Archpriest

David Brum, Rector

Protodeacon

Alexis Washington

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church

1614 E Monte Vista Road

Phoenix, Arizona 85006

602-253-9515

Regular Services

Saturday:  

   5:00 PM  Great Vespers

Sunday:

    9:00 AM  Divine Liturgy

© 2013 - Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church    602-253-9515                    All rights reserved.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This month (Thursday, June 13th) we celebrate the Great Feast of the Ascension of the Lord into Heaven.  This day is a Feast of profound meaning and promise, if we understand the message proclaimed by the Christian Church about who Jesus is - and who we are empowered to become in and through Him.

On this Feast of the Ascension we might step back and ask ourselves this question, "How are we doing?" How are we doing when it comes to living the Orthodox Christian life?  How are we doing in following Christ, in heeding His commands and fulfilling His teaching, and sharing in His mission?  The Feast of the Ascension presents us with an invitation to examine the relationship between the faith we profess every time we pray the Nicene Creed—and how that faith makes itself present and is reflected in our daily lives.

The Holy Apostle Paul encouraged the Christians in Corinth in his second letter to take such an examination regularly: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?  Unless, of course, you fail the test.  I hope you will discover that we have not failed" (2 Corinthians 13:5).

There is a deep, defining meaning to the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord Jesus. It goes to the very essence of the Christian vocation and the plan of redemption: We have ascended with Jesus Christ and are called to live on earth the very realities of heaven, beginning in the here and now. The Feast of the Ascension can also give us insight into the deeper reality of the Feast of Pentecost which we will soon celebrate. The Breath of God, His Spirit, has been breathed into His Church—and thus into each one of us—in order to enable us to live differently—beginning right now—and participate in the ongoing saving mission of Jesus Christ.

The mission of Christ in which we now share will not be fulfilled until Christ Himself returns in glory and presents the re-created cosmos to the Father.  This is what the Holy Apostle Paul calls the “plan” or the “mystery” now revealed in Jesus Christ (see Colossians 1).  The Feast of the Ascension helps unlock the meaning of our lives in light of God’s plan for all creation.  Not simply a liturgical intermission or something to keep us liturgically occupied between Pascha and Pentecost, the Feast of the Lord’s Ascension reveals to us the inner meaning of the ongoing mission of the Church and our call to participate in it.

Unfortunately, this Feast is one that many Orthodox Christians let slip them by.  But, the Lord’s Ascension is part of salvation history—our history—and affects our lives in the here and now.  It is not merely a commemoration of an event which occurred 2,000 years ago, but an event that speaks to us in the here and now and helps unlock the meaning of our lives and reveal the plan of God for the entire created order.

The great Bishop of Hippo Augustine (+430) wrote these words on this Feast: "Today our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven; let our hearts ascend with him. Listen to the words of the Apostle: If you have risen with Christ, set your hearts on the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God; seek the things that are above, not the things that are on earth. For just as he remained with us even after his ascension, so we too are already in heaven with him, even though what is promised us has not yet been fulfilled in our bodies."

In other words, we have ascended with the Lord! He is the Head and we are members of His Body. We cannot be separated. Augustine, reflecting the clear teaching of the early Church Fathers reminds us that the Head and the Body are the "One Christ." So, this is our Feast as well! We now live in Christ by living in His Body, the Church, of which we are members. We are invited to live in the heart of the Church for the sake of the world.

Let me conclude with some words from the Holy Apostle Paul who reflects on this plan:

(Ephesians 1:3-14) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

With love in the Lord, Father David

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The Catechetical Sermon of St. John Chrysostom is read during Matins of Pascha.

If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in nowise be deprived therefor. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honor, will accept the last even as the first; he gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour.

And he shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one he gives, and upon the other he bestows gifts. And he both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering. Wherefore, enter you all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.

Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior's death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.

Paschal Sermon of Saint John Chrysostom