On May 31, 2015 (the Sunday of Holy Pentecost), Metropolitan Nektarios of Hong Kong and South East Asia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Saint Luke Orthodox Cathedral. Following the Liturgy, the Vespers of Pentecost (Kneeling Service) was celebrated.
The Feast Day of Holy Pentecost is the high point of the Pentecostarion period. The feast is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and is called the “Birthday of the Church,” because of the events that took place. The hymnographer tells us very eloquently what happened that day: Marvellous things all the nations saw today in the city of David, when the Holy Spirit came down in tongues of fire, as Luke, God’s mouthpiece, declared. For he said: When Christ’s Disciples were assembled, there came a sound as of a mighty wind, and filled the whole house where they were sitting; and all began to speak with strange words, strange doctrines, strange teachings of the Holy Trinity.
The Apostles were blessed by the Holy Spirit that day and were able to speak different languages, even though some of them had never even been to school! St. Peter the Apostle preached that day in front of everyone, putting to rest the comments of some that day that the Apostles were merely “drunk.” He told them that Jesus was the One to come and save us all from our sins and that they should “repent and be baptized.” That day, about 3,000 people became Christians. Ever since then, the Gospel has been preached to billions of people, and the Eternal Truth of Jesus Christ lives in the Church.
For the Church, this is the day she started Her ministry. It is our duty to also continue this ministry with everyone we know. People who were against the Church found themselves being Her greatest ambassadors (such as St. Paul the Apostle). We can show the Church’s love by a simple smile, a “hello” to someone we see that needs a friendly greeting, to sharing the Truth of Jesus Christ with those that might have not met Him yet. Let us continue the work of the Apostles and know that Jesus Christ “will be with (us) always, even until the end of the age. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20)
