On this great and holy day, enjoy a short excerpt from one of the many texts “On Repentance” attributed St. Ephrem. Here he explains Christ’s desire, and labor, for the salvation of every human being, with special reference to Pentecost.
“He sent the Holy Spirit and sanctified the Church. He sent forth the Apostles to preach the Gospel to the nations. If he did not want us to be saved, such things would have been pointless. For either he was ignorant of human affairs or he was making sport of the nations. But both of these are are forbidden even to think. For he was not ignorant. Nor did he do anything superfluous. Rather, we are his flock, and he is our shepherd, both now and in Paradise.”
Ed. K.G. Phrantzoles, Ὁσίου Ἐφραίμ τοῦ Σύρου ἔργα. 5 (Thessaloniki: Perivoli tes Panagias, 1994), 22.
Saint Ephrem the Syrian 