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Thursday after Pentecost. The Purpose of the Church

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42 Many times, even those who are very involved in the church (this includes priests, Parish Council members, Sunday School teachers and others in church leadership) forget about the true purpose of the church. As we continue to discuss the life of the early church, today’s verse mentions the main activities of the early church, activities

Wednesday after Pentecost. Three Thousand Souls in One Day!

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. Acts 2:41 That oration of St. Peter must have been pretty incredible, if it converted three thousand souls in one day! I often think about church growth-it is part of my “ministry” as a priest and part of my “job” as an administrator of a parish. Why is it that some churches are growing and others are

Tuesday after Pentecost. The Shortest Distance Between Two Points is a Straight Line

For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to Him.” And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” Acts 2:39-40 There is no question that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. That’s one of the reasons why the interstate freeway system was created, to get

Feast of the Holy Spirit. Life in the Early Church

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ”Brethren, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:37-38 For the last week of these reflections that have brought us through

Pentecost. A Little Pentecost at Every Liturgy

And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, ”Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of

Leave-Taking of the Ascension. The Holy Spirit Comes Down as Fire on All People

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

Thursday after the Ascension. Don’t Just Stand Around

And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ”Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:10-11 As we wind down these reflections that took us through Lent, Holy Week, the Paschal Season and now the

Wednesday of the 4th Week of Pascha-Feast of Mid-Pentecost. Let God Arise, and the Story of a Dear Friend Named Eva

Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee before Him! As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked perish before God! But let the righteous be joyful! Psalm 68: 1-3 This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (Verses sung with the Paschal Hymn “Christ is Risen” during Bright

Holy Saturday. And God “Rested”

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said, ”Let there be light” and there was light. Genesis 1:1-3 (From a Prophecy at the Vesperal Liturgy on Holy Saturday Morning) Have you ever wondered why the Crucifixion happened on a Friday, as

Prayer for Universal Salvation (Part II)

It is true, as we have said, that the Church condemned Origenism, the certainty that all people, even the fallen angels, will ultimately be reconciled in a ‘universal restitution’, an apocatastasis of both nature and persons. Such a conviction actually conflicts with the stern warnings uttered by Christ in the first three Gospels, and belittles the irreducible mystery of our freedom; in asserting that evil will eventually die of exhaustion, because God alone is infinite,