GOSPEL READING: John 7:37–52; 8:12
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those [a]believing in Him would receive; for the [b]Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
40 Therefore [c]many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.”
But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”
46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”
47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”
50 Nicodemus (he who came to [d]Jesus [e]by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet [f]has arisen out of Galilee.”
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me12 shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
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ЕВАНГЕЛСКО ЧЕТИВО: Јован 7, 37-52; 8,12
37. А во последниот голем ден од празникот застана Исус и извика со висок глас, велејќи: „Кој е жеден, нека дојде при Мене да пие! 38. Кој верува во Мене, од неговата утроба, како што е речено во Писмото, ќе потечат реки од жива вода.” 39. А ова го рече за Духот, Кого што ќе Го примат оние, кои веруваат во Него; оти Светиот Дух уште не им беше даден, бидејќи Исус уште не беше прославен. 40. А мнозина од народот, кога ги чуја овие зборови, рекоа: „Навистина, Овој е пророк!” 41. Други велеа: „Овој е Христос.” А некои рекоа: „Зар од Галилеја ќе дојде Христос? 42. Не е ли речено во Писмото: дека Христос ќе дојде од семето Давидово и од грачето Витлеем, од каде што беше Давид?” 43. И така настана во народот распавија за Него. 44. А некои од нив сакаа да Го фатат, но никој не стави рака врз Него. 45. Дојдоа, пак, слугите кај првосвештениците и фарисеите и овие им рекоа: „Зошто не Го доведовте?” 46. А слугите одговорија: „Никогаш човек не говорел така како Овој Човек.” 47. Тогаш им одговорија фарисеите: „Да не се прелагавте и вие? 48. Поверувал ли некој од началниците и фарисеите во Него? 49. Но овој народ, што не го знае Законот, е проклет.” 50. Никодим, пак, кој беше отишол при Него ноќе, а беше еден од нив, им рече: 51. Осудува ли нашиот Закон човек, дури најнапред не го сослушаат и не узнаат што прави? 52. А тие му одговорија и рекоа: „Да не си и ти од Галилеја? Испитај и види дека пророк од Галилеја не се јавил.” 12. И пак им рече Исус, велејќи: „Јас сум Светлина на светот; кој врви по Мене, нема да оди во темнина, а ќе има светлина во животот.”
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SUNDAY OF THE HOLY PENTECOST
The Feast of Holy Pentecost is celebrated each year on the fiftieth day after the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha (Easter) and ten days after the Feast of the Ascension of Christ. The Feast is always celebrated on a Sunday.
The Feast commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, a feast of the Jewish tradition. It also celebrates the establishment of the Church through the preaching of the Apostles and the baptism of the thousands who on that day believed in the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. The Feast is also seen as the culmination of the revelation of the Holy Trinity.
The story of Pentecost is found in the book of The Acts of the Apostles. In Chapter two we are told that the Apostles of our Lord were gathered together in one place. Suddenly, a sound came from heaven like a rushing wind, filling the entire house where they were sitting. Then, tongues of fire appeared, and one sat upon each one of Apostles. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as directed by the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).
This miraculous event occurred on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, celebrated by the Jews on the fiftieth day after the Passover as the culmination of the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). The Feast of Weeks began on the third day after the Passover with the presentation of the first harvest sheaves to God, and it concluded on Pentecost with the offering of two loaves of unleavened bread, representing the first products of the harvest (Leviticus 23:17-20; Deuteronomy 16:9-10).
Since the Jewish Feast of Pentecost was a great pilgrimage feast, many people from throughout the Roman Empire were gathered in Jerusalem on this day. When the people in Jerusalem heard the sound, they came together and heard their own languages being spoken by the Apostles (Acts 2:5-6). The people were amazed, knowing that some of those speaking were Galileans, and not men who would normally speak many different languages. They wondered what this meant, and some even thought the Apostles were drunk (Acts 2:7-13).
Peter, hearing these remarks, stood up and addressed the crowd. He preached to the people regarding the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Holy Spirit. He spoke about Jesus Christ and His death and glorious Resurrection. Great conviction fell upon the people, and they asked the Apostles, "What shall we do?" Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38-39).
The Bible records that on that day about three thousand were baptized. Following, the book of Acts states that the newly baptized continued daily to hear the teaching of the Apostles, as the early Christians met together for fellowship, the breaking of bread, and for prayer. Many wonderful signs and miracles were done through the Apostles, and the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).
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Thoughts by St. Theophan the Recluse on the
Sunday of Holy Pentecost
The economy of our salvation is accomplished! The operation of all the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity have now come into effect to accomplish it. What God the Father has willed, the Son of God fulfilled in Himself, and the Holy Spirit has now descended in order to impart it to the faithful. For our salvation is according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ (I Pet. 1:2). For this sake we are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, obliged, to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (Matt. 28:19–20). Those who do not confess the Most Holy Trinity cannot participate in the saving action of Its Persons and thus receive salvation. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and undivided, granting us confession of Itself! “O Father Almighty, and Word, and Spirit, one nature united in three Persons, transcendent and extremely divine! Into Thee have we been baptized, and Thee shall we bless throughout all ages.”
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