Save as PDFElder Silouan the Athonite on the subject of the Holy Spirit
Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery – Russik – on Mount Athos, and the image of the elder (staretz) Siluan.
Dear brothers and sisters,
On the feast of “Pentecost” we triumphantly celebrate the descent of the “Holy Spirit” unto the Apostles, and the continuous pouring out of the Holy Spirit unto Christ’s chosen. One of those chosen by Christ, in whom as a matter of fact the Holy Spirit resided, was the Russian Elder Silouan from Mt. Athos whom passed away in 1938. In his writings, in simple terms, he talks about the Holy Spirit and the significance of the It residing in the Christian soul. Following are a few important thoughts written by the Schemonk Elder based on God’s revelation and his personal personal experience.
“The Lord God gave the world the Holy Spirit on account of His compassion towards it.
The Holy Spirit is love, peace and sweetness. When a man is blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit his soul feels peace, light, great joy and love towards all people. The Holy Spirit gives man the power to carry out the Lord’s commandments. A soul that is inhabited by the Holy Spirit wishes to embrace all the people of the world with its love, even its enemies.
The Holy Spirit has so embelished the chosen man’s soul and body, that man began resembling God. By His descent into man’s soul He makes man part of God’s family. A soul into which the Holy Spirit has descended calls the Lord God: “Father!”.
The Holy Spirit resides in the souls of Saints. That is “God’s Kingdom” which is in us while still on earth, so says Christ. Church pastors carry inside themselves great blessing of the Holy Spirit. Through them the Holy Spirit forgives repentant sinners their sins. The Holy Spirit reveals to us God’s mysteries and guides us towards all truth. God’s Spirit has revealed to us that in the eternal life all people will resemble the Lord. Without the enlightment from the Holy Spirit, man would be unable to correctly understand Holy Scripture. Before the descent of the Holy Spirit even the Apostles faith was weak, and their understanding of the Bible was poor. So Christ said to them “How long must I endure you?” (Math. 17.17).
The Holy Spirit resembles a kind familiar mother. As a mother loves its child and consoles it, so does the Holy Spirit, as well as forgive us, heal us, instruct us and bring us joy. The Holy Spirit searches man’s soul and wishing to inhabit it; and if it does not settle into our heart, it is because of our prideful brain. It departs our soul even because of one bad thought. A soul which has lost the blessing of the Holy Spirit, and which has been captured into slavery by the devil on account of evil thoughts, suffers and is bored. This is why we must keep our soul clean; not to offend our brother; not to chase away the Holy Spirit by means of evil thoughts.
The Holy Spirit comes to those who pray attentively and with humility. Prayer itself is a gift from the Holy Spirit. Blessed are those christians whom day and night try to acquire and preserve blessings from the Holy Spirit.
There is no better way to end this sermon than with the words from a prayer composed by Saint Silouan “Oh, Holy Spirit live in our souls, that we may with one voice praise the Creator, Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. Amen.