May 28. PRAVMIR. On the feast of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost), His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, officiated a Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Cathedral of the Holy Trinity- St. Sergius Lavra and delivered a sermon.
Photo: Press service of His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia
Dear bishops, fathers, brothers and sisters, I cordially greet all of you on the Name Day of the Holy Trinity- St. Sergius Lavra, on the Descend of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, and on the day of the Holy Trinity!
Today we glorify the Holy Spirit, the Life-giving Lord, Who dwells in the world. The Son of God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity, ascended from the world, accomplishing His mission. But this mission was not complete — as the Lord promised His work is continued by the Holy Spirit. But how does the Divine energy work? Saint Basil the Great, having devoted much time and effort to thinking about the Holy Spirit, left wonderful texts, in one of which he said, “the Holy Spirit renews everything that is lost, while He Himself does not need a renewal of strength.”
Photo: Press service of His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia
Everyone who studies physics knows that it is impossible to create an eternal engine, because energy must be renewed. This is how our physical world works. But the world as the creation of God is supported not only by the action of physical laws, but also by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Divine energy that drains itself, transmitting energy to the whole cosmos, to the whole creation, to everything living and non-living, and this energy never disappears.
One can reflect on it in global and simple human categories. How often do many of us lose our strength and hope, being discouraged by circumstances that we did not foresee, whether we did not calculate our strength or were faced with the reluctance of others! Indeed there are so many circumstances that stop our actions or make someone else do it! When we lose strength, when we think that the one who opposes us is stronger, or when we are simply humanly tired, and when there is no strength left to think. How much do we need our energy to be restored then!
Photo: Press service of His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia
One way to recover physical energy is rest, and we know that we gain strength after rest. But physical strength is not enough to do what we are called to do during life. We need special power: the power of the spirit, because only a spiritually strong person wins. No eight-hour sleep will restore this spiritual power. No high-calorie diet will improve its level. Spiritual power does not come from a material source. Spiritual power arises from the Holy Spirit.
That is why our connection with the Holy Spirit — through the Sacraments of the Church and prayer — is an indispensable guarantee of our ability to create, even when our physical strength fades. Our ability to create at such level when no physical possibilities can produce anything.
Photo: Press service of His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia
May the Lord help us, as He helped throughout the whole human history to those who called upon His holy name, as He helped the quiet and humble Venerable Sergius. The saint’s physical strength was, of course, limited, but could have this modest monk, the ascetic, done everything that he did relying only on his physical strength — to preserve Russia and to strengthen the Orthodox faith — so that now, centuries later, we remember his holy name? No human strength could have done the great deed of the Venerable Sergius, but only with the strength of the Divine grace.
However, if a saint could do that, it means that it is in our power to do so as well under one condition: when we firmly believe and when we confess the Lord, through Whose coming into the world we were given the Holy Spirit. The great inexhaustible Divine energy that supports the whole creation will support us as well in both our ordinary affairs and especially when one needs to accomplish something for which no human energy will suffice.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, may the Lord preserve our Church, our people and the whole human race! In return we will give God praise, turning to Him with prayer with joy and faith, knowing that this way the connection between the Life-giving Spirit and ourselves, seeking His Divine strength, is thus closed. Amen.
Translated by pravmir.com
