Sunday, May 15, 2016

Pentecost


It's the Feast of Pentecost, when our Holy Mother, the Church, celebrates the descent of the Spirit upon the disciples, resting on them likes tongues of fire. I like Basil the Great's exhortation:

The Spirit raises our hearts to heaven, guides the steps of the weak, and brings to perfection those who are making progress. He enlightens those who have been cleansed from every stain of sin and makes them spiritual by communion with himself... Through the Spirit we become citizens of heaven, we are admitted to the company of the angels, we enter into eternal happiness and abide in God. Through the Spirit we acquire a likeness to God; indeed, we attain what is beyond our most sublime aspirations - we become God. 

And note this, all you heretics out there who are busy reading this important mind blog: Basil's divinization, or theosis, in which the faithful participate in God's nature, shouldn't be confused with apotheosis, deification in God's essence. 


Some Crew, Goofing Off in Church

That's an error and a bad one. Like liturgical dance, which is also a bad mistake.

God bless,

LSP

5 comments:

Adrienne said...

I still remember the black and white drawing in my missal with the little flames on top of the apostle's heads. I thought they looked a bit like birthday candles - until I grew up, of course, and understood.

Happy Pentecost, LSP. You're a blessing to the world.

Adrienne said...

And what are those lunatics doing? Perhaps waving down cars at a NASCAR event?

LL said...

And when the prayers are complete, there is the bar-b-que to top the day off.

LSP said...

Thanks, Adrienne, you're kind. As for the flag wavers, they're just goofing off in the "sanctuary." They're obviously insane.

LSP said...

EXACTLY, LL.