All Saints of North America Orthodox Church · Phoenix, Arizona

Orthodox Christianity on the west side of Phoenix Arizona including Sun City, Surprise, Peoria, Glendale, Litchfield Park, Buckeye, Tonopah, and more

  • Home
  • About
    • New Visitor Information
    • How to Become Orthodox
    • Clergy & Leadership
    • For Orthodox Visitors
    • List of Activities for Orthodox Christians Desiring to Transfer to ASONA
  • Faith
    • Statement of Faith
    • About Orthodox Christianity
    • ASONA Mission Statement
    • Eucharist: Sacrament or Symbol?
    • Eucharistic Bread: Leavened or Unleavened?
    • Welcome Home! Evangelicals Come Home to Orthodoxy
    • Saints of North America
    • A List of Responsibilities of a Godparent in the Orthodox Church
  • Education
    • The Correct Understanding of Being Born Again
    • LIVE Online Catechism
    • Christian Names and Patron Saints
    • Welcome to the Orthodox Church! (Videos)
  • Catechesis
    • List of Activities to Complete Prior to Baptism
    • Online Catechism Lessons
    • Audio Lectures
    • Bible Survey Lessons
    • The Mystery of Confession
    • To Sincere Converts to the Orthodox Faith, and those who are Seeking
  • Directions
  • Services
    • Calendar
    • Paschal Greetings from Around the World
    • When Someone Dies
  • Articles
  • Contact
    • Donate Now
    • GIVING Page
    • The Book of Needs
  • Giving Page
  • New Member Class
  • Christmas Page
  • Calendar
  • Ready Page
  • Ecclesioclasm
  • Weekly Bulletin

On the Midfeast of Pentecost

May 26, 2021 By Fr. John Peck [edit]

by Fr. Seraphim Rose
Lay Sermon by Eugene Rose (future Hieromonk Seraphim),
May 1965

For too many of us, perhaps, the weeks following the radiant Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ are a time of relaxation and even of indulgence; the rigors of the Fast being ended, the body revels while the spirit grows weak. But if this is unfortunately so, it is our own fault and not the fault of the Holy Church; for she never ceases to draw our minds upward and instruct us as to what thoughts and actions are appropriate for Orthodox Christians in this holy season.

Each Sunday after Easter has a special name drawn from the appointed Gospel reading; between Easter and the Ascension there are the Sundays of St. Thomas, of the Myrrh bearers, of the Paralytic, of the Samaritan Woman, of the Blind Man. Another special feast, to which too little attention is usually paid, occurs on the Wednesday of the fourth week after Easter and is called “Mid-Pentecost.” This feast commemorates the event in the life of the Savior when, in the middle of the Old Testament Feast of Tabernacles, He taught in the Temple concerning His being sent from God and concerning the living water of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which all those who thirst may receive from Him (St. John 7:14-39).

As celebrated by Orthodox Christians, this feast occurs exactly midway between Easter and Pentecost and serves as a link between them. It continues the celebration of our Lord’s Resurrection, emphasizing His Divine nature and glory; for it was proper to no one but to God to conquer death. At the same time it reminds us of the approaching Descent of the Holy Spirit and prepares us for it, teaching us to find in Christ our God the Source of life and grace, He Who sends the Holy Spirit (St. John 16:7), and to become ourselves not merely recipients, but even givers of the gifts of the Holy Spirit: “He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (St. John 7:38).

Faith has grown weak in our day, and few live up to this teaching: but even for the weakest there is at least one lesson to be learned from the teaching of this feast of Mid-Pentecost: thirst. Even while feasting on the good things of this earth that are permitted to us in this joyful season, we should yet thirst for what lies above the earth, for the Holy Spirit Whose coming we await even while we enjoy the presence among us of the Risen Lord. Thus we sing in the Troparion of the feast:

Tone VIII

Having come to the middle of the feast,

refresh my thirsty soul with the streams of piety;

for Thou, O Savior, didst say to all:

Let him who thirsts come to Me and drink.

O Christ our God, Source of Life, glory to Thee.

 

Source

Share the post "On the Midfeast of Pentecost"

  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Bookmark

Filed Under: General, Theology [post-edit]

All Saints of North America Orthodox Church

11234 W. Alabama Ave.
Youngtown, AZ 85363

(928) 910-2186

RSS Orthochristian.com

  • The Intervention of Our Local Saint
  • Metropolitan of Moldova: Church-state relations have deteriorated since February
  • Byzantine church with mosaic floors uncovered in Jericho
  • Volunteers (Rostov-on-Don) help disabled children in Donbass

RSS LifeSite News

  • Minnesota Legislature Passes Bill to Legalize Abortions Up to Birth By 1 Vote
  • Miracle Baby Born 14 Weeks Early Heads Home
  • Pro-Life Advocates Protest Walgreens Shareholder Meeting, Tell Drug Store to Stop Selling Abortion Pills

A Directory of Arizona Orthodox Churches

Recent Posts

  • Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, January 29, 2023
  • Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, January 22, 2023
  • Weekly Bulletin for Sunday January 15, 2023
  • Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, January 8, 2023
  • Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, January 1, 2023

RSS Western American Diocese

  • Christmas Message from Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia
  • NATIVITY EPISTLE  of His Eminence NICHOLAS Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

RSS Journey to Orthodoxy

  • On the Path of Love: From Islam to Christianity
  • Madagascar: Church Opens Huge Complex with Church, Schools, Orphanage, Old Folks’ Home
  • Australia: Orthodoxy Fastest Growing Church amidst General Christian Decline
  • Finding the Right Holy Hospital — For Me
  • To Sincere Converts to the Orthodox Faith, and those who are Seeking

RSS Good Guys Wear Black

  • Conservative Clergy vs Liberal Clergy?
  • On the Meaning and Power of a Priest’s Blessing
  • July 10-13, 2022 – Liturgical Practicum
  • History, Symbolism and Modern Use of Orarion
  • Priestly Priorities

Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, January 29, 2023

Orthodox Calendar



Copyright © 2023 All Saints of North America Orthodox Church · All Rights Reserved
Designed by Fr. John A. Peck · Log in