{"id":84115,"date":"2014-06-08T06:30:58","date_gmt":"2014-06-08T13:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/?p=84115"},"modified":"2014-06-07T20:48:16","modified_gmt":"2014-06-08T03:48:16","slug":"happypentecost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/happypentecost\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy Pentecost!"},"content":{"rendered":"

We read today in the Acts of the Apostles of this great day, which in a certain way we can celebrate as the birthday of the Church:
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Pentecost - Duccio di Buoninsegna (1308)<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

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When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
\nt<\/span>hey were all in one place together.
\nAnd suddenly there came from the sky
\na noise like a strong driving wind,
\nand it filled the entire house in which they were.
\nThen there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
\nwhich parted and came to rest on each one of them.
\nAnd they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
\nand began to speak in different tongues,
\nas the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.<\/p>\n

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
\nAt this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
\nbut they were confused
\nbecause each one heard them speaking in his own language.
\nThey were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
\n\u201cAre not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
\nThen how does each of us hear them in his native language?
\nWe are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
\ninhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
\nPontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
\nEgypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
\nas well as travelers from Rome,
\nboth Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
\nyet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
\nof the mighty acts of God.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Acts 2:1-11)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I wish all who read my words a truly happy Pentecost. May the fire of the Holy Spirit be your light in the darkness. Remember the words of Abba Joseph of Panephysis!<\/p>\n

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Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, \u2018Abba, as far as I can, I say my little office. I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace and as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?\u2019<\/p>\n

Then the old man stood up and stretched his hands towards heaven. His fingers became like ten lamps of fire and he said to him, \u2018If you will, you can become all flame.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Perhaps it is best to close with the traditional Pentecost Sequence:<\/p>\n