WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.680 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 00:00:02.680 --> 00:00:09.519 of the Holy Spirit, Amen. We've come to the Sunday 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:13.599 after Ascension. Thursday was the Feast of the 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:16.960 Ascension of our Lord, and today is also the 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:21.719 Sunday before Pentecost. You can see, appear 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:24.559 to get a sort of a picture of what's going to 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:28.019 happen, and what happened. Today is called the 00:00:28.019 --> 00:00:32.700 Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical 00:00:32.700 --> 00:00:35.140 Council. Seems like a wonderful coincidence, 00:00:35.579 --> 00:00:39.039 this also being Father's Day. I wish all the 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:43.380 fathers and the godfathers many, many years, 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:48.600 especially to Skylar Silouan, whose three children 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:52.420 were baptized today, a special day for a father. 00:00:52.859 --> 00:00:58.210 And to Peter and Martin. and Daniel, and the 00:00:58.210 --> 00:01:01.469 Godmother, Natasha, of course, and Moshka Esther. 00:01:02.270 --> 00:01:06.950 May God bless you on this glorious day. This 00:01:06.950 --> 00:01:11.129 being the feast of the Holy Fathers of the First 00:01:11.129 --> 00:01:17.189 Ecumenical Council, well, there are 14 sermons 00:01:17.189 --> 00:01:22.390 on this feast day on our parish website given 00:01:22.390 --> 00:01:25.049 by Father Michael, Father John, Father James. 00:01:26.299 --> 00:01:30.799 So you can listen to those. So instead of me 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:34.900 preaching on that, many of you have heard this 00:01:34.900 --> 00:01:38.180 14 times. So I'd like to say something about 00:01:38.180 --> 00:01:41.879 Pentecost. One aspect of the feast, not so much 00:01:41.879 --> 00:01:46.439 a homily as maybe just some information. Of course, 00:01:46.459 --> 00:01:51.980 Pascha. Think back now, almost 50 days. Pascha, 00:01:52.040 --> 00:01:55.319 the Feast of Feasts. What did we sing? This is 00:01:55.319 --> 00:01:58.079 the day which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:01.579 and be glad in it. And we sang and we sang and 00:02:01.579 --> 00:02:03.540 we sang and in the middle of the night we're 00:02:03.540 --> 00:02:08.319 doing processions and then later liturgy and 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:13.919 then eating in the hall at 3 a .m. This is not 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:18.080 normal behavior. This is festal behavior. This 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:22.409 is because it's the feast of feasts. Yet, without 00:02:22.409 --> 00:02:29.610 Pentecost, 50 days after Passover, Pascha, Passover, 00:02:29.750 --> 00:02:33.469 Pascha, same word, different language. Without 00:02:33.469 --> 00:02:38.629 Pentecost, that feast, what we celebrate, the 00:02:38.629 --> 00:02:41.949 resurrection of Christ, is something outside 00:02:41.949 --> 00:02:46.169 of us. It's external to us. We can't access it. 00:02:46.810 --> 00:02:49.210 We can celebrate it to some degree. We can make 00:02:49.210 --> 00:02:51.370 all kinds of food. We can have barbecues. We 00:02:51.370 --> 00:02:57.250 can sing. But without Pentecost, there's no gift 00:02:57.250 --> 00:03:05.050 of it within us. We cannot become members of 00:03:05.050 --> 00:03:11.909 the church. We have no Holy Spirit. We have no 00:03:11.909 --> 00:03:16.919 living soul. Without Pentecost. Pascha is the 00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:21.639 Lord's feast. Pentecost is our feast. Now let's 00:03:21.639 --> 00:03:24.840 look back a bit. During the 40 days of Lent, 00:03:24.900 --> 00:03:30.060 we tried, we gave ourselves to worship, prayer, 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:35.139 fasting, works of mercy, and we all, catechumens 00:03:35.139 --> 00:03:39.900 and the rest of us, look forward to Pascha. And 00:03:39.900 --> 00:03:43.400 when we reached Holy Saturday, We heard that 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:45.860 long and incredible and beautiful reading from 00:03:45.860 --> 00:03:50.659 Exodus, during which we sing that refrain, for 00:03:50.659 --> 00:03:54.500 gloriously has he been glorified. Do you remember? 00:03:55.319 --> 00:03:58.139 And the readers in the middle, Alex is chanting, 00:03:58.280 --> 00:04:01.180 the chariots of Pharaoh and his host, he hurled 00:04:01.180 --> 00:04:03.560 into the sea, the chosen mounted captains, he 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:06.300 plunged into the Red Sea. To the Lord let us 00:04:06.300 --> 00:04:09.900 sing, and we sing, for gloriously is he glorified. 00:04:10.330 --> 00:04:13.969 With open sea he covered them. They sank, Pharaoh, 00:04:14.229 --> 00:04:18.430 into the deep like a stone. To the Lord let us 00:04:18.430 --> 00:04:22.170 sing, for gloriously is he glorified. This is 00:04:22.170 --> 00:04:24.949 a story about Moses and the people of the Hebrews 00:04:24.949 --> 00:04:29.050 of Israel escaping the slavery of Egypt. Chasing 00:04:29.050 --> 00:04:32.810 them is the mighty army of Pharaoh. The most 00:04:32.810 --> 00:04:35.670 powerful in the ancient world. The most powerful. 00:04:38.029 --> 00:04:43.420 But he sunk. He is sunk. And the people of the 00:04:43.420 --> 00:04:46.579 Hebrews, having celebrated the Passover, the 00:04:46.579 --> 00:04:51.079 angel passing over their houses, eating the roasted 00:04:51.079 --> 00:04:54.939 lamb, having the unleavened bread, getting ready 00:04:54.939 --> 00:05:00.360 to go. This is Passover. This is Pascha. They 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:03.439 passed over the Red Sea, and the Egyptians were 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:07.920 destroyed. Israel was free. They were led by 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:12.259 God. But then what? That's what they said. You 00:05:12.259 --> 00:05:15.480 brought us out here to die? There's no graves 00:05:15.480 --> 00:05:18.339 in Egypt? You have to bring us to the desert? 00:05:20.339 --> 00:05:25.899 What then? What then? The Lord led his people 00:05:25.899 --> 00:05:30.920 by a pillar of fire and by a cloud of glory to 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:37.579 Sinai. And there, 50 days after the Pascha, after 00:05:37.579 --> 00:05:43.209 the Passover, Moses, that's why it's called Pentecost, 00:05:43.230 --> 00:05:50.629 right? Pente, 50. Moses was on Sinai, standing 00:05:50.629 --> 00:05:56.089 in the glory of God, speaking to the Lord as 00:05:56.089 --> 00:06:00.089 a man speaks to his friend face to face. And 00:06:00.089 --> 00:06:02.509 the mountain was covered with smoke, and the 00:06:02.509 --> 00:06:05.730 people were terrified. What was going on. But 00:06:05.730 --> 00:06:08.629 Moses was in the divine council. And he was being 00:06:08.629 --> 00:06:11.170 illumined. And he received the tablets of the 00:06:11.170 --> 00:06:15.170 law. That is all of God's teaching. Everything. 00:06:18.310 --> 00:06:22.410 50. Now here's a little math for you. The number 00:06:22.410 --> 00:06:29.230 50. Doesn't mean much to us. But if you're reading 00:06:29.230 --> 00:06:31.769 the Bible. If you're reading the scriptures. 00:06:32.870 --> 00:06:39.089 50. means absolute perfection, beyond perfection. 00:06:40.389 --> 00:06:44.449 Seven is what? The Sabbath day. Yes, we say Sunday 00:06:44.449 --> 00:06:47.389 is the eighth day, the day of the Lord, the day 00:06:47.389 --> 00:06:50.769 without evening, a taste of Pascha every single 00:06:50.769 --> 00:06:56.069 Sunday. But seven times seven is 49, right? Seven 00:06:56.069 --> 00:07:01.220 weeks. Of Sabbath joy. Of Sabbath rest. Of Sabbath 00:07:01.220 --> 00:07:06.480 God's dominion and reign and rule. Plus one. 00:07:07.060 --> 00:07:12.540 Fifty. Beyond all of that. That's what Moses 00:07:12.540 --> 00:07:16.019 was experiencing on the mountain. And he comes 00:07:16.019 --> 00:07:19.519 down with the tablets of the law. and his face 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:22.639 is shining with the uncreated light, and the 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.180 people can't even look at him. This receiving 00:07:25.180 --> 00:07:30.459 of the law, this 50 days after Passover, that's 00:07:30.459 --> 00:07:33.680 the Feast of Pentecost. That's why in Acts, Luke 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:37.160 says St. Paul was hurrying, he was eager, he 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:40.519 was anxious to be in Jerusalem for the Day of 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:44.779 Pentecost, when thousands of pious Jewish believers 00:07:44.779 --> 00:07:49.550 would gather for that feast day. To recommit 00:07:49.550 --> 00:07:54.310 and to celebrate that receiving of the law on 00:07:54.310 --> 00:08:01.209 Sinai. All that is to say, and to remind us of 00:08:01.209 --> 00:08:03.550 the truth, that those who are baptized today, 00:08:03.769 --> 00:08:06.769 those who are baptized on Lazarus Saturday, and 00:08:06.769 --> 00:08:10.829 those who were baptized long ago, also experience 00:08:10.829 --> 00:08:18.170 the same victory on Passover, Pascha. Not the 00:08:18.170 --> 00:08:22.389 crossing of the sea, but dying and rising in 00:08:22.389 --> 00:08:28.329 the waters. Free, not from Pharaoh and his harm 00:08:28.329 --> 00:08:31.529 and slavery, but free from sin and death. Believe 00:08:31.529 --> 00:08:34.830 it, free from sin and death. This is why we should 00:08:34.830 --> 00:08:38.929 be joyful. Our merciful and mighty God offers 00:08:38.929 --> 00:08:44.029 us the gift of overcoming death. The early Christians 00:08:44.029 --> 00:08:51.320 were not afraid of death. Dying in any way. Our 00:08:51.320 --> 00:08:54.299 merciful God offers us not only the gift of overcoming 00:08:54.299 --> 00:08:57.360 death and the forgiveness of sin, which kills 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:04.740 the soul, sin, and healing. Yet Pascha and the 00:09:04.740 --> 00:09:09.340 40 days of Pascha, they have prepared us for 00:09:09.340 --> 00:09:13.960 something that is coming next Sunday. Just like 00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:18.960 Lent prepared us for Pascha, so we are prepared 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:22.059 for Pentecost. The Lord said, we heard it on 00:09:22.059 --> 00:09:25.080 Thursday night of Holy Week. It is to your advantage, 00:09:25.220 --> 00:09:28.620 he said to the apostles, that I go away. That 00:09:28.620 --> 00:09:31.460 is, ascend to the throne of the Father. For if 00:09:31.460 --> 00:09:33.720 I do not go away, the Comforter, the Helper, 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:38.289 will not come to you. And Jesus told the apostles 00:09:38.289 --> 00:09:40.769 before his ascension that they would be clothed 00:09:40.769 --> 00:09:43.610 with power from on high at the coming of the 00:09:43.610 --> 00:09:47.690 Spirit. Clothed. Imagine that. You that are newly 00:09:47.690 --> 00:09:51.110 baptized have put on Christ. But Christ also 00:09:51.110 --> 00:09:54.110 says you will be clothed, we will be clothed 00:09:54.110 --> 00:09:56.789 with the Spirit, the profound nature of that 00:09:56.789 --> 00:10:01.700 act. When we place ourselves, within the power 00:10:01.700 --> 00:10:04.659 of the grace of the Holy Spirit, if we place 00:10:04.659 --> 00:10:09.159 ourselves within the power of apathy and sin 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:14.779 and forgetfulness, breaking the commandments, 00:10:15.100 --> 00:10:20.299 that clothing doesn't happen. We are covered 00:10:20.299 --> 00:10:23.340 by the Spirit as with a garment. And like a garment, 00:10:23.399 --> 00:10:28.039 we put him on. And we enter him, and he enters 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:33.159 us. This is what all the saints tell us. This 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:37.059 is what the scripture tells us. He who believes 00:10:37.059 --> 00:10:40.519 in me, says Christ, as scripture says, out of 00:10:40.519 --> 00:10:43.299 his heart shall flow rivers of living water. 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:46.179 He meant the Holy Spirit, it says. And a new 00:10:46.179 --> 00:10:49.360 heart, says Ezekiel, also will I give you, and 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:53.759 a new spirit will I put within you. This is not 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:58.909 a metaphor. We gloss over it. Perhaps we're embarrassed 00:10:58.909 --> 00:11:02.990 by the profound nature that we are called by 00:11:02.990 --> 00:11:08.350 God to become and to receive so that we may become. 00:11:09.669 --> 00:11:12.710 We hear those words and they sound religious, 00:11:12.769 --> 00:11:16.710 but they have lost their salt, their fervor, 00:11:16.710 --> 00:11:21.090 because we just let them go. We don't embrace 00:11:21.090 --> 00:11:26.179 them and say, Lord, here am I. I hear your words 00:11:26.179 --> 00:11:30.139 about rivers of living water coming out of my 00:11:30.139 --> 00:11:33.659 heart and a heart not of stone, the law of God 00:11:33.659 --> 00:11:36.679 written in my heart, not in tablets, but in my 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:41.120 heart, in the ink of the Spirit. I hear those 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:45.620 words and yet do nothing. I go back to what I 00:11:45.620 --> 00:11:51.940 call normal. Dear friends, next Sunday we will 00:11:51.940 --> 00:11:56.850 gather. Not as individuals, yes, we have personal 00:11:56.850 --> 00:12:00.590 relationship with our Lord, but as a parish, 00:12:00.730 --> 00:12:04.110 as members of the body of Christ. To do what? 00:12:04.289 --> 00:12:07.750 To celebrate that gift of the giving of the Holy 00:12:07.750 --> 00:12:10.850 Spirit, which means for us, like the Jews in 00:12:10.850 --> 00:12:15.289 Jerusalem on Pentecost, a recommitment to the 00:12:15.289 --> 00:12:18.129 Lord and to the vision of what I'm talking about. 00:12:18.990 --> 00:12:23.809 The life of the Spirit, the new covenant. We 00:12:23.809 --> 00:12:28.210 call on the Spirit of God, by whom we say Jesus 00:12:28.210 --> 00:12:31.830 is Lord, by whom we are made members of his body, 00:12:31.950 --> 00:12:37.169 by whom we are cleansed, from whom we receive 00:12:37.169 --> 00:12:41.110 his fruits, love, joy, peace, mercy, kindness, 00:12:41.210 --> 00:12:46.230 gentleness, self -control. And we're confronted 00:12:46.230 --> 00:12:52.289 in our struggle against sin, we are comforted. 00:12:53.070 --> 00:12:56.230 And we little by little acquire the likeness 00:12:56.230 --> 00:12:59.909 of Christ, his virtues, his holiness and goodness. 00:13:01.509 --> 00:13:06.970 Pentecost is the feast that makes Pascha real. 00:13:07.169 --> 00:13:10.669 And we don't celebrate it with any less splendor, 00:13:10.669 --> 00:13:14.669 with any less joy and exuberance. May the Lord 00:13:14.669 --> 00:13:18.570 enlighten all of us by his mercy. Through the 00:13:18.570 --> 00:13:21.129 grace and love toward mankind of his only begotten 00:13:21.129 --> 00:13:23.750 Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, now and ever, to 00:13:23.750 --> 00:13:25.529 ages of ages. Amen.