I wholeheartedly greet all of you, dear friends, on one of the main church feasts of the year — Trinity Day, the Feast of Pentecost.
This day gives us a special joy of meeting God. A spiritual joy, which cannot be compared to anything earthly, which adorns and elevates man and which does not disappear even in the face of the most terrible circumstances of life.
Today, we commemorate the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, and through them on the entire Church. It is truly the birthday of the Church of Christ — one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, which has transfigured the whole world.
It would seem, with what could a bunch of the Apostles, former fishermen, oppose the might of the Roman Empire and the high and mighty of this world? But by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles spread the Gospel unto the ends of the entire earth which was known at the time and sowed the seeds of faith, from which the beautiful tree of the Church of Christ has grown.
'God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty', wrote the Holy Apostle Paul. It was so, it is so, and it will be so until the end of the world.
And as often as another godless and inhuman system suddenly decides that church people are too helpless and weak to resist it, the truth is revealed that it is in them and through them that the grace and invincible power of God act in this world. And no matter how much enemies of the Church strive to defeat and destroy Her, they will fail. They are merely a temporary temptation on our earthly path.
Today, the Church has particularly prayed that the Spirit of Life may constantly be in us. The Holy Spirit does not enslave and does not deprive of freedom, but solely directs man's mind and will and makes them concordant with the will of God. And His will is for people to be pure and kind, to refrain from malice and hatred, not to be at enmity, not to shed blood, and to see in themselves and in their neighbours an image of God and love each other Christian-like.
All of us, especially those who have been given at least some power, should often ask ourselves: 'Of what manner of spirit am I? Of what manner of spirit is what I think about and what I intend to do?'
And if we check all our thoughts, feelings, words, and deeds against the Gospel, if we sincerely seek only the will of God, we will change. The world will then change as well, and eveything will become different, much better than before.
I wish all of us, dear brothers and sisters, this transfiguration of life.
Happy Day of the Holy and Life-Giving Trinity! Happy Feast of Pentecost!