Reflections on the Holy Spirit and His role in our lives.

Dearly Beloved of God,
We are reminded by the Holy Fathers of our Church that “without the Holy Spirit, God’s
commandments are beyond man’s conception and beyond his power to fulfill.” Consequently,
“our salvation is not accomplished through faith only, nor through good works, but springs from
the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in both soul and body.” (Fr. Zacharias, Man the Target of God,
pg. 191.)

It is our task then to ceaselessly invoke the aid, help and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
This is our task as Orthodox Christians: to become the abode of the Holy Trinity. And how do
we do this? By opening ourselves to the Grace of the Most Holy Spirit which is given at Pentecost,
the gift of Grace “that will abide with us forever” (John 14:16.)

It is through this gift that we are empowered not only to be Christians, to believe the Truth
through Grace, but also to do the “greater work” promised by the Lord. Our calling and task is
not of this world and we are not expected to carry it out by our own efforts. Ours is to offer
ourselves, our poverty, our hope and our life to the One Who is able to do abundantly above all
that we ask or think. The Feast of Holy Pentecost again offers us the reminder: Without the
Lord and His All Holy Spirit we can do nothing (John 15:5).

The Great Gift of the Comforting Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Holy Pentecost
and was foretold by the prophets of old and by our Lord Himself. It was His promise to be with
us always through this same Holy Spirit, even to the end of the world. Let us renew the indwelling
of this Most Holy Spirit through our repentance, our sincere sacramental confession, and by
uniting ourselves to the Most Holy Body and Blood of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ. Let
us liken ourselves to God through the life that we live so that the Holy Spirit will “come and abide
in us, cleanse us from every impurity and save our souls.” Wishing you a blessed Feast of Holy
Pentecost and blessed summer season, we remain,

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Archimandrite Sergius
Abbot of St. Tikhon's Monastery
and the Monastery Brotherhood

Letter in PDF