Sunday of Pentecost

    • Sunday of Pentecost (HTML format)
    • 2000
      Also in Format: Word DOC
    • Sunday of Pentecost (HTML format)
    • 2001
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    • Sunday of Pentecost (HTML format)
    • By Fr David Moser
      2002
    • Sunday of Pentecost (HTML format)
    • 2004
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    • Sunday of Pentecost (HTML format)
    • 2008-06-16
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      SYNOPSIS:There are three very important things that are said in the gospel today. They are right in a row. One is basically a question. The other is a command or actually, a suggestion, and the other is the result. We are celebrating today Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, the apostles and all the rest of the believers up to and including us - the Holy Spirit Who enlightens us, Who shows us the way of life, Who speaks to us in groanings that cannot be uttered. He tells us the things of God, the things of Christ; He enlightens us. But none of this, none of this will happen unless first we consider this very, very important question. And we must answer. When you answer a question, a Christian question, it is not something that you say once. It is something that you answer again and again and again...
    • Sunday of Pentecost (HTML format)
    • 2009-06-07
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    • Sunday of Pentecost (mp3 format)
    • 2010-05-23
    • Sunday of Pentecost (mp3 format)
    • Exegesis Of Pentecost Vespers Parables
      Numbers 11-16-17-24-29, Joel 2-23-32, Ezekiel 36-24-28
      2011-06-11
      SYNOPSIS:The "Parables" for an important commemoration are read on the eve of the feast, and are usually from the OT, and they always elucidate the meaning of the feast in some way. We look at the 3 OT readings for Pentecost Vespers, which, among other things, describe the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the calling of the Gentiles, the promise of the sending of the Holy Spirit to all Christians, and a superb description of the human condition and how the Holy Spirit helps heal it. This last point may be the most important one, because of we do not recognize our need, we will not do everything in our power to have the Holy Spirit abide in us.
    • Sunday of Pentecost (mp3 format)
    • Ministry Of The Holy Spirit
      O Heavenly King
      2011-06-12
      SYNOPSIS:The giving of the Holy Spirit is the last big piece of our salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ became incarnate, taking on and changing our nature, teaching by word and example, and was crucified, buried and rose from the dead, enabling our flesh to defeat death. Then after 40 days He ascended, showing us that our human flesh could be with God in eternity. Then according to the promise, the Holy Spirit was given, without which our salvation would ot be possible. We look at the ministry of the Holy Sprit by explaining "O Heavenly King", and the various names and symbols for the Holy Sprit. The "take home" message is that in order to have the Holy Spirit abide in us, since He is the Spirit of Truth, we must live according to the truth. This entails much more that only not telling a lie!
    • Sunday of Pentecost (mp3 format)
    • I Will Give You A New Heart And Put A New Spirit Within You
      Learning To Discern Between The Old And New Ways
      Acts 21-11, Ezekiel 36-24-28
      2012-06-03
      SYNOPSIS:The readings for Divine Liturgy on Pentecost give the story of Pentecost and our Lord #39;s prophesy of it. The "take home" for Pentecost is from one of the Vespers readings: "I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26) We can know a lot about Pentecost, but if we do not learn how to discern the old ways, which the heart falls into frequently, from the new ways, we will have learned nothing useful for our salvation. We look into how to learn to discern what is in our hearts, whether it be according to the old, or according to the new. The Holy Spirit will not continue to abide in a heart that does not seek after the new ways. We contrast new and old ways and discuss how to develop the skill to discern between them. This is a critically important subject. This homily is a bit longer than normal, but it is important, and it is difficult to discuss important things, and important skills in 12-15 minutes.
    • Sunday of Pentecost (mp3 format)
    • I Will Give You A New Heart And Put A New Spirit Within You
      Learning To Discern Between The Old And New Ways
      Acts 21-11, Ezekiel 36-24-28 (1)
      2012-06-03
      SYNOPSIS:The readings for Divine Liturgy on Pentecost give the story of Pentecost and our Lord #39;s prophesy of it. The "take home" for Pentecost is from one of the Vespers readings: "I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26) We can know a lot about Pentecost, but if we do not learn how to discern the old ways, which the heart falls into frequently, from the new ways, we will have learned nothing useful for our salvation. We look into how to learn to discern what is in our hearts, whether it be according to the old, or according to the new. The Holy Spirit will not continue to abide in a heart that does not seek after the new ways. We contrast new and old ways and discuss how to develop the skill to discern between them. This is a critically important subject. This homily is a bit longer than normal, but it is important, and it is difficult to discuss important things, and important skills in 12-15 minutes.
    • Sunday of Pentecost (mp3 format)
    • If Any Man Thirst Let Him Come Unto Me And Drink
      How To Cultivate Thirst
      John 7-37-52-8-12
      2013-06-23
      SYNOPSIS:The Gospel reading for Pentecost includes: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink" and "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." We must *learn* to thirst for the Holy Spirit and for light. This is not innate in our sinful condition. How do we learn to thirst? We must combine (and search for) knowledge about our condition and its weaknesses, and effort, borne of faith, to walk in the light. This does not just happen, as we be-bop through life. May God help us to thirst for Him, may we dedicate ourselves to learning ever more to thirst for Him.
    • Sunday of Pentecost (mp3 format)
    • O That All People Might Prophesy And That The Lord Would Give Them His Spirit
      I Will Give You A New Heart
      2014-06-09
      SYNOPSIS:What is a Christian? The readings for Pentecost, especially those from the Old Testament, provide the answer. "O that all the people might prophesy, and that the Lord would give them his spirit!" "And I will pour upon you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness, and I will cleanse you from all your idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh."
    • Sunday of Pentecost (HTML format)
    • Exegesis On The Holy Spirit
      How To Listen To Your Heart
      2015-05-31
      Also in Format: Adobe PDF or Word DOC or mp3
      SYNOPSIS:A short catechesis on the Holy Spirit, covering His procession fro the Father, the various symbols for the Holy Spirit, and the important scripture text which tells us not to "quench the Spirit", and about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit it. Then we get to the best part, the best a pastor has to give his flock. We discuss how the Holy Spirit communicates with us, and how to listen to and "feel" our heart, and this "understanding that is within us" will teach us all things, and guide and help us in everything. We must learn to know when our heart is cold, or warm, enlarged or shriveled up, soft or hard. This is a skill which we must learn; we can speak a little bit about it, but only God can teach us.
    • Children's sermon: The Pentecost Icon, King Kosmos, Symbols of the Holy Spirit (mp3 format)
    • Pentecost
      2016
      SYNOPSIS:Sermon to children with a detailed explanation of who  King Kosmas  is, and a "spirited" discussion and questions and answers with the children about the Pentecost icon. Why is St Paul in the Pentecost icon? Why is there FIRE in the icon? Symbols of the Holy Spirit.
    • Sunday of Pentecost (mp3 format)
    • Pentecost Ikon Holy Spirit Symbols
      Childrens Sermon
      2016
    • Sunday of Pentecost (mp3 format)
    • Thirst
      O Heavenly King
      John 7-37
      2016
    • "O Heavenly King" explained, and about prayer in the heart. (mp3 format)
    • Pentecost
      2017-06-04
      SYNOPSIS:"O Heavenly King" is explained in detail, with an aim to teach us how to pray with our hearts. Also, the Jewish and Christian feasts of Pentecost discussed, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, which is necessary for us to fulfil the Christian law. A short rule of prayer and prayer for others will help us, if we try, to develop prayer with our heart.

      O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

    • The purpose of the sending of the Holy Spirit. Survey of Scripture read on Pentecost. (mp3 format)
    • Acts 2:1-11 John 7:37-52: 8:12 Joel 2:23-32
      2018-05-27
      SYNOPSIS:Fr Methodius is a priest at St Barnabas Mission in Kenya, Africa (http://orthodoxmissionkenya.org/). He was with us on Pentecost and gave a homily which is a sweeping survey of the Scriptures that are read on the feast and teaches us the purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit and many other things.
    • The promise of Pascha is fulfilled because of Pentecost. (mp3 format)
    • Numbers 11:16-17,24-29 : Joel 2:23-32 : Ezekiel 36:24-28 : John 20:19-23 : Acts 2:1-11 : John 7:37-52:8:12
      2019-06-16
      SYNOPSIS:The Christian life, and salvation, is impossible without the Holy Spirit abiding in us. This is what we celebrate on Pentecost, and all of the readings for the feast teach us not only about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, but also how we must live. We do short survey of the readings from Vespers, Matins and the liturgy.



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