excerpts from the homily:
Many today mistakenly reduce our Christian faith to a set of moral practices. We think that what distinguishes Christians from others is simply our efforts to be good and live by a higher moral standard. It is true that Christians should live by high moral ideals, but if we define our faith only in terms of these qualities, we limit what Christ offers us. Christianity is not about simply being a morally better version of ourselves.
When we allow the Holy Spirit into our lives, we are not just improving our behavior according to a set of rules; we are being transformed by divine grace. We become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). As St. Basil the Great put it, through the Holy Spirit, we “become citizens of heaven” and “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). We are not just learning to follow a moral code; we are being made sharers in the very life of God! This is the reality that makes Christianity distinct.
Through the Spirit, we are drawn into the very heart of the divine life. Through the Spirit, we are made sharers in God’s nature, even now, while still living in this world. Being “divinized” does not mean that we become gods, but it does mean that, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, we are elevated to participate in the divine life of the Holy Trinity, the life of God himself!
A Homily for Pentecost
Today, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, a moment of great joy and gratitude as we commemorate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. This event, which transformed the early Church, still holds profound significance for us today. In the words from the Book of Acts, we hear of the disciples gathered together in one place, and suddenly, a sound like a mighty wind fills the house. Tongues of fire descend and rest on each one of them, and they are all filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking in different tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
This moment marks a profound turning point. Jesus had ascended to heaven, leaving His disciples in a period of waiting. But now, the Holy Spirit is sent, as promised, and comes upon them, filling them with power and courage, transforming them from a group of ordinary men and women into bold witnesses to the resurrection. From that day forward, they would never be the same. The mighty wind and the tongues of fire symbolize the dramatic transformation that occurs when the Spirit of God takes root within our hearts.
Today, we too celebrate this extraordinary gift. Pentecost is not only a historic event but a personal invitation to each of us to open our hearts to the same Spirit that filled the disciples so long ago. Pentecost is about the Holy Spirit coming to dwell within us, to empower us to be the people God calls us to be. It is a call to live a life of transformation—a life that is no longer defined by our own limitations, but by the abundant grace of God.
In his treatise On the Holy Spirit, St. Basil the Great describes of what happens to those who receive the Spirit: “Through the Spirit we become citizens of heaven, we are admitted to the company of the angels, we enter into eternal happiness, and abide in God. Through the Spirit we acquire a likeness to God; indeed, we attain what is beyond our most sublime aspirations – we become God.” ¹
It is worth pausing to consider the extraordinary nature of this gift. The Holy Spirit is not merely a force or an influence; He is the very life and love of God, poured out for us. Through the Spirit, we are drawn into the very heart of the divine life. Through the Spirit, we are made sharers in God’s nature, even now, while still living in this world.
This reality goes far beyond mere moral striving. Many today mistakenly reduce our Christian faith to a set of moral practices. We think that what distinguishes Christians from others is simply our efforts to be good and live by a higher moral standard. It is true that Christians should live by high moral ideals, but if we define our faith only in terms of these qualities, we limit what Christ offers us. Christianity is not about simply being a morally better version of ourselves.
If Christianity were only about moral perfection, then it would not be fundamentally different from other philosophies or religions that promote good behavior. In that case, Christianity would just be another system of self-improvement, a way to become a better person by living according to certain values. But this is not the Gospel’s message. Christianity is not merely about “becoming better people.” It is about becoming new creatures—divinized by Christ.
When we allow the Holy Spirit into our lives, we are not just improving our behavior according to a set of rules; we are being transformed by divine grace. We become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). As St. Basil the Great put it, through the Holy Spirit, we “become citizens of heaven” and “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). We are not just learning to follow a moral code; we are being made sharers in the very life of God! This is the reality that makes Christianity distinct.
Being “divinized” does not mean that we become gods, but it does mean that, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, we are elevated to participate in the divine life of the Holy Trinity, the life of God himself!
We are not just trying to be good according to our human standards; through Christ, we are being made into something far greater. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to live a life that reflects God’s holiness, not by our own efforts but by His transforming grace.
To put it simply, the difference lies in who is doing the work. Moral striving often puts the emphasis on our efforts to be better people. But the Christian journey is about opening ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to transform us into the image of Christ. As St. Paul wrote, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). This is the miracle of Pentecost: it is the moment when the Holy Spirit descends and changes us from the inside out.
The saints give us the perfect example of this transformation. They were not merely individuals who lived by moral codes—they were people who were so filled with the Holy Spirit that their lives became a reflection of God’s divine presence. They were divinized, made participants in the life of God, and this divine life flowed through them in extraordinary ways. The saints reveal that living the Christian life is not about moral perfection; it is about allowing God to work within us, to love through us, to speak through us, and to act through us.
The saints are not immune to suffering or weakness. They were aware of their own imperfections and struggles. But it was through their openness to the Holy Spirit that they were able to overcome their limitations and accomplish great things for God. Through their lives, we see the transformative power of the Holy Spirit—turning ordinary men and women into extraordinary vessels of grace and holiness.
Let us, then, in this moment of Pentecost, open the doors of our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit. Let us allow Him to renew us, to fill us with His divine fire, and to mold us into the people God created us to be. As we look to the saints, may their witness inspire us to be open to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our own lives. May this Pentecost be a time of renewal, where the bright fire of the Holy Spirit burns in our hearts and transforms us, just as it did with the saints.
Come, Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of your faithful. Enkindle in us the fire of your love. Amen.
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¹ The Work of the Holy Spirit
From the treatise On the Holy Spirit by St. Basil the Great, bishop
Second Reading, Office of Readings, Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
The titles given to the Holy Spirit must surely stir the soul of anyone who hears them, and make him realise that they speak of nothing less than the supreme Being. Is he not called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, the steadfast Spirit, the guiding Spirit? But his principal and most personal title is the Holy Spirit.
To the Spirit all creatures turn in their need for sanctification; all living things seek him according to their ability. His breath empowers each to achieve its own natural end.
The Spirit is the source of holiness, a spiritual light, and he offers his own light to every mind to help it in its search for truth. By nature the Spirit is beyond the reach of our mind, but we can know him by his goodness. The power of the Spirit fills the whole universe, but he gives himself only to those who are worthy, acting in each according to the measure of his faith.
Simple in himself, the Spirit is manifold in his mighty works. The whole of his being is present to each individual; the whole of his being is present everywhere. Though shared in by many, he remains unchanged; his self giving is no loss to himself. Like the sunshine, which permeates all the atmosphere, spreading over land and sea, and yet is enjoyed by each person as though it were for him alone, so the Spirit pours forth his grace in full measure, sufficient for all, and yet is present as though exclusively to everyone who can receive him. To all creatures that share in him he gives a delight limited only by their own nature, not by his ability to give.
The Spirit raises our hearts to heaven, guides the steps of the weak, and brings to perfection those who are making progress. He enlightens those who have been cleansed from every stain of sin and makes them spiritual by communion with himself.
As clear, transparent substances become very bright when sunlight falls on them and shine with a new radiance, so also souls in whom the Spirit, become spiritual themselves and a source of grace for others.
From the Spirit comes foreknowledge of the future, understanding of the mysteries of faith, insight into the hidden meaning of Scripture, and other special gifts. Through the Spirit we become citizens of heaven, we enter into eternal happiness, and abide in God. Through the Spirit we acquire a likeness to God; indeed, we attain what is beyond our most sublime aspirations – we become God.