Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Thursday Prior to Trinity

 


Acts 2:14a, 22–36—The second reading for the Trinity Sunday is a continuation of St Peter’s Pentecost Day sermon in Jerusalem. In this portion, Peter speaks of Jesus Christ, a man attested to you by God with mighty wonders and signs, who was crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men, but raised up from the dead because He was not just a man, but also Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.

Peter quotes from Psalms 16 and 110, showing how the Old Testament testifies of Christ, and also proclaims how all three persons of the Trinity were involved in the salvation of mankind. Jesus (the Son) was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God (the Father), has been exalted at the right hand of God, and now pours out His Spirit that people might hear and believe the Good News.

The resurrection of Christ is the central message of the Christian Church and the cornerstone content of our witness in the world. The message of the early Church is the message of the 21st Century Church.  The proclamation that Christ lives and reigns is the hope and challenge that the world most desperately needs to hear.  Without this proclamation, we have no message.

Charles Colson once recounted a powerful story about the bold witness of a Russian Orthodox monk.  It happened in 1990 in Moscow on the Russian May Day.  Mikhail Gorbachev and other Russian leaders were standing on a platform in Red Square watching a procession of tanks, missiles and troops rumble past them.  That year’s May Day celebration was different, however, for, behind the tanks and missiles and troops, followed a massive throng of protesters calling for freedom and heralding the collapse of the old Communist state.  It was out of this mass of protesters that this monk made his bold statement.  As they passed before the platform, this monk hoisted a huge crucifix into the air, stepped out of the mass of protesters towards the leaders on the platform and shouted, “Mikhail Sergeyevich!  Christ is risen!  At this, Gorbachev turned and walked off the platform. - Charles Colson, The Enduring Revolution, p.28-29.

Prayer for the Holy Spirit: Lord God, heavenly Father, let Your Holy Spirit dwell in us that He may enlighten and lead us into all truth and evermore defend us from all adversities; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns  with You and same Spirit, One God, now and forever.

Image of the Trinity copyright © Google images

Prayer for the Holy Spirit, Lutheran Service Book © 2006, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis


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