Praying to/Worshipping the Holy Spirit

[MrJim]

Do we have an example in scripture/tradition to do this? When Christ was here He said to pray to the Father. Are we to pray specifically to the Holy Spirit? Is there scriptural example for it?

This morning the pastor (ABC) said we often are not trinitarian but binarian (?) because we worship and pray to only the Father and the Son. Then he led a prayer to the Holy Spirit specifically.

Something about this seems odd...:scratch:

[Shubunkin]

It seems odd to me too. It seems the references to the Holy Spirit in my concordance say the church is guided by the Spirit, the Spirit is the Comforter, and we receive the Holy Spirit, the Spirit speaks to the churches, etc. I do not see anywhere it says to pray to the Holy Spirit. Perhaps someone here can answer this more in depth, but this is what I understand.

[xristos.anesti]

Many years,

The Creed, Articles of the Holy Spirit:

And in the Holy Spirit (John 14: 26), the Lord (Acts 5: 3-4), the Giver of Life (Genesis 1: 2), Who proceeds from the Father; (John 15: 26), Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified (Matthew 3: 16-17); Who spoke through the prophets. (1 Samuel 19: 20; Ezekiel 11: 5,13).


It is true that some are going into extremes with every single postulat of the faith. If we look at wide spread pallet of different views that are present in today's Christianity, we can only wonder how is it possible that people who claim to believe in the same God have such a different approach into every single aspect of faith.

Holy Spirit is PERSON of the All-Holy Trinity. He is truly God.

Church prays invocation of the Holy Spirit in a prayer that is called Epiclesis. You can read more about Epiclesis here. (http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/liturgics/ziton_epiklesis.htm)

It is proper and right to pray to all Three Divine Persons of the All Holy Trinity for they are One God, for Father is fountainhead of the Trinity, Son is eternally born of the Father and Holy Spirit is proceeding (of the Father).

As without the Father there is no life, so without the Son there is no life, so without the Holy Spirit there is no life.

No one can come to the Father without the Son and the Holy Spirit.
No one can come to the Son without the Holy Spirit.
No one can come to the Holy Spirit without the Father and the Son, for the Holy Spirit proceedes from the Father and is sent by the Son, of the Father.

It is indeed proper and right to pray to the Holy Spirit, for He is the Lord and the giver of life. He is Treasury of good thing, Comforter (Paracleta), our God.

This why, we pray to Him saying:

O Lord,
Heavenly King,

O Comforter,
the Spirit of Truth,

Who art present everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life;

come and abide in us and cleanse us from every stain,
and save our souls,

O Gracious One.

May it be according to that prayer.








(http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/liturgics/ziton_epiklesis.htm)

[Kolya]

O Lord,
Heavenly King,

O Comforter,
the Spirit of Truth,

Who art present everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life;

come and abide in us and cleanse us from every stain,
and save our souls,

O Gracious One.

When I take up my prayer beads to pray, I pray the above quoted prayer. I also ask the Holy Spirit to present my prayers before the Father as a pleasing fragrance from me, His unprofitable servant.
Yes, I do address the Holy Spirit specifically in prayer. Not as much as I aught to though.

[Philip]

Do we have an example in scripture/tradition to do this? When Christ was here He said to pray to the Father. Are we to pray specifically to the Holy Spirit? Is there scriptural example for it?


I don't think there is place in Scripture were we are told to pray to the Spirit. However we all believe the Spirit is one of the Three Persons of the Trinity. He is God, and we are told to pray to God.

This morning the pastor (ABC) said we often are not trinitarian but binarian (?) because we worship and pray to only the Father and the Son. Then he led a prayer to the Holy Spirit specifically.

I agree with what your pastor said. I have often spoken with people who claim to believe in the Trinity, but who treat the Spirit as a force.

BTW, I've been told by some that there is no Scriptural basis for praying to the Son, that we should pray to the Father alone.

[MrJim]

I dawned on me today what seems odd about this. It implies that praying to the Father alone is somehow insufficient. I think it was incorrect of the pastor to assume that because the Spirit isn't mentioned that we don't understand His role in the Trinity.

It does seem that Christ always pointed to God the Father and the Spirit points to God the Father. It is a mysterious setup.

[The Prokeimenon!]

O Lord,
Heavenly King,

O Comforter,
the Spirit of Truth,

Who art present everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life;

come and abide in us and cleanse us from every stain,
and save our souls,

O Gracious One.

This prayer begins all of the Divine Services. Every once of them. The only exception is between Pascha and Pentacost, when it is replaced by "Christ is Risen."

As for your ABC pastor- I was never ABC (I was "Independent") but there was a growing trend among us fundamentalists to pray specifically to the Holy Spirit. I remember one preacher who always prayed "Holy Spirit, do your office work here this morning." whatever that means :confused:

I'm not sure if there's a scriptural basis for praying to the Holy Spirit (ie, an example in the Scriptures of somebody saying a prayer to the Holy Spirit) but I do know that, like I said, every single one of our Divine Services begins with a prayer to the Holy Spirit.

Moses

[choirfiend]

"Father alone" would seem to indicate that the other 2 persons of the Trinity are lesser than the Father. We praise and worship the three persons of the Triune God as one equally, and that means prayer to God as all three persons.

Holy God
Holy Mighty
Holy Immortal
Have mercy on us!

[Shubunkin]

"Father alone" would seem to indicate that the other 2 persons of the Trinity are lesser than the Father. We praise and worship the three persons of the Triune God as one equally, and that means prayer to God as all three persons.

Holy God
Holy Mighty
Holy Immortal
Have mercy on us!

Now this makes sense! ^_^

[prodromos]

Holy God
Holy Mighty
Holy Immortal
Have mercy on us!
Ever noticed how often we repeat prayers three times ;)

[Eusebios]

We understand God as a "Tri-unity", One God, three persons, or as the D.L. states, "The Trinity, one in essence and undivided"
It seems to me that one of the gravest mistakes in western theology was a deemphasizing of the Holy Spirit in response to the , I believe, montanists.
It seems to have led to all manner of excess these days, particularly within the charasmatic circles to an "over-emphasizing" of the Holy Spirit.
As others have pointed out, Orthodoxy has maintained a balance. We begin all of our services with the prayer,
"O Heavenly King". Most Orthodox also begin thier personal daily rule of prayer this way as well.
In Xp,
Eusebios.
:bow:

[HandmaidenOfGod]

I believe that the worship of the Trinity is made obvious on the Feast of Theophany (http://www.goarch.org/en/special/listen_learn_share/epiphany/learn/) (when Jesus was baptized.)



Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this a clear example of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit working together as one?



In XC,



Maureen

http://www.goarch.org/en/special/listen_learn_share/epiphany/learn/images/Epiphany.jpg

[Marjorie]

Menno if you want a very good explanation on this pick up St. Basil the Great's On the Spirit. It's so great. And it also gives an excellent explanation of the Orthodox view of the Trinity.

In IC XC,
Marjorie

[Maximus]

Here is a prayer to the Holy Spirit from the little Carpatho-Russian Orthodox prayer book, Come to Me (pp. 17-18).

O Holy Spirit, most merciful Comforter: You proceed from the Father in a way we cannot understand. Come, I ask You, and dwell in my heart. Purify and cleanse me from all sin, and sanctify my soul. Cleanse it from every impurity, water its dryness, melt its coldness, save it from the paths of sin. Teach me humility that I may be pleasing to You, that You will dwell in me forever. Most blessed Light, comforting Light, enlighten me. Joy of paradise, fountain of delight, my God, give Yourself to me; kindle within me the fire of your love. My Lord, instruct, direct and defend me in all things. Give me strength against all my fears and keep me from despair. Give me a faith that is real, a firm hope, and a sincere and perfect love. Let me always do Your most holy will. Amen.

[Maximus]

Here is a prayer to the Holy Spirit from the Russian Orthodox Jordanville Prayerbook (pp. 44-46).

O Lord, heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, show compassion and have mercy on me Thy sinful servant, and loose me from mine unworthiness, and forgive all wherein I have sinned against Thee today as a man, and not only as a man, but even worse than a beast, my sins voluntary and involuntary, known and unkown, whether from youth, and from evil suggestion, or whether from brazenness and despondency. If I have sworn by Thy name, or blasphemed it in my thought; or grieved anyone, or have become angry about anything; or have lied, or slept needlessly, or if a beggar hath come to me and I disdained him; or if I have grieved my brother, or have quarreled, or have condemned anyone; or if I have been boastful, or prideful, or angry; if, as I stood at prayer, my mind hath been distracted by the wiles of this world, or by thoughts of depravity; if I have over-eaten, or have drunk excessively, or laughed frivously; if I have thought evil, or seen the beauty of another and been wounded thereby in my heart; if I have said improper things, or derided my brother's sin when my own sins are countless; if I have been neglectful of prayer, or have done some other wrong that I do not remember, for all this and more than this have I done: have mercy, O Master and Creator, on me Thy downcast and unworthy servant, and loose me, and remit, and forgive me, for Thou art good and the Lover of mankind, so that, lustful, sinful, and wretched as I am, I may lie down and sleep and rest in peace. And I shall worship, and hymn, and glorify Thy most honorable name, together with the Father and His only-begotten Son, now and ever, and unto the ages. Amen.