DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Acts 19:1-8
(01/07 or 01/20)
Synaxis for the Forerunner, Prophet, and Baptist John
The Gift of the Holy Spirit: Acts 19:1-8, especially
vss. 1, 2: “Paul, having passed
through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples, he said to
them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not
so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’” Why
had these ‘disciples’ at Ephesus not even heard about the
“...Holy Spirit”?
Because they were disciples of the Forerunner John and had only learned
to repent in preparation for the One Who would come
and “...baptize ...with the Holy Spirit...” (Mt. 3:11).
The Apostle Paul did not miss the golden opportunity to
tell them that the expected Messiah had come (Acts 19:4). Immediately, at the Apostle’s
hands, the men received the full Mystery of Christ - Holy Baptism as the Lord
commanded (Mt. 28:19), the “...seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit”
in Holy Chrismation, and the Eucharistic Gifts. Then, “...the Holy Spirit came
upon them...” (Acts 19:6). The knowledge of, yes, experience
of the Holy Spirit is normal for all who are ‘in Christ.’ That is why the Apostle asked,
“Into what then were you baptized?” (vs. 3).
Today, many have received the form of the Christian Mystery
and have but an inkling of the Holy Spirit. Yet, as Saint Seraphim of Sarov says, in the activity of the Spirit
“...consists the true aim of our Christian life, while prayer, fasting,
almsgiving, and other good works done for Christ’s sake are merely means
of acquiring the Spirit of God.”
The danger of this state, the Elder also warns, is that in whatsoever
Christ finds us after this life in that He will judge us.
Every one of the Holy Mysteries emphasizes this full
‘acquiring’ or ‘obtaining’ of the Holy Spirit. Listen to the wording of the three
Liturgies of the Mysteries of Christ: first, at Holy Baptism we pray of Christ
our Master that each new servant would be filled “...with the power of
Thy Holy Spirit...that he may be no more a child of the body, but a child of
Thy kingdom.” In addition to
this prayer we also ask that the new servant of God, “...having preserved
the gift of Thy Holy Spirit, and increased the measure of grace committed unto
him...may receive the prize of his high calling and be numbered with the
first-born....”
Next, when a new servant of Christ receives Holy Chrismation, we pray that our Lord, having illumined His
new disciple by water and the Spirit, would grant “...unto him the seal
and gift of Thy holy, and almighty, and adorable Spirit...” to keep him
in sanctification, to confirm him in the Orthodox faith and to deliver him from
the Evil One and his machinations.
Finally, every time we receive Holy Communion, we pray God,
“...send down Thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these Gifts [to be the
precious Body of Thy Christ and the precious Blood of Thy Christ]...changing
them by Thy Holy Spirit...that to those who shall partake thereof they may be
unto cleansing of soul, unto the remission of sins, unto the communion of Thy
Holy Spirit, unto the fulfillment of the kingdom of heaven and unto boldness
toward Thee, and not unto judgment or unto condemnation.” Pray for the Holy Spirit to come,
indwell, and act.
The Lord Jesus intends that we know Him through the work of
the Holy Spirit within us (Jn. 14:16,17). He expects that we will work with the
Spirit to achieve what He Himself teaches and commands (Jn. 16:13,14). Saint
Seraphim explains that “...the Holy Spirit...acts within us and
establishes us in the Kingdom of God.” We find the same foundational work of
the Spirit in the texts used with the Tones at Orthros:
“...all creation together is regenerated...and returns to its former being....He
doth establish all creatures and preserve them in the Father and the Son....By
the Holy Spirit hath all holiness and wisdom been observed.”
O Heavenly Spirit, Light, Life and a living Fountain,
purify our offenses, Thou deifying Fire projecting from Fire, and distribute
Thy gifts upon us and save our souls.
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