Next week we will find ourselves taking leave of the Paschal season, as we look toward the Feast of the Glorious Ascension on Thursday, June 6.   I was askled today how Jesus occupied himself for the 40 days after His resurrection.  The Apostle John, in the very last verse of his Gospel, remarks that  "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."  John 21:25.  Paul suggests in an epistle that at least 500 people encountered Jesus during this period, so...He was busy.  But the Ascension contains its own wonders, and we shall speak of that - and the blind man - on Sunday.

 

1.  The coming week:  We will serve Great Vespers on Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m., with Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of the Blind Man on Sunday morning at 10:00 am. If we can even imagine healing blindness as being an everyday event, the story on Sunday is at an entirely different level.  The Fathers tell us that the blind man, in fact, had no eyes at all.  It is a compelling story.

 

On Wednesday evening, at 6:30 p.m., we will serve a vesperal Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Ascension.  If you will be partaking, remember the fasting rules for vesperal Liturgies.

 

2.  Remember that on June 21 and 22 we will have a workshop on Missions, led by Subdeacon Maximus.  Child care will be available.

 

3.  You will notice some new things in the Church on Sunday.  We have been blessed yet again!

 

I hope to see you all this weekend!

 

In Christ,

 

Fr. James