Acts 1:1-5: the promise of the Holy Spirit
1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying [eating] with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with [by] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
(New Revised Standard Version, NRSV)
Acts is all about the life of the Holy Spirit in the young Church. But before the apostles could get to Pentecost, they first had to overcome their doubts—no, their utter incredulity and disbelief—about the Resurrection of Jesus. They had seen him brutally crucified. They had fled the scene and gone into hiding. And they were not expecting anything more. When the women rushed from the empty tomb and reported to the apostles what they had seen and heard, “these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them” (Luke 24:11). It wasn’t just Thomas who doubted. All the apostles had the same instinctive reaction: dead people don’t rise from the grave. These were tough Galilean fishermen, not given to superstition or visions. The Gospel accounts are unanimous in this. They had to be convinced against their natural judgment that Jesus was truly alive.
Jesus said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at My hands and My feet; see that it is I myself. Touch Me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate in their presence.
It took forty days of the risen Jesus Christ appearing to them, being present with them at meals, speaking with them, teaching them. But then they were changed for good. They could testify now to what they had seen and heard. They were ready to face the doubts and scorn of others at this foolish talk of the resurrection because they had once felt the same way.
Update
I am now in Atlanta with Father Eric Tosi, Melanie Ringa, Father Myron Manzuk and Peter Ilchuk and the local committee to review progress toward planning for the 18th All-American Council to be held here this July. Later this morning we’ll be meeting with is Eminence, Metropolitan Alexios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta to deliver the official invitation from His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon.
Sunday I had the great pleasure of attending the 50th anniversary celebration of Holy Trinity parish in Randolph, New Jersey. As a 16-year old I moved to Randolph with my family in 1971 and the parish was a big part of my life as I finished high school and then spent summers at home during my college years. Father George Hasenecz (celebrating his 50th year of priesthood) was the parish priest then and for most of the parish’s history, succeeded by Father David Fox. From the time we moved to Randolph I loved singing in the choir, and Carol Wetmore is still the choir director (Bishop Michael gave her and the choir a Gramota for their years of service). Many of the founders were at the celebration, including John Miseko, 93, the first parish warden and Father John Nehrebecki, who was instrumental in helping the parish get started. Protodeacon Peter and Tania Danilchick spent many years with the parish too (we sang together in the choir and he led youth discussions.)
Father David noted that over the fifty years of the parish’s life he estimated the following statistics:
409 Baptisms and Chrismations
198 Weddings
81 Funerals
2,500 House Blessings
10,000 Confessions
There’s much more that could be said, but it’s good to see parish life at the grassroots and to be grateful for those who make it possible.