Слово в день Пятидесятницы. Блаженного Августина

The longed-for day has dawned on us, brothers, and the Holy Church now shines in the eyes and flames in the hearts of believers. We celebrate the day on which the Lord Jesus Christ, glorified by his resurrection by ascension, sent the Holy Spirit. For this is what we read in the Gospel: when the Lord said: If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Believe in Me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living waters will flow out of his belly. The Evangelist, explaining this, says: this is the speech about Dus, whom believers want to receive in His name: for he did not have the Holy Spirit, for Jesus was not glorified (John 7:37-39). Therefore it was necessary that after the glorification of Jesus, after He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit should be given, and that the same One who promised would send Him. This came true. The Lord, after His resurrection for fourty days, spoke with His disciples, ascended into heaven, and on the fiftieth day, which we now celebrate, He sent the Holy Spirit, as it is written: and suddenly there was a sound from heaven, like a storm of breath, and the nations appeared to them divided like fire, sitting on one of them, and began to speak with other tongues, like the Spirit Let us preach to them (Acts 2:2–4). That breath cleansed hearts from carnal spittle; that fire burned up the hay of old lust; those languages ​​in which those filled with the Holy Spirit spoke foreshadowed the Church, which had to speak in the languages ​​of all nations. For just as after the flood, the proud wickedness of people created a high tower against the Lord, and the human race then deserved to be divided into different languages, so that each people, speaking in its own language, would not be understood by others: so the humble piety of the faithful turned the difference of languages to the unity of the Church, so that what was scattered by discord would be gathered by love, and the scattered members of the human race, like members of one body, would be united under the one Head Christ, and by the fire of love they would be fused into one holy thing. body. So, this gift of the Holy Spirit is completely alien to those who hate the grace of the world and do not maintain the fellowship of unity. Even if they now gather solemnly, even if they hear readings telling how the Holy Spirit is promised and sent: they hear this to their own condemnation, and not to their benefit. Indeed, what good is it for them to accept with their ears what they reject with their hearts, and to celebrate the day whose light they hate? But you, my brothers, members of the body of Christ, branches of unity, sons of the world, you spend this day joyfully, celebrate safely. What was envisioned in those days when the Holy Spirit came is being fulfilled in you. Just as then everyone who received the Holy Spirit spoke in all languages, so now unity among all nations speaks in all languages. Living in this unity, you have the Holy Spirit, for you are not separated by any schism from the Church of Christ, which speaks in all languages. Amen 119. In the collection of words of Bl. Augustine 271, and on Pentecost the 5th. See Sunday. Read VIII (1844–45), p. 67. You might be interested in: