From the Treatise On the Holy Spirit by Basis the Great, 4th century
The titles given to the Holy Spirit must surely stir the soul of anyone who hears them, and make him realize that they speak of nothing less than the supreme Being. Is he not called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, the steadfast Spirit, the guiding Spirit? But his principal and most personal title is the Holy Spirit.
To the Spirit all creatures turn in their need for sanctification; all living things seek him according to their ability. His breath empowers each to achieve its own natural end.
The Spirit is the source of holiness, a spiritual light, and he offers his own light to
every mind to help it in its search for truth. By nature the Spirit is beyond the reach of
our mind, but we can know him by his goodness. The power of the Spirit fills the whole
universe, but he gives himself only to those who are worthy, acting in each according to
the measure of his faith.
Simple in himself, the Spirit is manifold in his mighty works. The whole of his being is
present to each individual; the whole of his being is present everywhere. Though shared in
by many, he remains unchanged; his self-giving is no los's to himself. Like the sunshine,
which permeates all the atmosphere, spreading over land and sea, and yet is enjoyed by
each person as though it were for him alone, so the Spirit pours forth his grace in full
measure, sufficient for all, and yet is present as though exclusively to everyone who can
receive him. To all creatures that share in him he gives a delight limited only by their
own nature, not by his ability to give.
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.
As clear, transparent substances become very bright when sunlight falls on them and shine
with a new radiance, so also souls in whom the Spirit dwells, and who are enlightened by
the Spirit, become spiritual themselves and a source of grace for others.
From the Spirit comes foreknowledge of the future, under- standing of the mysteries of
faith, insight into the hidden mean- ing of Scripture, and other special gifts. 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.
A reading from the treatise of Irenaeus Against the Heresies, 2nd
century
When the Lord gave to the disciples power to confer rebirth into the life of God, he said: "Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".
He promised through his prophets that he would pour out this spirit in the last times on his servants and handmaidens so that they would prophesy. And so the Spirit came down on the Son of God, who became the Son of man, and with him became accustomed to dwell in the human race and to abide in God's creation, within men, working the Father's will among them and making their old natures new with the newness of Christ.
Luke says that at Pentecost, after the ascension of the Lord, the Spirit came down on the disciples with power to grant all nations entry into life, and to open the new testament. And so in every language they sang a hymn to God in unison; for the Spirit brought the scattered races together into a unity, and offered to the Father the first-fruits of all the nations.
Therefore the Lord promised to send us the Holy Spirit to make us fit for God's purposes. Just as dry flour cannot coalesce into a lump of dough, still less a loaf, without moisture, so we, who to begin with are dry wood, can never bear the fruit of life unless the rain from heaven falls upon our wills.
For our bodies through the water of baptism have received the unity which leads to freedom from corruption; but our souls have received it through the Spirit.
The Spirit of God came down on the Lord, "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and devotion, the Spirit of fear
of the Lord". He gave the same Spirit again to the Church, sending the Counselor to
every nation from heaven, from which the Lord said "the devil was cast down like
lightning". Accordingly we need God 's dew, so as not to be burnt up and made
unfruitful but rather to have a Counselor when we have an accuser. For the Lord entrusts
to the Holy Spirit his man who had fallen among thieves. Taking pity on him he has bound
up his wounds, and given two imperial coins, stamped with the image of the Spirit and the
inscription of the Father and the Son. We are to accept them, and make the coin entrusted
to us bear fruit and multiply for the Lord.
From a catechetical instruction by Cyril of Jerusalem, 4th century
The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of living water, welling up into eternal life (John 7:38).
This is a new kind of water, a living, leaping water, welling up for those who are worthy. But why did Christ call the grace of the Spirit water? Because all things are dependent on water; plants and animals have their origin in water. Water comes down from heaven as rain, and although it is always the same in itself, it produces many different effects, one in the palm tree, another in the vine, and so on throughout the whole of creation. It does not come down, now as one thing, now as another, but while remaining essentially the same, it adapts itself to the needs of every creature that receives it.
In the same way the Holy Spirit, whose nature is always the same, simple and indivisible, apportions grace to each man as he wills. Like a dry tree which puts forth shoots when watered, the soul bears the fruit of holiness when repentance has made it worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit. Although the Spirit never changes, the effects of his action, by the will of God and in the name of Christ, are both many and marvelous.
The Spirit makes one man a teacher of divine truth, inspires another to prophesy, gives another the power of casting out devils, enables another to interpret holy Scripture. The Spirit strengthens one man's self-control, shows another how to help the poor, teaches another to fast and lead a life of asceticism, makes another oblivious to the need of the body, trains another for martyrdom. His action is different in different people, but the Spirit himself is always the same. In each person, Scripture says, the Spirit reveals his presence in a particular way for the common good.
The Spirit comes gently and makes himself known by his fragrance. He is not felt as a burden, for he is light, very light. Rays of light and knowledge stream before him as he approaches. The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend and protector to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, to console. The Spirit comes to enlighten the mind first of the one who receives him, and then, through him, the minds of others as well.
As light strikes the eyes of a man who comes out of darkness into the sunshine and enables him to see clearly things he could not discern before, so light floods the soul of the man counted worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit and enables him to see things beyond the range of human vision, things hitherto undreamed of.
From the Detailed Rules for Monks by Basil the Great, 4th century
Love of God is not something that can be taught. We did not learn from someone else how to rejoice in light or want to live, or to love our parents or guardians. It is the same -- perhaps even more so -- with our love for God: it does not come by another's teaching. As soon as the living creature (that is, man) comes to be, a power of reason is implanted in us like a seed, containing with it the ability and the need to love. When the school of God's law admits this power of reason, it cultivates it diligently, skillfully nurtures it, and with God's help brings it to perfection.
For this reason, as by God's gift, I find you with the zeal necessary to attain this end, and you on your part help me with your prayers. I will try to fan into flame the spark of divine love that is hidden within you, as far as I am able through the power of the Holy Spirit.
First, let me say that we have already received from God the ability to fulfill all his commands. We have then no reason to resent them, as if something beyond our capacity were being asked of us. We have no reason either to be angry, as if we had to pay back more than we had received. When we use this ability in a right and fitting way, we lead a life of virtue and holiness. But if we misuse it, we fall into sin.
This is the definition of sin: the misuse of powers given us by God for doing good, a use contrary to God's commandments. On the other hand, the virtue that God asks of us is the use of the same powers based on a good conscience in accordance with God's command.
Since this is so, we can say the same about love. Since we received a command to love God, we possess from the first moment of our existence an innate power and ability to love. The proof of this is not to be sought outside ourselves, but each one can learn this from himself and in himself. It is natural for us to want things that are good and pleasing to the eye, even though at first different things seem beautiful and good to different people. In the same way, we love what is related to us or near to us, though we have not been taught to do so, and we spontaneously feel well disposed to our benefactors.
What, I ask, is more wonderful than the beauty of God? What thought is more pleasing and satisfying than God's majesty? What desire is as urgent and overpowering as the desire implanted by God in a soul that is completely purified of sin and cries out in its love: I am wounded by love? The radiance of the divine beauty is altogether beyond the power of words to describe.
From the Treatise On the Holy Spirit by Basis the Great, 4th century
"If I do not go," Jesus told his apostles, "the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go away, then I will send him to you" (John 16:7). "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there for the gift my Father promised, the gift of which I told you. John baptized with water, but in a few days' time you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:4-5).
These were the Lord's parting words to his disciples, the promise that united them as they made their way back to the city to wait in joyful, expectant faith for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Not that the Spirit would only begin to work among men after Jesus had returned to the Father; he had been at work in the world since the dawn of creation. God's people were not to experience a hitherto unknown indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but those who already belonged to him would know a more abundant outpouring, an increase rather than a first reception of his gifts.
Pentecost is the culmination of the work of our salvation, that mighty plan of God's mercy which originated long ago when the Lord first began to form a people for himself. How many mysterious signs can be discovered in this feast which link the old dispensation with the new, teaching us that the law of Moses was the herald of the grace of Christ, in which it was to find its fulfillment! Fifty days after the sacrifice of the lamb marking the deliverance of the Hebrews from the Egyptians, the law was given to the people of Israel on Sinai; and fifty days from the resurrection of Christ after his immolation as the true Lamb of God, the Holy Spirit came down upon the new Israel, the people who put their faith in Jesus. The same Holy Spirit was the author of both Old and New Testaments; the foundations of the gospel were laid with the establishment of the old covenant. What a wealth of meaning can be found, therefore, in the opening words of the second chapter of Acts, "When the days of Pentecost were fulfilled"!
From the Treatise On the Holy Spirit by Basis the Great, 4th century
That day all the believers were gathered together in one place. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven like a strong wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire coming down to rest on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them the power of utterance (Acts 2:1-4).
No sooner had the Spirit come upon them than they began to speak in tongues. They needed no time to study the languages they were given, nor practice to gain facility. Nor did their hearers need an interpreter. God was the master of speakers and hearers alike; it was his Spirit that inspired the apostles to give testimony and enabled the crowds to understand them. That day the wonderful works of God were proclaimed in every language of the world. The Spirit of Truth breathes where he will, and since the day of Pentecost each country's native tongue has become common property in the mouth of Christ's Church, as the gospel is preached throughout the world. The Spirit of God has swept over the chaos once more to renew the face of the earth, watering every barren place with a rain of charismatic gifts and blessings. The tongues of men declare God's mighty deeds and proclaim his word in the power of the Spirit, while the Lord works with them and confirms their message by accompanying signs (cf. Mark 16.20).
The perrenial message of the gospel is that the Lord has saved his people. he has conquered sin and death, and given us new life as God's adopted sons. And because we are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son intou our hearts, crying "Abba, Father!" (Gal. 4:6). Now where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:17). We are no longer slaves, but free men. It belongs to the dignity of free men to play some part in their own salvation; our task is to elude the enemy's clutches by constantly turning in repentance to our Redeemer and proclaiming that Jesus is Lord of our whole lives.
Prayers
Meditations