Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church

Remember some of the games we played as kids like dodge ball, catch, football, tag, you’re it, hide and seek? Yelling screaming, laughing and crying were all experienced in those games. Sometimes, when the game got out of hand we called each other names like “looser,” “nerd,” “stupid”, “freak” – I was even called “the Greek.” In the midst of the name calling, all the hurt and fun of the games, there was one universal accepted certainty that everyone knew, understood and accepted. This universal kid claimed truth was called “SAFE BASE”.

Safe base was an agreed upon place where you were off limits and couldn’t be touched! Sometimes ‘safe base’ was a trash can cover, an old cereal box, a shirt…whatever the agreed upon object was, everyone knew that it was ‘safe base’ and everyone playing the game knew what that meant. Safe base was never debated or challenged. No one could touch you, hurt you, or tag you out once on safe base.

Jesus left us our Holy Church as “safe base” and haven to find rest and security in Christ through the descent of the third person of the Trinity – the Holy Spirit.

On Pentecost, Orthodox Christians celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Christian Church. Two thousand years ago, on the great feast of Pentecost the Church was born and believers were given the gift of the Holy Spirit.

It is important to recognize and reflect on the church as our ‘safe base’ in the world. The Church is that familiar sanctuary where we find comfort, peace, and security from an ever-changing world. It is a place that has remained constant over the centuries. Constant in her worship, constant in her understanding of the bible, constant in her purpose, and constant in helping her faithful live a transfigured life in Christ.

On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is received ‘in’ God’s people transforming them into living temples of the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit, the church and her faithful, are able to respond in prayer to the challenges and struggles of life as they have done throughout the centuries.

When we take hold of the safe base of the church, through Christ, we are unconditionally loved and nothing can take away this love and grace of God. No war, no sickness, no emotional distress, disaster, or even death will keep us from God’s love. Jesus promised us that the gates of hell ‘will never’ prevail against His Church.

Pentecost is the revelation of the Holy Spirit, and therefore the revelation of the fullness of the Holy Trinity. We celebrate the life-changing experience of the first Christians through the powerful coming of the Holy Spirit. From people unsure, full of fear and uncertainty, they became powerful witnesses of the presence of Jesus Christ! This transforming spiritual flame settled above each of their heads, making them look like human candles! They were on fire for Christ! Our patron saints of the Holy Apostles are such a glorious example for us to follow.

We too received the fire of the Holy Spirit at our baptism and chrismation, as the priest pronounced the words, ‘the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit’. We become a living temple for the Holy Spirit and our calling at baptism is to faithfully put on Christ and live a life worthy of our Christian calling. We too are to be on fire and alive for Jesus Christ. And like those first followers of Christ, every part of us is filled with the Spirit able to participate in preaching the good news and acting on the gifts we have.

The gift of the Spirit is not only for our own transformation but for the life of the world! When we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, we are able to produce fruit for others. As St. Paul states in Galatians, the fruit that all Orthodox Christians should be producing is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.

On safe base, at Holy Apostles, may we all strive to become living members on fire with the love of Jesus Christ ignited by the Holy Spirit. Let us continue to let go of judgments and complaints. Let us learn to forgive those who fall short of loving us. Let us have courage believing that our Lord will rescue us from any despairing situation and to the best of our abilities, may we praise God in all things.