Chancellor’s Diary

by Fr. John Jillions

March 12, 2015

Acts 15:36-41 “A Sharp Contention”

St Barnabas
St. Barnabas

36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 And Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn…

March 11, 2015

Acts 15:28-29: a closer look

be holy
“You shall be holy” (Lev 20:26)

28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do…

March 10, 2015

Acts 15:22-35

22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsab′bas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, 23 with the following letter:

“The brethren, both the apostles and the elders, to the brethren…

March 4, 2015

Acts 15:1-21 A Decisive Council

The Council at Jerusalem

St Peter
Peter and the Jerusalem Council

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the…

February 27, 2015

100th anniversary of the repose of Saint Raphael (Hawaweeny), Bishop of Brooklyn

Acts 14:19-28

19 But Jews came there from Antioch and Ico′nium; and having persuaded the people,stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city; and on the next…

February 25, 2015

3rd Day of Great Lent

Acts 14:1-18 Bold Humility

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

Paul's Mission
Paul’s Mission in Asia Minor

14 Now at Ico′nium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue, and so spoke that a great company believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.…

February 24, 2015

2nd Day of Great Lent

Acts 13:44-52 Jealousy

44 The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered together to hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted what was spoken by Paul, and reviled him. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word…

February 20, 2015

Acts 13:26-43 “People of the Cross”

26 “Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. 27 For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled…

February 13, 2015

Acts 13:13-25 Paul’s Bridge-building in a Synagogue

St Paul Mission
Paul’s 1st Missionary Journey

13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphyl′ia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem; 14 but they passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisid′ia. And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.…

February 10, 2015

Acts 13:4-12

Fighting for the Faith

St Paul
Elymas, Sergius Paulus and Paul (Lincoln Cathedral, England)

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleu′cia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Sal′amis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. 6 When they…

February 6, 2015

Acts 13:1-3

Liturgy, fasting and hearing the Holy Spirit: Barnabas and Saul sent out as missionaries

SS Paul & Barnabas
The Apostles Paul and Barnabas

1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyre′ne, Man′a-en a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping…

February 4, 2015

Acts 12:6-25

Peter Delivered from Prison

St. Peter
Peter Delivered From Prison (Caracciolo, 1578-1625)

6 The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; 7 and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he…

February 3, 2015

Postfeast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple

Acts 12:1-6 Persecution and Prayer

1About that time Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword; 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened…

January 29, 2015

Acts 11:19- 30 First Gentile Mission Planted in Antioch

Antioch
Antioch (modern Antakya, Turkey)

19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoeni′cia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyre′ne, who on coming to Antioch…

January 27, 2015

Acts 11:1-18 “Who was I that I could withstand God?”

Glorify God

Now the apostles and the brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, 3 saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” 4 But Peter began and explained to…

January 24, 2015

Acts 10:34-48 “God shows no partiality”

The Good News is for All

34 And Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is…

January 22, 2015

Acts 10:9-33 Call Nobody Common or Unclean

St. Peter's Vision
Peter’s Vision

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and coming near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 And he became hungry and desired something to eat; but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heaven opened, and something…

January 21, 2015

Acts 10:1-7 Cornelius

St. Cornelius
St. Cornelius the Centurion (as first Bishop of Caesarea)

10 At Caesare′a there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms liberally to the people, and prayed constantly to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly…

January 16, 2015

Acts 9:32-43 Peter the Apostle and Missionary

St Peter & Tabitha
Peter heals Dorcas (Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy)

32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aene′as, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aene′as,…

January 15, 2015

Acts 9:26-31

26 And when he [Saul]  had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached…