7th Sunday of Pascha
Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council
Arias began to deny the divinity of the Son of God and His oneness in essence with God the Father. The entire Church rose up against him; all believers, from all ends of the earth, unanimously confessed that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Only-Begotten Son of God, true God of true God; begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father. One would think that this unanimity was purely coincidental, but this faith was then tried by fire when the authorities and powerful of this world began to side with the Arians. Neither fire, nor sword, nor persecution could extinguish this faith, and it was immediately found everywhere among everyone, as soon as the pressure from external powers ceased. This means that it makes up the heart of the Church and the essence of her confession. Glory be to the Lord, Who preserves this faith within us! For, as long as it exists, we are still Christians, though we may not live as such. If it ceases to exist, Christianity will end.
St. Theophan the Recluse
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On Thursday of the 6th week after Pascha, the Holy Church solemnly celebrates one of the Twelve Great Feasts — the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ into Heaven.
This year, the Feast of the Ascension falls on May 29.
Forty days after His glorious Resurrection, Christ gathered His disciples on the Mount of Olives, blessed them, and, lifting up His hands, ascended into Heaven, taking with Him the renewed and glorified human nature. This moment marked the completion of His earthly ministry and the beginning of a new stage in the divine economy of salvation — the age of the Holy Spirit, who was soon to descend upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost.
The Ascension of Christ is a testimony to our heavenly calling: the Lord did not abandon mankind, but raised it into the glory of the Divine Kingdom, seating it at the right hand of the Father. It is a feast of hope, triumph, and the glorification of human nature, now forever united with God in Christ.
O Christ our God, having fulfilled the dispensation for our sake and ascended in glory, gladden us with the promise of the Holy Spirit!
A reminder: tomorrow the festal Divine Liturgy will begin at 9:00 AM.
We warmly invite everyone to join in prayer on this radiant feast!
You can find the full schedule of services on our website: https://resurrectionrocathedral.org/schedule as well as in the weekly newsletter from our Warden.
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