After the Blessed Fifty days, The Call to Become Saints

Again and again we are reminded that Pentecost is not just the celebration of an event that happened centuries ago. It is the celebration of what can happen, what does happen, and what must happen in the Church today. In baptism we all have died and risen with the Messiah-King. At Chrismation we all have received His Most Holy Spirit. We are the “temples of the Holy Spirit.” i.e. God’s Spirit makes a home in us. (Romans 8:1; I Corinthians 2-3, 12; II Corinthians 3; Galations 5; Ephesians 2-3; Each of us by our own membership, has received the “seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Pentecost has happened to us!

On June 15, the Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the feast of All Saints. This is a logical sequence since the purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit is fulfilled by us becoming saints. This is indeed the very purpose of the creation and salvation of the world. (I Peter 1:15-16) Fr. Alexander Schmemann loved to quote the French novelist Leon Bloy who wrote: “There is but one sadness—not to be a saint.”

Moving from the general to the specific, on the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost we celebrate the feast of All Saints of our local Church. In Russia this means the celebration of “All Saints who have shown forth in the Land of Rus’.” For us, it is the feast of All Saints of North America.

Still further, in the cycle of immovable feasts, the month of June brings us the celebration of the particular memory of some of the greatest Saints of the Universal Church. On the 24th, around the time of the Summer Solstice, we celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist, Friend of the Bridegroom who Himself is the Sun of Righteousness. He was called by the Lord, “the greatest born of women.”

Finally, as we complete the fasting period which begins on the day after All Saints, we fulfill this special time of the year with the celebration of the Chief Apostles Peter and Paul on June 29th.

Summer Schedule for Confessions

Sunday—The Lord’s day—begins at Vespers on Saturday evening. For those receiving Holy Communion, there should be a continuum of vigilance and preparation between the evening service and the Divine Liturgy. That’s why we never schedule any activities after Vigil. With the longer summer daylight hours, Vigil begins an hour later so that Saturday can be completed and we can more fully give ourselves to the celebration of the Lord’s Day. Because of the later hour, however, Fr. Stephan will be available for confessions before the beginning of Vigil by appointment. Please call or email ahead.