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Dear Parish Faithful,
Come, O Comforter, Holy Spirit, and make Your abode within us!
This morning, we chanted the "Akathist Hymn to the Most-Holy and Life-Giving Spirit." I am going to share Oikos 4, from this Akathist.
Often, there is an eschatological ("future-oriented") dimension to the presence of the Holy Spirit manifested in our prayer, when specific mention is made of the Spirit,as if we are giving a glimpse into to the Age to Come - or Kingdom of Heaven - by the indwelling presence of the Spirit. This is made expressively clear in Oikos 4, as it focuses our attention on the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. It is "meet and right" to at least periodically turn our attention to that future that we await in faith as the fulfillment of our deepest hopes as Christians:
Come and deliver us from spiritual death.
Come and, before our end, satisfy us with the Body and Blood of Christ the Savior.
Come and grant that we may fall asleep in peace, our conscience clean.
Come and make radiant our awakening from the sleep of death.
Come and grant that we may gaze with joy upon the morning of eternity.
Come and make us children of incorruption.
Come and, like the sun, enlighten our bodies, which will be immortal.
Come, O Comforter, Holy Spirit, and make Your abode within us.
