus was commissioning his disciples, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive any man his sins, they are forgiven.”
“Whatever you bind on earth, is bound in heaven.”
This forgiveness of sins, not only of others, but of our own is critical if we are to maintain unity in the Church and community, and if we are to have internal peace.
It is the ability to forgive others, and ourselves, that makes it possible for us to continue our efforts in spite of failures and difficulties.
Jesus taught us to pray saying “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” This is a natural law. If you can love those who treat you as enemies and forgive them, they will in turn, if they are sane, attempt to return friendship and compassion. This is what the orientals call karma. This is the “Law of the Harvest.” “As a man sows, so shall he also reap.”
If we are gracious and forgiving, we shall receive grace and forgiveness.
D. THE SPIRIT ENERGIZES US BY THE CHARISM, THE GIFT OF LOVE
Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. This is the mark of a Christian Church, the love, the sharing of
burdens, the forgiving one another and the mutual help and encouragement.
All good things come from God. Our ability to think is a gift, our memory is a gift, our daily work and daily bread is a gift, our friends and relatives are gifts. Any talent, any good that is in us is a gift from God God gave us this gift of the Holy Spirit so that we will have the ability to reflect his redeeming love in this world.
This is the way we know we are God’s children, if we have been gifted with love.
As Saint Paul said, "If I speak with human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love, I am as a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and, with full knowledge, comprehend all mysteries, if I have faith great enough to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."
"Love is patient; love is kind, Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs, it is not snobbish. Love is never rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not prone to anger; neither does it brood over injuries. Love does not rejoice in what is wrong but rejoices with the truth."
"There is no limit to love’s forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure."
"There are in the end three things that last: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love."
At our baptism we are “Christened.” We are named, we are brought into Christ. The Bishop lays hands on our head and prays for us that we will be filled with the Holy Spirit. We who have thus accepted Christ, are a part of the new creation.
The engine that keeps this movement working is the love of God. Jesus says, if we do not have this spirit, we are not his. If we come to this Church of the Good Shepherd and leave without the love of God in our heart, we are definitely in the wrong place.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote
“He prayeth best who loveth best all things both great and small”.
And the Great God who loves us, he loved and made us all.
