Tractatus Alter, Pars Altera, Cap. 3. De missione Spiritus sancti in discipulos Christi in festo pentecostes. 25

Tractatus Alter, Pars Altera, Cap. 3. De missione Spiritus sancti in discipulos Christi in festo pentecostes. 25

I bless you and give thanks to you, Lord Jesus Christ, most gracious comforter of the sick, sweetest visitor of the infirm, and strongest helper of the troubled, for your most faithful promise of heavenly gifts from the high dwelling place of heaven and from the Father of lights, and for your immense generosity and marvelous outpouring of the manifold grace of the Holy Spirit upon your disciples gathered in Jerusalem, where they were sitting together in the upper room, praying and eagerly awaiting the comfort of the Holy Spirit from heaven; not thinking of the world, but like religious cloistered ones separated from the tumult of the world, remaining in quiet and silence, casting aside all earthly cares from their hearts and focusing on the heavenly and eternal goods, preparing themselves through devout prayers to receive the more abundant gifts of the Spirit. I praise and glorify you, most worthy Jesus Christ, King of the holy angels, for the joyful celebration of this day and for the solemn blessing and priestly consecration of the sacred font and baptism, through the power of the Holy Spirit, in which all the faithful baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity are cleansed from their sins and made partakers of eternal life, and are counted as heirs of the heavenly kingdom and companions of the angels through the grace of the Holy Spirit. I praise and honor you, who have adorned this most sacred day with many miracles, signs, and gifts, and have commanded it to be celebrated with joyful devotion by your faithful throughout all ages. On this day, the law was first given through Moses on Mount Sinai to your people Israel, who had come out of the land of Egypt, freed from the heavy burden of slavery, so that they could offer sacrifices to you in the wilderness. You also gave them sweet manna to eat from heaven. In remembrance of which you commanded that a new sacrifice be offered to you each year on this honorable day, from the new fruits of the earth, as a thanksgiving. But now in the new covenant, after you ascended most powerfully into heaven above the heights of the angels, you illuminated this holy day with greater grace and gift, blessed and consecrated it, and sent your Holy Spirit to your apostles as sweet manna, with a visible sign from heaven, accompanied by a great sound, appearing as fiery tongues over each of them, so that they would be fervent in love within and ready and eloquent to speak outwardly, boldly proclaiming all things as the Holy Spirit inspired and gave them the ability to declare your great works, which you accomplished gloriously in the holy land for our salvation. For many things are very difficult or impossible for people, but for God, all things are possible and easy. Then it was fulfilled what the noble prophet Isaiah had predicted, saying: "The law will go out from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Never before have such wonderful things been heard as on this day, when so many faithful men and women received the Holy Spirit with a visible sign in fiery tongues, prophesied with clear words, understood the divine scriptures, and spoke in the voices of all languages and nations. Furthermore, men without letters and the study of books in the school of God became so quickly and perfectly taught by the Holy Spirit, and with the gift of many sciences, they shone with numerous miracles and wonders. O, what an admirable and ineffable power of the Holy Spirit, who makes all those whom He visits and fills fervent, learned, humble, devout, joyful, and strong. There's no delay in learning where the Holy Spirit, our teacher, is present, revealing heavenly secrets to the little ones, as He knows what will benefit them for their salvation and the good of others. He teaches especially his disciples and secret friends to despise the world, not to be proud or wise in their own eyes, but always to agree with the humble, to think little of themselves, to flee from honors, to examine and mourn over their faults, to quickly amend them, and to humbly confess whatever troubles and lies hidden in their conscience, which is worthy of confession and contrary to the Holy Spirit, no matter how light or small it may seem to a person.