Acts 2:1-21 “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.” One particular denomination in Christendom has appropriated the name of today’s festival…
Trinity 8 – Acts 20:27-38 “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” With these words, St. Paul the apostle summarizes his previous ministry with the presbyters or pastors of the church at Ephesus, with whom he was meeting in today’s text from the Book of Acts. The full…
Acts 2:1-21 We have passed through the first half of the church year, which was marked in sequence by the four chief festivals of Jesus Christ: the festival of his nativity, the festival of his epiphany or manifestation to the gentiles, the festival of his resurrection, and the festival of his ascension. These festivals remind…
Acts 10:38-43 Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Today is the high festival of the Resurrection of Our Lord. It is indeed the highest day, which shines the heavenly light of God’s salvation in Christ onto every other day. If the resurrection of Jesus had not taken place, nothing else would matter. And because…
Easter Matins Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Atheists and agnostics commonly launch a wide array of criticisms in the direction of the Christian religion, disparaging Christianity as the source of all evil in human history. An exception, however, was Antony Flew, a British philosopher and student of science. He started out as a…
Acts 2:1-21 We have now passed through the first half of the church year, punctuated especially by the four chief festivals of Christ: Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, and Ascension. These festivals mark vitally important events in the earthly life of our Savior. Today – the Day of Pentecost – is the chief festival of the church…
St. James of Jerusalem – Acts 15:12-22a On our church calendar, today is the commemoration of St. James of Jerusalem. The New Testament calls him a “brother” of Jesus. This probably means that he was a step-brother – a son of Joseph by a previous marriage. There is circumstantial evidence that James was older than…