Daily Meditations Archives - Page 193 of 333

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

06/02/2017

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

06/01/2017

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 after the Ascension. I Am with You Always!

05/31/2017

“And lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” Matthew 28:20 Before Christ, there was a mistaken notion that God resided in the temple in Jerusalem. People had to go to the temple to pray. When Jerusalem fell and the people of Israel were exiled to Babylon, not only did they mourn the loss of their city, they even mourned the loss of their God. For they thought the destruction of

Tuesday after the Ascension. The Most Important Thing in Life Is the Only Non-Seasonal Thing We Do

05/30/2017

Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. While He blessed them, He parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. Luke 24: 50-53 There are many “seasons” in life, seasons that are anticipated, seasons that are endured, seasons that are enjoyed, seasons that end, sometimes even seasons that

Monday after the Ascension. John’s End—The Purpose of the “Book”

05/29/2017

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:30-31 But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain

Friday after the Ascension. So, What Now?

05/26/2017

And while staying with them He charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which He said, “You heard from me.” Acts 1:4 (From the Epistle Lesson read on the Feast of Ascension) If you divide the history of the world into chapters, the first chapter would be, “The Creation of the world.” The second chapter would be the period where mankind lived in total unity with

Feast of the Ascension of our Lord. He Ascended in Glory

05/25/2017

So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. Mark 16:19 (From the Third Eothinon Gospel of the Sunday Orthros) “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” And when He had said this,

Leave-Taking of Pascha. Recruiting Others is Part of the Deal

05/24/2017

And Jesus came and said to them, ”All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28: 18-20 (From the Gospel read at the “Vesperal Liturgy on Holy Saturday morning) Christ is Risen! At every Baptism,

Tuesday of the 6th Week of Pascha. He Works with Us Even When We Doubt

05/23/2017

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshiped Him; but some doubted. Matthew 28: 16-17 (Gospel read at the Vesperal Liturgy on Holy Saturday morning) Christ is Risen! “Doubt” is a topic that comes up often not only in these reflections, but in any journey of faith. We wonder things like: Is my faith strong enough? Am I doing what

Monday of the 6th Week of Pascha. We Are All Called to Be Disciples and Apostles

05/22/2017

And Jesus said to the Disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt