A Spirit Of Renewal

Ἦλθόν ποτέ τινες τῶν ἀδελφῶν πειράσαι αὐτόν· ὅτι οὐκ ἥφιε τὸν λογισμὸν αὐτοῦ ῥεμβασθῆναι, οὐδὲ ἐλάλε πρᾶγμα τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου· καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι ἔβρεξεν ἐπ' ἕτος πολλὰ, καὶ ἔπιον οἱ φοίνικες, καὶ ἐκβαλλουσι λευκάδας, καὶ εὑρίσκουσιν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τὸ ἐργόχειρον αὐτῶν. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης· Οὕτως ἐστὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον· ὅταν καταβῇ εἰς τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀνανεοῦνται, καὶ ἐκβάλλουσι λευκάδας ἐν τῷ φοβῳ τοῦ θεοῦ.  Ἀποφθεγματα Των Ἁγίων Γερόντων, Παλλαδιος Source: Migne PG 65 208

Some brethren came one day to test Father John, that he not allow his mind to wander, nor speak of the things of this world, and they said to him, 'We give thanks to God that it has rained much this year and the palm trees have drunk, and they have put forth their leaves, and the brothers have found work for their hands.' Father John said to them, 'So it is with the Holy Spirit. When he descends into the hearts of men they are renewed and they put forth leaves in awe of God.' Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia