Do all enjoy the Holy Spirit to the same extent?

St. Anthony the Great says, “This great fiery Spirit that I have received, you also have received. And if you will to receive Him to dwell in you, first offer the labor of the body and the humility of the heart. Raise your thoughts up to heaven night and day and plead with all your hearts for this holy fiery Spirit, and He shall be given to you. For in this manner, Elijah the Tishbite, Elisha, and all the other prophets were able to obtain Him. Do not ponder in your hearts, being double-hearted, and say, ‘Who is able to receive Him?’ Do not allow such thoughts to enter your minds, but with uprightness of heart ask and you will receive.

“And I, your father, strive with you and pray for you to receive Him; for I know that you have denied yourselves in order to make yourselves able to receive Him. For in every age, all those who tend to themselves in this manner will receive the selfsame Spirit who dwells in the upright of heart. And I bear witness of you, that you seek God with an upright heart; so, persist in striving to plead from all your hearts, and He will be given to you.”⁸⁷²

St. Macarius the Great says, “how much more when an immortal, imperishable, incorruptible soul, labouring under the disease of ignorance, wickedness, unbelief, unconcern, and all the other maladies of sin, comes nevertheless to the Lord, and seeks His help, and fixes its eyes upon His mercy, and desires to receive of Him the grace of the Spirit for its deliverance and salvation and riddance of all wickedness, and all passion, will He not grant more speedily and more readily His healing deliverance, according to His own word, How much more shall your heavenly Father avenge those that cry unto Him day and night (Luke 18:7)? And He adds, Yes, I say unto you, He will avenge them speedily (Luke 18:8); and in another place He exhorts, Ask, and it shall be given unto you, for every one that asks, receives, and he that seeks, finds, and to him that knocks it shall be opened (Luke 11:9–10); and at the close He adds, How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. Verily I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as much as he needs (Luke 11:8).”⁸⁷³

St. Basil the Great says, “He fills all things with power (see Wisd. of Sol. 1:7), but only those who are worthy participate in him … he sends out grace that is complete and sufficient

871 St. Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.9.76 (NPNF II/10:233).

872 St. Anthony the Great, Letters 8.

873 St. Macarius the Great, Fifty Spiritual Homilies of St. Macarius the Egyptian , trans., A. J. Mason (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1921) Homily 4.26: pp. 35–36, amended.

for all. The things that participate in him enjoy him to the extent that their nature allows, not to the extent that his power allows.”⁸⁷⁴