The First Sunday of the Coptic Month of Baounah

The Dimensions of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and their Blessings

The readings explain the elements of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As believers, we are entitled to this; it is a request that we must pray to obtain, “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:10)

The matins psalm requests, “God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.” (Psalm 67:1-2)

According to the Pauline epistle, the work of the Holy Spirit is to be filled with all joy and peace in the faith, and to increase in hope by the strength of the Holy Spirit. And according to the Catholic Epistle, it is a second birth for a living hope by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead according to His great mercy, and the result, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:1-9) The Holy Spirit works through the ministry, “And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.” Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, but as it is written: “To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand.” For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, whenever I journey to Spain,  I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.” (Romans 15:12-29)

The praxis clarifies the work of the Holy Spirit in dedicating individuals and sending them out for the ministry; this is declared by fasting, prayer, and the laying of the hands.

In the gospel, the disciples asked Christ to teach them how to pray, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Fatherin heaven, Hallowed be Your name…If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:1-13)

Therefore, “…because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”(Galatians 4:6)