3rd Day of the Holy Trinity
Acts 20:1-16 Paul in Troas
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 8 There were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered. 9 And a young man named Eu′tychus was sitting in the window. He sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer; and being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and embracing him said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” 11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. 12 And they took the lad away alive, and were not a little comforted.
This little incident in Troas, a port on the northeast tip of Asia Minor, took place as Paul and his companions were on their return trip from Macedonia, heading to Jerusalem for Pentecost. Note already the settled aspects of church life in this missionary outpost. The community is gathered to worship and receive Holy Communion—“to break bread”—on Sunday, the “first day of the week” rather than on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. Communion would have been in the evening—or very early morning—after what would normally have been a workday. And teaching figured most prominently in their assembly (though it appears Paul spoke at greater length than some—like Eutyches—could handle after a tiring day.) This was more than lecturing: Paul “conversed with them a long while.” This was the eager back and forth that characterizes a lively community grateful for the opportunity to talk about the faith with an extraordinary teacher like Paul. The accident with Eutyches, and his miraculous recovery, comes almost as a normal part of the grace and healing to be expected in such a church community.
Update
Sunday I was with Archbishop Mark and Protodeacon Gregory Moser serving for Pentecost with Father John Bohush at Saint Nicholas Church in Philadelphia.
Today, Melanie Ringa and I go to San Francisco to meet with Archbishop Benjamin and his Diocesan Council. This is part of our continuing effort to meet diocesan leaders and answer questions about the OCA, the 18th All-American Council and funding the work of the Church.