“WHITSUNDAY OF THE PARACLETE”
Saint John 14: 23-31
The Feast of Pentecost: 23 May Anno Domini 2021
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
The Third Person of The Trinity—The Holy Ghost/Spirit is God. He has always been God. There was never a time when The Holy Ghost was not. He was involved with The Father and The Son at creation “hovering over the face of the deep.” He is personified when The Lord is accompanied by two angels (thus making three visitors) in the appearance to Abraham by the plains of Mamre. He is “typified” when the Seraphs are chanting the trisagion, the three-fold Sanctus (Holy) in the vision permitted Esaias (Is 6). And because Jesus fills all the Scriptures…Jesus says so, so too the Holy Ghost inhabits every portion of the Holy Bible.
Pentecost is not the birthday of the Church—not even of the New Testament post-Ascension Church. The Spirit filled Adam and Eve after their creation, and even after their fall, their sinful rebellion, did not abandon them. Their small church was also the Temple of The Spirit. That is the same reality to which St. Paul reminds all of you “Corinthians:” “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of The Holy Ghost which is in you…” [1 Cor. 6.19a] You are God’s because you were placed deep inside Christ’s wounds, His heart, His very Body (which is The Church) in your Holy + Washings, wherein you were baptized in the Name of The Holy Ghost—along with The Name of The Father and The Son! The same 3rd Person Comforter Who descended upon The God/Man in the river Jordan in the form of a dove; that descended upon the Apostles’ heads in the form of cloven tongues of flame; is He that descended upon you in life-giving regenerative water, even as Jesus commanded at the end of Matthew’s Gospel.
Do you love The Holy Ghost? He is your Lord and Giver of Life. He gave you Jesus and Jesus is your Savior. He first gave The Son to The Virgin at the Annunciation. But He gives the same Son to each of you when and where the Word (Jesus) is place in you! Do you love The Holy Ghost?
“Jesus answered and said… ‘if a man love Me, he will keep my words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our abode with him.’”
Do you “keep” Jesus’ Words? Yes, yes you do. This does not mean that you are perfect. You are not. This means that you believe, teach, and confess Christ—His Person (who He is) and His Work (what He has done and What He continues to do). And how do you hold on to, guard, protect, and cherish—with heart and mouth—the Words of The Word? By the power of The Holy Ghost Who constrains you, guides you, and protects you! Again St. Paul states: “no man can say that Jesus is The Lord, but by The Holy Ghost” [1Cor. 12.3b].
Since the only comfort, real comfort and peace which passes all understanding, comes from Christ, The Holy Ghost brings you all that Jesus has to give you—all Jesus (save for ocular visibility and localized touchable sensation). The Paraclete first “spake” by the pens and mouths of the Patriarchs, Prophets, Judges, faithful Kings, Psalmists, and of course the great archetype Moses! But now in these last days God The Holy Ghost has spoken to us by The Son. He Who has The Son also has The Father. Your comfort is made real in The writings of The Evangelists and Epistle writers who record for you all that Jesus desires you have—IN TANGIBLE, TOUCHABLE, HEARABLE, form.
You have been catechized and you have vowed that THE FAITH (the contents of Christ’s revelation) is your faith (your heart’s & soul’s meat and drink): “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him (i.e. have comfort, remission of sins, and peace) but The Holy Ghost has called me by The Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts (Christ), sanctified and kept me in the true faith” [SC II.3].
“Peace I leave with you; My Peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth” says Christ. That Peace is Jesus which comes by The Holy Ghost. That is your comfort and your life.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
Email the webmaster.Contact Augsburg Lutheran Church: (913) 403-6194