Dear in Christ Brothers and Sisters,

Christ is Risen!

Congratulations with the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord!

Today’s Epistle reading, like last week’s, wonderfully meshes with today’s Gospel reading. Let’s take note that in both the Gospel and the Epistle, Jesus Christ heals a paralytic. In the Gospel Christ Himself performs the miracle, while in the Epistle the Lord also heals, but through His emissary, St. Peter. In the former case, Christ does not look for signs of faith from the paralyzed person before healing him, because He is only beginning His earthly ministry and few people know anything about Him. The same is true in the latter case. For the strengthening of the new members of the Church, for the strengthening of their faith and for the growth of the Church, a great miracle is performed without the usual need for a witnessing of faith.

To this first topic of today’s reading, the healing of Аеnеas, is added another topic, the raising of Tabitha (or Dorcas). Tabitha is an Aramaic name, and the Greek translation of this name is Dorcas (as the English translation of the Scriptures makes clear). The Russian translation of the Scriptures translate Tabitha not into Greek, but into Russian, thus passing on the meaning of this name, which is a mountain goat or a gazelle). It’s not by accident that her name is recorded, because she truly was like a gazelle, who skipped up the spiritual mountain with her good deeds. As we see from today’s excerpt, the local Christians held her in high esteem and mourned her greatly because of her almsgiving. She was an important member of the Church because she used her means and talents for the good of the Church community (she sewed clothing for the poor Christians). The Apostle Peter, when he was informed of her death, immediately, without tarrying, came to the mourners. He, following the example of Christ, as well as that of the Old Testament saints Elijah and Elisha, remained alone with the deceased, prayed with diligence, and raised her up from the dead. This miracle, like the other miracles performed by the apostles, lead to many people believing in Christ.

Today’s account of the raising of St. Tabitha is very instructive. Let’s learn from her as well as from the Apostle Peter. Like her, let’s use our talents for the good of the Church and for the support of our needy brothers and sisters in Christ. Like St. Peter, let’s not tarry in helping where and when needed. Let’s not reject our support for those who are sorrowing. Let’s remember that if we wish for the Lord to hear our prayers, we must take as examples Christ and His saints and emulate them. When praying, let’s try to concentrate, driving out of our mind wayward thoughts and remaining alone with God. Following the examples from today’s excerpt from Acts, let’s hope that we will begin to skip up the spiritual mountain like a gazelle and that our souls, deadened by sins, will come alive as was the case with St. Tabitha so many years ago.

priest Alexis