Слово на Святую Пятидесятницу. Святого Прокла, архиепископа Константинопольского

On this day, beloved, the grace of the Holy Spirit has descended. From this day on, having received the beginning and growing, she is exalted and glorified even to this day. The grace of the Holy Spirit shone forth, and suddenly the lips of the ignorant in words became eloquent, the tongues of the unenlightened were opened, the hearts of the fishermen were inflamed with boldness. This grace, now descended from heaven, drives out fear from my poverty. Thus, the Apostle Peter, before the appearance of the Spirit, showed such timidity in himself that he denied the Lord before an insignificant slave (Matthew 26:69-70), but after the descent of the Spirit, he boldly confessed Him before the nations and kings, crying out: we cannot, what we have seen and heard, not speak (Acts 4:20). The Jews considered the oracle of the apostles, which came from the Holy Spirit, to be drunkenness, saying: as if they were filled with wine (Acts 2:13). But the Apostle Peter answered this perfectly. By saying that it was still three o’clock in the afternoon, he strongly repelled the slander and also proved the consistency of the miracle that had taken place. The cross was established at the third hour: at the third hour the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of fire, telling them that the Spirit is God. For our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). The Lord descended on the earth like rain on a fleece (Ps. 71:6), because He condescended to arrange our salvation; but at the descent of the Spirit, so that it would be revealed that the Spirit is God, there was a sound from heaven, like the breath of a storm (Acts 2:2). From this know that the Holy Spirit is God. Isaiah says: I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted. And the seraphim stood around Him. And I heard the Lord saying: Whom will I send and who will go to this people? For the heart of these people is clouded, and their ears are hard to hear, and their eyes are closed, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I will heal (Isa. 6:1, 2, 8-10; Matt. 13:15; Acts 28:27). Do you want to be convinced, Doukhoborets, that the Holy Spirit sat on this high and exalted throne? Listen to the Apostle Paul and be convinced. Conducted to the throne in Rome, Paul found a large number of Jews there, and taught them the word of salvation: I have believed, but I have not believed. But if things do not agree, we depart from each other, I said to Paul one verb: “Good is the Holy Spirit,” the prophet Isaiah said: “You will hear by hearing, and not understand” (Acts 28:24–26). Do you see that the Holy Spirit is Lord and God? And is not the Spirit everywhere glorified in the Trinity in the law? Listen to what the Prophet also says: By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth all their strength (Ps. 32:6). But even in the covenant of grace, when the Savior received saving baptism, the Father testified from heaven about the Son, and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove (Luke 3:22). This very Spirit descended now in the form of fire and ascended to each of the apostles. Do you see that the apostles are also thrones? For it is said: God sits on His holy throne (Ps. 46:9). This Spirit killed Ananias, who lied (Acts 5:9). This Spirit distributes gifts, dividing them as He pleases (1 Cor. 12:11). Filled with this Spirit, the Apostle Paul blinded the sorcerer Elima (Acts 13:9, 11). Gabriel announced this Spirit to Mary, saying: The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You (Luke 1:35). This Spirit has mercy on us all, like God. To him belongs glory and power forever and ever. Amen 121. See Curs. Compl. Patrolog Migne, vol. LXV, col. 805 –808; Wed Christ. Read 1834, II, 245–249 pp. You might be interested in: