The Comforter

Last Sunday, the Church celebrated the feast of Pentecost, at which the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples and filled them with the strength and grace which they needed the spread our Lord’s message throughout the world.

If we look at the disciples before Pentecost, we find that they were filled with fear and uncertainty, but our Lord made them a promise that He would send them the means of their reassurance, and He referred to Him, in particular, as ‘the Comforter.’ It is a wonderful thing that this is one of the names of the Holy Spirit, because it also gives us the reassurance of strength and support.

One thing we do not always remember is that through our Chrismation, we have all become temples of the Holy Spirit, thus not only having the Comforter come to our assistance whenever we need Him, but having Him actually dwelling within us.

At times of hardship, trouble, illness, or the suffering and loss of loved ones, we must remember the fear and anguish of the disciples before the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them, and, more importantly, the transformation of peace and strength which was brought about in them by the Comforter.

Let us always ask for the true peace of the Comforter, and ask that He always grant us His peace and strength in every situation, that we may act with the courage of our holy fathers the Apostles in any hardship which meets us along our path to the Kingdom.