Εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος.

Κατὰ τὴ διάρκεια τοῦ Μυστικοῦ Δείπνου, ὁ Κύριος μας Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἶπε στοὺς Ἀποστόλους Του ὅτι ὁ χωρισμὸς ἦταν κοντά, ὅτι ἐπρόκειτο νὰ πάει στὸν Θεὸ καὶ Πατέρα Του, ὅπως θὰ ἔλεγε ξανὰ στὶς γυναῖκες ποὺ ἦρθαν στὸν τάφο. Καὶ ὅταν οἱ καρδιὲς τους λυπήθηκαν στὴν ἰδέα ὅτι δὲν θὰ Τὸν δοῦν πιὰ ξανὰ, εἶπε: «Οἱ καρδιὲς σας εἶναι λυπημένες καὶ ὅμως θὰ πρέπει νὰ χαίρεστε γιὰ μένα, γιατὶ γυρίζω στὸν πατέρα Μου». Μά, πρόσθεσε «δὲν θὰ σᾶς ἀφήσω ὀρφανοὺς, θὰ σᾶς στείλω τὸ Πνεῦμα τό Ἅγιο ποὺ ἐκπορεύεται ἀπὸ Τὸν Πατέρα καὶ θὰ σᾶς τὰ διδάξει ὅλα. Ἔτσι βρισκόμαστε τώρα ἐδῶ, ἐνῶ εἴμαστε ἀκόμη στὸ φῶς Τῆς ἀνάληψης.

Ο Ἀπόστολος Παῦλος θλιβόταν ποὺ ἔπρεπε νὰ ζεῖ στὸν κόσμο καὶ νὰ φέρει τὴν ἀνθρώπινη σάρκα. Εἶπε: «Γιὰ μένα ζωὴ εἶναι ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ ὁ θάνατος θὰ εἶναι κέρδος, εὐλογία, γιατὶ ὅσο φέρουμε τὴν ἀνθρώπινη σάρκα, εἴμαστε χωρισμένοι ἀπό τὸν Χριστό». Κι ὅμως αὐτὸς ὁ χωρισμὸς δὲν εἶναι ὁλοκληρωτικός, δὲν εἴμαστε χωρισμένοι ἀνεπανόρθωτα, δὲν εἴμαστε χωρισμένοι δἰχως ἐλπίδα ἀπὸ τὸν Χριστὸ ἄν Τὸν προσμένουμε μὲ λαχτάρα, ἄν Τὸν ἀγαπᾶμε, ὅπως ὁ Ἅγιος Παῦλος ποὺ λαχταροῦσε τὸν θάνατο γιὰ νὰ εἶναι γιὰ πάντα μὲ Αὐτόν, γιατὶ σύμφωνα μὲ τὴν ὑπόσχεση Του τὸ Ἅγιο Πνεῦμα ἦλθε τὴν ἡμέρα τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς. Τὸ Ἅγιο Πνεῦμα τὸ ὁποῖο ὀνομάζουμε «ὁ Παράκλητος», ποὺ στὶς ἀρχαῖες γλῶσσες ἔχει εὐρύτερη σημασία, σημαίνει αὐτὸν ποὺ παρηγορεῖ, ποὺ φέρνει χαρά. Ἡ παρουσία Του ὄντως μπορεῖ νὰ μᾶς παρηγορήσει γιὰ τὸν χωρισμό μας ἀπὸ τὸν Χριστὸ, διότι τὸ Ἅγιο Πνεῦμα, μόνο ἄν ζοῦμε σύμφωνα μὲ τὸ εὐαγγέλιο, ἄν γίνουμε – ὄχι μόνο στὰ λόγια, ἤ στὴ φαντασία μας – μὰ στὴν πραγματικότητα, μὲ τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὴν σκέψη, τὴν καρδιὰ και τὴν ὕπαρξη μας, μαθητὲς τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τότε κατοικεῖ μέσα μας. Γινόμαστε ναὸς Του καὶ μιλάει σ’ ἐμᾶς, εἴτε μὲ ἀνέκφραστους ἀναστεναγμοὺς, εἴτε μὲ αὐτὴν τὴν θαυμάσια σαφήνεια, ἡ ὁποία μᾶς ἐπιτρέπει νὰ ὀνομάσουμε «Πατέρα» τὸν Θεὸ τῶν Οὐρανῶν, γιατὶ ἐν Χριστῷ καὶ μὲ τὴ δύναμη τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος γίναμε παιδιά τοῦ Ζωντανοῦ Θεοῦ.

Ἅρα ὁ χωρισμὸς ἀπὸ τὸν Χριστὸ εἶναι ἕνας χωρισμὸς ἀπὸ τὸν χῶρο ποὺ ζοῦμε εἶναι μιὰ ἀπώλεια τῆς συγκινητικῆς, θαυμάσιας γνωριμίας μὲ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, ὅπως τὴν γνωρίζουμε στὴ γῆ, μὰ εἶναι ἕνα καινούργιο ξεκίνημα μιᾶς νὲας ἀνακάλυψης τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὄχι μόνο τοῦ ἀναστημένου, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἀναληφθέντος Χριστοῦ, τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ποὺ σύμφωνα μὲ τὸ σημερινὸ Εὐαγγέλιο, λαμπρύνθηκε μὲ τὴ δόξα, τὴν λάμψη ποὺ ἀνῆκε σ’ Αὐτὸν πρὸ αἰώνων, τὴ λάμψη, τὴν λαμπρότητα, τὸ μεγαλεῖο τῆς Θεότητας. Καὶ εἶναι ὁ ἴδιος ὁ Χριστὸς ποὺ συναντᾶμε στὴν προσευχὴ, ποὺ ἀνακαλύπτουμε μέσω τῶν Ἱερῶν Μυστηρίων, μὲ τὸν ὁποῖο μποροῦμε νὰ ἑνωθοῦμε στὴ ζωὴ μόνο μέσα ἀπὸ τὴν πίστη, εἶναι ὁ Χριστὸς γιὰ τὸν ὁποῖο ὁ Παῦλος μᾶς λέει: «Δὲν γνωρίζουμε πλέον τὸν Χριστὸ ὡς πρὸς τὴν σάρκα, δὲν τὸν ἀγγίζουμε ὅπως ὁ Θωμᾶς, δὲν τὸν βλέπουμε καὶ δὲν τὸν ἀκοῦμε, ὅπως ἔκαναν οἱ Απόστολοι καὶ οἱ γυναῖκες καὶ τὰ πλήθη τοῦ λαοῦ, μὰ γνωρίζουμε Tὸν Χριστὸ ἐν Πνεύματι, τὸν ἀναστημένο καὶ ἀναληφθέντα Χριστὸ ποὺ εἶναι παντοῦ, ὅπου δύο ἤ τρεῖς εἶναι συνηγμένοι, ποὺ βρίσκεται παντοῦ, ὅταν μιὰ μοναχικὴ ψυχὴ καλεῖ σὲ βοήθεια, ὅταν μιὰ ζωὴ Τοῦ ἀφιερώνεται.

Ἔτσι λοιπὸν ἔχουμε νὰ κάνουμε μὲ τὸ μυστήριο ἑνὸς χωρισμοῦ ποὺ εἶναι νίκη, ἑνός χωρισμοῦ ποὺ μᾶς ὁδηγεῖ σὲ μιὰ νέα γνώση, μιὰ νέα ἀνακάλυψη τοῦ Χριστοῦ . Ἡ Θεότητα Του δὲν εἶναι πλέον καλυμμένη σ’ἐμᾶς ἀπὸ τὴν Ἀνθρώπινη Του παρουσία, μᾶς ἀποκαλύπτεται σὰν Θεὸς ἀπαστράπτων, ὄχι μόνο μέσα ἀπὸ τὴν Θεότητα Του, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ τὴν ἀνθρώπινη Του ὑπόσταση. Κι ἔτσι συμβαίνει συνέχεια ὅταν οἱ ἄνθρωποι συναντιοῦνται σὲ ἀνθρώπινο ἐπίπεδο καὶ μετὰ ἀνακαλύπτουν ὁ ἕνας τὸν ἄλλο ἐν Ἁγίω Πνεύματι, μιὰ ἀνακάλυψη ποὺ κάνει τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα νὰ λάμπει μέσα στὸ φῶς τῆς αἰωνιότητας.

Ἄς εὐφρανθοῦμε στὴν γιορτὴ τῆς ἀναλήψεως, καὶ ἄς θυμηθοῦμε ὅτι σὲ μιὰ ἑβδομάδα θὰ στεκόμαστε ἐδῶ, ἐνθυμούμενοι τὴν ἡμέρα τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς ὄχι μόνο ὡς γεγονὸς τοῦ παρελθόντος, ἀλλὰ φέρνοντας τὸ ξανὰ πίσω, ἐπειδὴ εἴμαστε παρόντες στὴν κάθοδο τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, καθὼς οἱ Ἀπόστολοι Τοῦ προσφέρθηκαν στὸ Ὑπερῶο σχεδὸν πρὶν 2000 χρόνια. Μὰ γιὰ νὰ τὸ κάνουμε αὐτό πρέπει νὰ εἴμαστε μαθητὲς τοῦ Χριστοῦ, νὰ εἴμαστε δικοί Του, πρέπει νὰ εἴμαστε πιστοὶ στὸν λόγο τοῦ κηρύγματος Του, πρέπει νὰ ἀκολουθήσουμε τὸ παράδειγμα ποὺ μᾶς ἔδωσε, πρέπει ἀληθινὰ νὰ εἴμαστε στὸν κόσμο ὅπου ζοῦμε μιὰ σαρκωμένη παρουσία Τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ναὸς τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἐμπροσθοφυλακὴ τῆς Βασιλείας τῶν oὐρανῶν .

Ἄς ἀφιερώσουμε τὴν ἐρχόμενη ἐβδομάδα στὴν προετοιμασία τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ μας, ἐρευνώντας τὴ ζωὴ μας, ἀπορρίπτοντας σκόπιμα καὶ ἀποφασιστικὰ κάθε τι ποὺ μᾶς καθιστᾶ ἀνάξιους τῆς κλίσης μας. Ἄς προετοιμαστοῦμε νὰ ἔλθουμε ἐλεύθεροι, ἀνοιχτοι, γιὰ νὰ γεμίσουμε ἀπὸ τὸ Πνεῦμα, ἔτσι ποὺ ἴσως γίνουμε ἀληθινὰ, μὲ ὁλοένα αὐξανόμενο τρόπο, ναοὶ τῆς παρουσίας Του. Ἀμήν.

Ἀπόδοση στὰ νεοελληνικά: www.agiazoni.gr

Πρωτότυπο κείμενο

In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

During the Last Supper our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples that separation was near, that He was to ascend to His God and to His Father as He would repeat again to the women who came to the grave. And when their hearts were filled with sorrow at the thought that they will not see Him again, He said, “Your hearts are full with sorrow and yet, you should rejoice for Me that I am returning to My Father. But I will not,” he added, “leave you orphan, I will send you the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father, whom I will send to you and who will teach you all things.” And so do we here now while we are still in the light of the Ascension.

St. Paul grieved about the necessity of living in the world and in the flesh. He said, “To me life is Christ and death would be a gain, a blessing, because as long as we are in the flesh, we are separated from Christ.” And yet, this separation is not total, we are not separated irremediably, we are not separated desperately from Christ if we only long for Him, if we only love Him as St. Paul who longed to die to be inseparably forever with Him. Because according to the promise the Holy Spirit has come on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit whom we call the Comforter by a word, which in ancient languages has a much wider meaning. It means the one who consoles, the one who gives strength, the one who brings joy. His presence indeed can console us from our separation from Christ because the Holy Spirit, if we only live according to the Gospel, if we become not only in word or in imagination but in all truth, in action and in thought, in our heart and in our being disciples of Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells in us. We become His temples and He speaks to us either in unutterable groaning or with that wonderful clarity that allows us to call ‘Father’ the God of Heaven because in Christ and by the power of the Spirit we have become the children of the Living God.

So the separation from Christ is a separation in space, it is the loss of that moving, wonderful contact of humanity as we know it on earth but it is the beginning of a new discovery of Christ, the Christ not only risen but ascended, the Christ who according to today’s Gospel is resplendent with the glory, the shining that belonged to Him before all ages, the shining, the resplendence, the splendour of Divinity. And it is this Christ whom we meet in prayer, whom we discover through and in the Holy Sacraments, to whom we can get united only by a faithfulness in life, it is this Christ of whom Paul speaks when he says, “We no longer know Christ according to the flesh”. We do not touch Him as Thomas did, we do not hear and see Him as Apostles and the women, and all crowds of people did, but we know the Christ of the Spirit, the risen and ascended Christ, who is everywhere where two or three are gathered together, who is everywhere when a lonely soul cries for Him, when a life is being dedicated to Him.

And so we are confronted with this mystery of a separation, which is a victory, a separation, which leads us to a new knowledge, to a new discovery of Christ. His Divinity is no longer veiled for us by His human presence, He is revealed to us as God resplendent not only in His Godhead but also in His humanity. And so it happens also all the time when people meet on a human level and then discover one another in the Holy Spirit, a discovery that makes humanity resplendent with eternity.

Let us rejoice in the Ascension but also let us remember that in a week’s time we will stand here remembering the day of Pentecost, not only remember it as an event of the past but bringing it back by presenting ourselves to the descent of the Holy Spirit as the Apostles offered themselves to Him in the Upper Room nearly 2,000 years ago. But to do this we must be disciples of Christ, we must be His own, we must be faithful to the word of His preaching, we must follow the example which He gave us, we must truly be in the world in which we live an incarnate presence of Christ and a temple of the Spirit, a vanguard of the Kingdom.

Let us devote the coming week to preparing ourselves by searching our lives, by rejecting at least in intention and determination all that is unworthy of our calling. Let us prepare ourselves to come open, empty – to be filled with the Spirit, so that we truly may be also in an ever-increasing way become the temples of His presence. Amen.