Fr. Arsenie Muscalu: "What shall we do?" (Acts 2:37)

Here, we approach the beginning of Christian life, the beginning of life in the Church, the beginning of the Church. No one began their life in the Church differently than this: pierced at heart.

Excerpt from the Conference “Life in the Church” (November 11, 2003 with ASCOR Bucharest)

But let us pause a moment on the things that took place on the day of Pentecost, related to us in Holy Scripture through the Acts of the Apostles; because this will help us to better understand what the Church means and what the attributes of life in the Church are. What took place on Pentecost? I believe you all know the holy account which tells us about the rush of wind made from heaven without warning, about the tongues of fire which appeared and rested on each of the Apostles, about the fact that the Apostles were filled by the Spirit and began speaking in new tongues, and about the gathering of a great multitude of people who were completely dubious about the things happening. The Holy Apostle Peter then stood up and taught those who had gathered about what they were seeing and hearing, the coming of the Holy Spirit, in line with the prophecy of the Holy Prophet Joel, who said: “thus says the Lord, in the last days I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh” (Acts 2:17). And not only that, but the Apostle showed them how this event was possible, that is, how it was possible for the Lord to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, announcing to them that through Jesus Christ, Whom they had abandoned, Whom they had killed with lawless hands, and Whom God raised, the coming of the Holy Spirit was done through Him. 

What happened to those who listened to the Holy Apostle Peter’s sermon? They were pierced at heart, and they said to Peter, and to the other Apostles: “Brethren, what shall we do?”(Acts 2:37) Two things draw our attention here: first, that they were pierced at heart; and then that they decisively said: “What shall we do?”

Here, we approach the beginning of Christian life, the beginning of life in the Church, the beginning of the Church. No one began their life in the Church differently than this: pierced at heart. If someone says that he is in the Church, and that he lives the life of the Church, but has never felt contrition of heart, he has not experienced it, he does not feel it and does not live it, such a person deceives himself. Remember that the Lord Himself said: “I came to send fire on earth”—fire. Contrition of heart, from which the fire of repentance is born, the fire of zeal, of pleasing God, of doing His will, of renouncing oneself, all passion and sin, is a definitive attribute of Christian life, of life in the Church. And there is need to bring here Saint John Climacus’ writings in which he says that even if we were to be lead astray by experiences, lofty things, if we were to do good deeds which appear very great, but our heart is not pained, lacking contrition, then we must consider all these things as deceitful and passing winds. We must also give the testimony of Saint Isaac the Syrian who says that a prayer done without pain of heart is like a miscarriage. Similarly, Saint Isaac the Syrian, in his prayer to Christ the Saviour composed by him and which we always read at the end of the Akathist to the Saviour, testifies that without this contrition of heart it is not possible for someone to begin a life in Christ or to ask this from God, and he says: “Lord, grant me continual repentance and a contrite heart, so that I may begin to search for You with all my soul.” 

But, nonetheless, this contrition of heart and this fiery desire to do God’s will does not yet signify a permanent, inner change in man. Here, the Spirit still works on man from the outside. He has not yet become an inner good of his. Here, the Spirit works on man through the grace known as “wakefulness;” the grace which awakens the soul from the sleep of sin, opening the eyes of his mind, of his understanding so that he can see the miserable, fallen state in which he finds himself, and to seek, to desire the new life of the Spirit. But it does not mean that this life was acquired. Contrition of heart, and the decision manifested through “what shall we do?” do not yet signify a change, a profound and steadfast change. But all is ready, and the way to new life was opened. 

How can it be acquired? The Holy Apostle Peter says in continuation: “Repent,” he says, “and let each one be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). 3,000 souls received the Holy Apostle’s word, and they were baptized; they received the gift of the Holy Spirit as an inner possession of great price; and those who believed, says Holy Scripture, continued steadfastly in the teachings of the Apostles and in communion of the breaking of bread and in prayer. Now, they continued steadfastly. See how contrition of heart, the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work on man from the outside united with the strong and decisive will of correcting  oneself manifested through “what shall we do?” And these two [contrition of heart and will] led man to the sacrament of Holy Baptism through which grace penetrated his heart; it dwelt there, and the beginning of a new life took place, as a steadfast abiding in the Spirit, in the activity of a life according to the Spirit, that is, steadfastness in the Apostles’ teaching, in communion with the Holy Mysteries, the Body and Blood of Christ, in the breaking of bread, that is, in brotherly love manifested at the time through communal agape meals, and in prayers. See, this is how it is born, how it grows, and how life according to the Spirit - life in the Church - matures. 

In summation, we can briefly say that the Church is communion and the sacramental community of people with God, and life in the Church is a steadfast abiding in this communion and in this community. It is a life lived as the member of a Body, whose Head is Christ, and whose soul is the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit, when He works on man from the outside, is seen through contrition of heart and in a burning desire to be well-pleasing to God, to do God’s will. Yet when He penetrates and works from within man’s heart, the Spirit manifests Himself through permanent warmth of heart, through steadfast and burning desire, as an active power of persevering in the things of God. It is one thing to desire and another to fulfill what you desire through deeds. It is one thing to do good deeds from time to time - maybe even big ones - when your disposition is favorable, when your circumstances are beneficial, or maybe even a bit detrimental, but it is something else completely to remain steadfast in an inner disposition of the soul oriented with all one’s powers, in a total way, toward God. This second state can be acquired solely through the indwelling of the grace of the Holy Spirit in the soul. And this is true Christian life - true life in the Church.