Pentecost, commonly called Whitsunday.
The Collect.
O |
GOD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Light of the Holy Spirit
As we will all admit, there is no 'new' thing with God, but all things have been ordained by an unchanging God from before the foundations of the world. The writing of the Law of God upon the soft tissues of our hearts is that same Law given to Moses on Mt. Sinai, yet it is now confirmed and sealed in love rather than the force of unyielding constraint. The English Reformers amended this prayer of Collect slightly by adding "all things, evermore" and "holy." Such amendment made the prayer more forceful and fully comprehensive in truth. Pentecost, or Whitsunday in the English Church, reflected the wheat harvest in Israel, but it represents the harvest of new nations in the Christian Gospel. It also recognizes the giving of the Law at Sinai, and the consummation of the Law in Love at the Coming of the Holy Ghost to us as a constant Friend and Teacher. Being a day set aside especially for baptisms and confirmations, Pentecost became known as Whitsunday (White Sunday) in the English Church due to the white apparel worn by Confirmands.
This Prayer comes from the Gregorian Sacramentary and stresses the frailty of the human condition and the power and grace of God to save. The tone and rhetoric of this prayer emphasizes the changelessness of God and His Law, and the unfolding mystery of that purpose of God in caring for His people through the agency of Love and Mercy. It opens a beautiful door to an old Gospel treasure as old as Abraham and before. O GOD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people. "This time" refers to the coming of the Holy Ghost to be our teacher of all things that Christ has taught us. The Holy Ghost not only teaches 'information,' but knowledge and wisdom which underlies all Scripture. The Holy Ghost ALWAYS points to Christ only.
Please note that it is His 'faithful people' who derive benefit of the teaching of the Holy Ghost. It was so in the Old Testament Wilderness Church of Abraham's and Moses' day, and it is just as true today in even greater measure - the New Testament Church having the benefit of settled history to observe in the coming of Christ. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us (Acts 7:38) The same Finger that wrote upon the sands of Jerusalem before the Woman Taken in Adultery is the same as that which wrote upon Tables of Stone before Moses on Sinai. The first writing was to declare the unbending Law of God - the second was to write Mercy and Grace upon the sands of the forgiven. It is the hearts of the faithful people of God that can receive, understand, and benefit from the teaching of the Holy Ghost. To all others, the Word of God appears as 'foolishness.' For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (1 Cor 1:18)
Can any read in a room of total darkness? No, we need light, do we not? Words and meaning cannot be discerned from the page in either physical, or spiritual, darkness. We need LIGHT! From what source does this Light of Understanding come? "... by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit. Until we can learn the meaning and import of the first Passover, how can we ever fully know the meaning of the crucifixion? The Holy Spirit imparts to us the Light to see how Christ has made it possible for the Angel of Death to Passover us in Redemption and Salvation. Christ has become OUR Passover! The Emmanuel of Christ's Presence is made a constant benefit through the ministration of His Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost opens a constant flow of mysteries to our seeking hearts and minds.
Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things. If we are judged with righteous judgment, we shall never merit Heaven for all have sinned and come short of the righteousness of God. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. (Romans 3:10) And so, we may ask, what is righteous judgment and by whom may such judgment be exercised? All who use the true Word and Law of God in judgment use not their own judgment but that of God. Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. (John 7:24) The modern church forbids us to judge, but Christ never did. In fact, Christ requires us to judge with righteous judgment. When we are stopped by a State Trooper for speeding is it HIS judgment that says we are in violation of the law, or is it the standard of the law that condemns us? It is a righteous decision to label sin as sin according to God's Immutable Laws. Never allow any clergyman to tell you that it is wrong to judge with the righteous Law of God else the Law of God is of none effect.
"..... and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort;" The great comfort that we derive in our close love with the Holy Ghost is His witness to us that we are considered righteous in Christ even when we are weak and fail of the standard of righteousness. The warm glow of Love in our hearts will melt every frozen iceberg of hatred and malice, and turn us to act out of love and understanding.
Since it is not possible for sin to enter into the gates of heaven, how is it possible that those of us who have returned to the Father from the filth of the pig sty, in a far country, to enter in at the gates. Are WE righteous? No, not at all, but we have an IMPUTED righteousness which Christ has conferred at the great cost of His stripes and crucifixion FOR us. When the rejoicing father called for the "best robe" to be brought and placed upon his sin-laden son, it was representative of that "Best Robe" (for there is none better) of Christ to be placed over us to cover our sins. We then appear worthy to God and our sins are covered by that precious blood of Christ. ". . . through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. It is the righteousness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that gives us the merits of Heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ is of one mind with the Father and the Holy Ghost. Therefore, the Holy Ghost is able to open our eyes to the riches and mysteries of Christ because He shares in all meaning and purpose with God the Father and God the Son. These Three are One just as we all, in Christ, should be One in our Church with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. AMEN.
