THE COLLECT
Eternal Spirit of Wisdom, source of love and light; thou norm of the Father and the
Son, who comest into the soul of man as the balance of righteousness and truth, we hail
thee! Most holy comforter, dove that deifiest mankind; thou presence most secret and
adored in all the worlds, hear our prayer! Thou who art the fire of Pentecost, who movest
upon the face of the waters; who comest down as a mighty wind; and who renewest the face
of the earth, we glorify thee, and rejoice in the all renewing majesty of thy deathless
might, now and forevermore.
Amen.
THE LESSON
The lesson is taken from the Kephalaia of the Paraclete:
The fount of every blessing and all the invocations is the mother of life, the first Holy
Spirit, the first mother who has come forth the father and first appeared, the glorious
one who is the beginning of all emanations that have come to this world. Know that the
grains of the dust of the earth can be measured, with the whole universe, one can count
the grains of the dust of the earth year after year; but the length of time the Holy
Spirit passed with the father, that one cannot count. He first formed her in his inner
chambers in quiet and in silence; but when she was needed, then was she called and came
forth from the father of greatness; she looked after all the aeons of the light.
THE GOSPEL
The gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. John:
Jesus said unto His disciples: I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another
Comforter, that She may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world
cannot receive, because it seeth Her not, neither knoweth Her; but ye know Her, for She
dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to
you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more, but ye see Me; because I live, ye
shall live also. The Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My
name, she shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever
I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
A Homily for Pentecost
presented by the Most Reverend Stephan A. Hoeller, bishop of the Ecclesia Gnostic