Holy Spirit

On the Holy Waters of Baptism

Excerpt from On the Spirit, Chapter 15

Saint Basil the Great
| Tuesday, April 13, 2010 | No comments.

Through the Holy Spirit comes our restoration to paradise, our ascension into the kingdom of heaven, our return to the adoption of sons, our liberty to call God our Father, our being made partakers of the grace of Christ, our being called children of light, our sharing in eternal glory, and, in a word, our being brought into a state of all “fullness of blessing,” (Rom. 15:29) both in this world and in the world to come, of all the good gifts that are in store for us, by promise whereof, through faith, beholding the reflection of their grace as though they were already present, we await the full enjoyment. If such is the earnest, what the perfection? If such the first fruits, what the complete fulfillment? Furthermore, from this too may be apprehended the difference between the grace that comes from the Spirit and the baptism by water: in that John indeed baptized with water, but our Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit in the Mysteries of the Church

His Grace Bishop Youssef
| Monday, June 1, 2009 | No comments.

Our Lord Jesus Christ promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His disciples "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever" (John 14:16). He assured them that the Holy Spirit would reveal truth to the Church.

The Holy Spirit in the Church of the Apostles

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III
| Friday, May 1, 2009 | No comments.

The Holy Spirit was the One who gave the necessary power for the work of preaching. The sending of the Holy Spirit was a promise from the Lord (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7), however, despite this He said to them, “Behold, I send the Promise of My Fr. upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:29). Where will this power come from? He said to them regarding this, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me” (Acts 1:8).

The Spirit of God was essential to them for they could not work without Him. The Holy Spirit worked with them in preaching and teaching. They waited according to the Lord’s command. Their previous preparation for service which lasted more than three years did not dispense them of the Holy Spirit and His work in and with them. Perhaps these ten days which they waited were days of prayer and hope, from the heart, in preparation for the coming work.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III
| Thursday, May 1, 2008 | No comments.

THE DIVINITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

St. Peter said that to lie to the Holy Spirit means to lie to God (Acts 5:4), and since He is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the Lord, so He is God (Job 33:4, 2 Cor. 3:3; Isa. 61:1).

This Comforter, the Holy Spirit descended and came upon the Apostles in the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). He is the One, God promised to send in the book of Joel, “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28-32), and St. Peter mentioned that this prophecy was fulfilled in the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:16, 17).

He is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of His Son as well (Gal. 4:6), “the Spirit of Christ” (1 Peter 1:11). He is also the “Spirit of Truth” (Jn. 14:17), “When He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” (Jn. 16:13).

The Holy Spirit with the Disciples

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III
| Saturday, June 24, 2006 | No comments.

Jesus Christ, after His resurrection, had spent forty days with His disciples the saints talking to them about the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3)…afterwards and prior parting ascending to Heaven, He told them “tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Lk. 24:49).

So what was this power which they needed to await? He told them “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Yes, they couldn’t start their service preaching spiritual work unless they were endued with that power from on high; the Holy Spirit being upon them…

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Your Life

Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty
| Sunday, May 1, 2005 | No comments.

YOU ARE GOD’S BEAUTIFUL WORLD!

From time to time a person feels that his life is empty and meaningless, similar to the rugged land "without form," void of splendor and beauty, a useless life, surrounded by "darkness" (Gen. 1:2). Or like a debased life which deserves to fall under God’s wrath, such as in the time of the flood, from which no one was saved, except Noah and his family in the ark, and when the dove found no resting place (Gen. 8:9).

This is exactly the feeling of many youth today, especially when they find themselves enslaved to their lustful desires, their bodies captivated by sensual pleasure, and their hearts become tombs full of filth!

Will God leave us in such a state? Certainly not! God’s Holy Spirit, who "hovered over the face of the waters" to create a beautiful world out of desolation (Gen. 1:2), is still working in the waters of Baptism to create out of those baptized a glorious spiritual world!