Fifth Sunday of Pascha -- The Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman is Acts 11:19-26, 29-30:

¹⁹They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only. ²⁰But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. ²²The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch, ²³who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord. ²⁴For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.

²⁵Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul. ²⁶When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. It happened, that for a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

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²⁹As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea; ³⁰which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

High School Football and Christian Living

Note:  This is a slightly revised version of an article I wrote for my Sunday School newsletter in the fall of 2005.  I am a member of a different church now (St. Innocent Orthodox Church), but the principals remain the same.

As I write this [in the fall of 2005], the “buzz”[1] in high school football is that the Dublin High School “Fighting Irish” is 7-0 and hasn’t been scored upon.  If they finish the regular season undefeated and without allowing any points, though, they won’t be setting a Georgia High School Association record.  That feat was first accomplished in 1984 by the Manchester High School “Blue Devils.”

I graduated from Mary Persons High School (MPHS), and Manchester is our archrival.  In 1984, MPHS had a bad year, finishing the regular season with a 7-3 record.  Meanwhile, Manchester finished the season 10‑0, unscored upon, and ranked #1 in the polls.  And they finished the regular season by beating Mary Persons 9-0.

We had to play them again the next Friday night in the first round of the region playoffs.  That week, MP’s normally faithful fans seemed resigned to defeat – nobody around town talked about beating Manchester – they would be happy if MP could just score on Manchester.

The first quarter ended in a hard-fought but scoreless tie.

Early in the second quarter, however, MP had a long gain – I can’t remember if it was a run or a pass – and had first and goal on about the Manchester 5-yard line.

On first down, MP tried a run up the middle.  Manchester’s outstanding defense rose to the occasion and stopped the play for no gain.  On second down, the MP quarterback faked a handoff up the middle, and again, the Manchester defense swarmed the running back.  But the MP quarterback still had the ball, standing all alone in his backfield, with all the time in the world to find a receiver.  And an MP receiver was all alone in the right corner of the end zone.  You could almost hear the violins playing in the sports movie that should be made about that game.  An easy throw and catch, and Manchester’s amazing unscored-upon streak was over.

You would have thought we had just won the state championship – the MP fans were jubilant!  Several were slightly injured, in fact, when one of the temporary stands broke due to the excessive celebration.  And the goal changed.  All of a sudden, scoring upon Manchester wasn’t enough – now, we had to beat them.  Manchester tied the game at 7-7 before halftime, but on their initial drive of the second half, the Blue Devil offense fumbled the ball away.  The mighty Manchester defense rose to the occasion, stopping the Mary Persons drive, but we were already in field goal range, and the kick gave us a 10-7 lead.  That was the final score, in one of the most dramatic upsets in local football history.

What does a high school football game decades ago have to do with Christian living?  In our lives, we face trials and tribulations despite trying to do our best in living for Christ.  Meanwhile, we see those around us who clearly aren’t Christians, or claim to be Christians, but certainly aren’t trying to live for Christ, and it seems that everything goes their way.  It certainly doesn’t seem fair.  In Romans 5:3-5, we read, “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:  knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

As Paul wrote, we grow in patience, experience, and hope (or faith) as we endure testing and tribulations.  Untested faith is unproven faith, potentially weak faith that may fail us when adversity comes.  Manchester’s offense wasn’t tested during the 1984 regular season – since the defense never gave up any points, the offense never had to come from behind.  When the test finally came, in the first round of the region playoffs, their offence failed.  What had seemed to be a blessing ultimately led to their defeat.

Manchester was the favorite to win the 1984 state championship.  Instead, Mary Persons won the South Georgia title, losing to West Rome 14-7 in the championship game.  The MP fans enjoyed the glory, while the Manchester fans were left to contemplate what might have been.  As we read in James 1:12, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation:  for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”  If our trials, or “temptations,” lead to our growth in Christ, we will be blessed and “receive the crown of life.”  Our eternal reward in the age to come is certainly worth some temporary trials and tribulations in this present age.

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[1] A good Georgia Tech term.

Fourth Sunday of Pascha – Sunday of the Paralytic

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Paralytic is Acts 9:32-42:

³²It happened, as Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. ³³There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, because he was paralyzed. ³⁴Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!" Immediately he arose. ³⁵All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did. ³⁷It happened in those days that she fell sick, and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. ³⁸As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. ³⁹Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper chamber. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰Peter put them all out, and kneeled down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴²And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Acts 9:32-35 parallels the Gospel for today, Jesus’ healing of the paralytic in John 5:1-15:

¹After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ²Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew, "Bethesda," having five porches. ³In these lay a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; ⁴for an angel of the Lord went down at certain times into the pool, and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made whole of whatever disease he had. ⁵A certain man was there, who had been sick for thirty-eight years. ⁶When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been sick for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to be made well?"

⁷The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I'm coming, another steps down before me."

⁸Jesus said to him, "Arise, take up your mat, and walk."

⁹Immediately, the man was made well, and took up his mat and walked.

Now it was the Sabbath on that day. ¹⁰So the Jews said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry the mat."

¹¹He answered them, "He who made me well, the same said to me, 'Take up your mat, and walk.' "

¹²Then they asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your mat, and walk'?"

¹³But he who was healed didn't know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a crowd being in the place.

¹⁴Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "Behold, you are made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you."

¹⁵The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Acts 9:36-42 parallels Jesus’ healing of Jarius’ daughter in Luke 8:41-42, 49-56:

⁴¹Behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus' feet, and begged him to come into his house, ⁴²for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him.

…

⁴⁹While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue's house came, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Don't trouble the Teacher."

⁵⁰But Jesus hearing it, answered him, "Don't be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed."

⁵¹When he came to the house, he didn't allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the child, and her mother. ⁵²All were weeping and mourning her, but he said, "Don't weep. She isn't dead, but sleeping."

⁵³They were ridiculing him, knowing that she was dead. ⁵⁴But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, "Child, arise!" ⁵⁵Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat. ⁵⁶Her parents were amazed, but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done.

This passage, in turn, parallels two Old Testament passages:

The Widow of Zarephath:

(1Ki 17:17-24) ¹⁷It happened after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. ¹⁸She said to Elijah, What have I to do with you, you man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory, and to kill my son! ¹⁹He said to her, Give me your son. He took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the chamber, where he abode, and laid him on his own bed. ²⁰He cried to Yahweh, and said, Yahweh my God, have you also brought evil on the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son? ²¹He stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to Yahweh, and said, Yahweh my God, please let this child's soul come into him again. ²²Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. ²³Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him to his mother; and Elijah said, Behold, your son lives. ²⁴The woman said to Elijah, Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is truth.

The Shunammite Woman:

(2Ki 4:32-37) ³²When Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid on his bed. ³³He went in therefore, and shut the door on them both, and prayed to Yahweh. ³⁴He went up, and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands: and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child grew warm. ³⁵Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth; and went up, and stretched himself on him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. ³⁶He called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. When she was come in to him, he said, Take up your son. ³⁷Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.

Third Sunday of Pascha -- The Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women is Acts 6:1-7:

¹Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service. ²The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables. ³Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. ⁴But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word."

⁵These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch; ⁶whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. ⁷The word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

I will add my notes later.