Restoring Paradise


I love reading the early Church Fathers; there is so much for us to learn from them. So on this feast of Pentecost, as we close this great season of Easter, I offer you a few words form St Basil the Great.
“The Spirit restores paradise to us and the way to heaven and adoption as children of God; he instills confidence that we may call God truly Father and grants us the grace of Christ to be children of the light and to enjoy eternal glory. In a word, he bestows the fullness of blessings in this world and the next; for we may contemplate now in the mirror of faith the promised things we shall someday enjoy.  If this is the foretaste, what must the reality be? If these are the first fruits, what must be the harvest?” 


Come Holy Spirit and enkindle in us the fire of Your love; that we may be recreated in the image of God by Your breath of life, and renew the face of the earth.

Comments

Michael said…
What a great perspective from St. Basil! Thanks for this post on Pentecost.

God Bless you.
CWrites said…
I like this picture too. I haven't seen it before.

Getting ready now to go to Church for Pentecost Sunday!
Unknown said…
Thanks Michael, Colleen and Colleen. The painting is by a Hungarian artist. I thought it was a different and beautiful image for today's feast.
The Church Fathers are great reading. I was searching at the Web Gallery of Art (run by a Hungarian University) and came upon the painting in your post. It's really neat and a great meditation on its own.
Unknown said…
I agree about the painting, Barbara. I liked it so much I saved it as my desktop background.
Thanks for commenting and God bless!
Mary N. said…
Karin,
I love reading the early Church Fathers, too :) This is a beautiful quote from St. Basil!