St. Thomas the Apostle Orthodox Church - Springfield, MO

06/01/2026

O heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things; Treasury of blessings and Giver of life,
come and abide in us, andcleanse us from every impurity,and save our souls, O Good One!

On the day after every Great Feast, the Orthodox Church honors the one through whom the Feast is made possible. On the day following the Nativity of the Lord, for example, we celebrate the Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God (26 December). On the day after Theophany, we commemorate Saint John the Baptist (7 January), and so on.

Today we honor the All-Holy, Good, and Life-Giving Spirit, Who descended upon the Apostles at Pentecost in the form of fiery tongues in fulfillment of the Lord’s promise to send the Comforter to His disciples (JN@ 14:16). That same Holy Spirit remains within the Church throughout the ages, guiding it “into all truth” (JN 16:13).

One of the hymns at Vespers on Saturday evening tells us:

“The Holy Spirit is Light and Life,
a living Fountain of spiritual gifts,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
all-knowing, upright and good:
He leads us and washes away our sins.
He is God, and He makes us gods;
He is Fire proceeding from Fire,
speaking and acting and distributing gifts.
Through Him all the Prophets, Martyrs and Apostles of God are crowned.
Strange account, strange and wonderful sight:
fire is divided for distributing gifts.

“Come, O people,
let us worship the Godhead in three Persons:
the Son in the Father, with the Holy Spirit.
For the Father timelessly begot the Son, co-eternal and co-enthroned with Him;
and the Holy Spirit was in the Father and is glorified with the Son.
We worship one Power, one Essence, one Godhead,
and we say: “Holy God,
Who hast created all things through Thy Son
with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit;
Holy Mighty,
through Whom we know the Father;
and through Whom the Holy Spirit came to dwell in the world;
Holy Immortal,
Comforting Spirit,
Who proceedest from the Father and restest in the Son.
O Holy Trinity, glory to Thee!”

This whole week is fast-free, and the Leave-taking of Pentecost occurs on Saturday.

05/31/2026

Blessed are Thou O Christ Our God, Who hast revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit and through them Thou hast drawn the world into Thy net! O Lover of Man, glory to Thee!

‘In the Church’s annual liturgical cycle, Pentecost is “the last and great day.” It is the celebration by the Church of the coming of the Holy Spirit as the end—the achievement and fulfillment—of the entire history of salvation. For the same reason, however, it is also the celebration of the beginning: it is the “birthday” of the Church as the presence among us of the Holy Spirit, of the new life in Christ, of grace, knowledge, adoption to God and holiness.

This double meaning and double joy is revealed to us, first of all, in the very name of the feast. Pentecost in Greek means fifty, and in the sacred biblical symbolism of numbers, the number fifty symbolizes both the fulness of time and that which is beyond time: the Kingdom of God itself. It symbolizes the fulness of time by its first component: 49, which is the fulness of seven (7 x 7): the number of time. And, it symbolizes that which is beyond time by its second component: 49 + 1, this one being the new day, the “day without evening” of God’s eternal Kingdom. With the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ’s disciples, the time of salvation, the Divine work of redemption has been completed, the fulness revealed, all gifts bestowed: it belongs to us now to “appropriate” these gifts, to be that which we have become in Christ: participants and citizens of His Kingdom.

The liturgical peculiarity of Pentecost is a very special Vespers of the day itself. Usually this service follows immediately the Divine Liturgy, is “added” to it as its own fulfillment. The service begins as a solemn “summing up” of the entire celebration, as its liturgical synthesis. We hold flowers in our hands symbolizing the joy of the eternal spring, inaugurated by the coming of the Holy Spirit. After the festal Entrance, this joy reaches its climax in the singing of the Great Prokeimenon:

“Who is so great a God as our God?”

Then, having reached this climax, we are invited to kneel. This is our first kneeling since Easter. It signifies that after these fifty days of Paschal joy and fulness, of experiencing the Kingdom of God, the Church now is about to begin her pilgrimage through time and history. It is evening again, and the night approaches, during which temptations and failures await us, when, more than anything else, we need Divine help, that presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who has already revealed to us the joyful End, who now will help us in our effort towards fulfillment and salvation.

All this is revealed in the three prayers which the celebrant reads now as we all kneel and listen to him. In the first prayer, we bring to God our repentance, our increased appeal for forgiveness of sins, the first condition for entering into the Kingdom of God.

In the second prayer, we ask the Holy Spirit to help us, to teach us to pray and to follow the true path in the dark and difficult night of our earthly existence. Finally, in the third prayer, we remember all those who have achieved their earthly journey, but who are united with us in the eternal God of Love.

The joy of Easter has been completed and we again have to wait for the dawn of the Eternal Day. Yet, knowing our weakness, humbling ourselves by kneeling, we also know the joy and the power of the Holy Spirit who has come. We know that God is with us, that in Him is our victory.

Thus is completed the feast of Pentecost and we enter “the ordinary time” of the year. Yet, every Sunday now will be called “after Pentecost”—and this means that it is from the power and light of these fifty days that we shall receive our own power, the Divine help in our daily struggle. At Pentecost we decorate our churches with flowers and green branches—for the Church “never grows old, but is always young.” It is an evergreen, ever-living Tree of grace and life, of joy and comfort. For the Holy Spirit—“the Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life—comes and abides in us, and cleanses us from all impurity,” and fills our life with meaning, love, faith and hope.’

—Father Alexander Schmemann

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When the most High came down and confused the tongues, He divided the nations; but when he distributed the tongues of fire He called all to unity. Therefore, with one voice, we glorify the All-holy Spirit!

05/30/2026

Today we remember all pious and Orthodox Christians who have fallen asleep in the Lord, and also recall the dread Day of Judgment. May Christ our God be merciful to them, and to us.

Two Epistles (Acts 28:1-31, I Thess. 4:13-17) and two Gospels (JN 21:14-25, JN 5:24-30) are appointed to be read at Liturgy. The readings from Acts and the Gospel of Saint John, which began on Pascha, now come to an end. The book of Acts does not end, as might be expected, with the death of Saints Peter and Paul, but remains open-ended.

In his article “With all the Saints,” Father Justin Popovich says that the Lives of the Saints are nothing less than a “continuation of the Acts of the Apostles.” Just as the book of Acts describes the works of Christ which the Apostles accomplished through Christ, Who was dwelling in them and working through them, the saints also preach the same Gospel, live the same life, manifest the same righteousness, love, and power from on High. As we prepare for the Sunday of All Saints, we are reminded that each of us is called to a life of holiness.

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With the saints give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Thy servants, where sickness and sorrow are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.

05/30/2026

May God grant His Eminence Archbishop Alejo of Mexico City and the Diócesis de México - Iglesia Ortodoxa en América many years on the occasion of the anniversary of his consecration to the episcopacy!
Eis polla eti despota!!

05/30/2026

When a person receives communion, the grace of Communion extends to his entire family, both the living and the dead.

St. Seraphim of Sarov

05/29/2026

Saint Theodosίa of Tyre lived during the III and IV Centuries. Once, during a persecution against Christians, which had already lasted for five years, the seventeen-year-old Theodosίa visited some condemned Christian prisoners in the Praetorium at Caesarea in Palestine. It was the day of Holy Passover (Easter, Pascha), and the Martyrs were speaking about the Kingdom of God. Saint Theodosίa asked them to remember her when they appeared before the Lord.

When the soldiers saw that the girl had bowed to the prisoners, they seized her and led her before the governor, Urban. The governor urged the Saint to offer sacrifice to the idols, but she refused, professing her faith in Christ. Then she was subjected to cruel tortures; her sides and breasts were raked with iron claws until her bones were exposed. She endured this in silence with astonishing courage. Again Urban told her to sacrifice, but she mocked him saying: “Foolish man, why do you persist? Can you not see that I have received everything I prayed for, and that I am honored to share the fate of these Martyrs for Christ?"

After saying this, she was tormented even more severely than before. The holy virgin was cast into the sea with a stone tied around her neck, but Angels rescued her from the depths. Then they tossed her into the arena to be eaten by wild animals. Seeing that the beasts would not touch her, the soldiers beheaded her.

That night Saint Theodosίa appeared to her parents, who had tried to persuade their daughter not to let herself be tortured. She wore radiant garments, a crown upon her head, and held a luminous gold cross in her hand. She said to them, “Behold the great glory of which you wished to deprive me!”

The Holy Virgin Martyr Theodosίa of Tyre suffered for Christ on 3 April in the year 307 or 308. She is also commemorated on 29 May (the transfer of her relics to Constantinople, and later to Venice).

O Holy Virgin Martyr Theodosia, pray for us to the Lord!

05/29/2026

Blessed John, the Fool-for-Christ and Wonderworker of Ustiug, was born in the village of Pukhovo, near Old Ustiug, of pious parents Savva and Maria. From his youth he distinguished himself by a strict life of fasting. On Wednesdays and Fridays he ate nothing, and on other days he ate only bread and water. His parents moved to the city of Orlets along the Iug River, forty versts from Ustiug. Left as a widow, the Saint’s mother was tonsured at Holy Trinity Monastery in Orlets with the monastic name Natalia. The young John began by keeping silence, and then he embraced the path of foolishness for the sake of Christ.

Going about the city of Ustiug, he lived in a hut that had been built for him, and spent his nights at unceasing prayer. By day, however, he went through the streets of the city barefoot and in rags all year long, resting sometimes on a dung heap. He endured much abuse and derision from the people of the city.

Even during his lifetime, the Saint was granted the gift of wonderworking. He reposed at a young age on 29 May, 1494, and was buried near the Dormition cathedral in the city of Ustiug. Later, a church dedicated to him was built over his relics.

The holy ascetic was famed as an intercessor during the invasions of enemies, and as a healer of those afflicted with various ailments.

Through his holy intercession, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us!

05/24/2026

Vincent was born in the city of Toul, in the northeast of what is now France, and was the brother of Saint Lupus.of Troyes (29 July). After serving in the army (Latin: secularis militia), he entered the monastery of Saint Honoratus (16 January) at Lerins (Lérins), where he was tonsured and ordained to the priesthood.

In 434, under the pseudonym Peregrinus, Saint Vincent wrote his most famous work: "Commentary Against Heretics" (Latin: Commonitorium adversus Hæreticos) which he composed in 434, three years after the Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus had condemned the Nestorians. In this book he differentiated between the Church's teachings and the heresies of his time. He is remembered for saying that Christians must follow the true Faith which has been held “everywhere, always, and by all.” He also defended the term “Theotokos” being applied to the Mother of God, in opposition to the teachings of Nestorius which were condemned at the Third Ecumenical Council.

He reposed during the reign of Emperors Theodosios II and Valentinian III, i.e. in the year 450 or earlier. Saint Vincent was much appreciated by his contemporaries. Saint Eucherius of Lyons (16 November) calls him a holy man, conspicuous for his eloquence and knowledge. On the other hand, Saint Vincent humbly describes himself as "the least of all the servants of God, and less than the least of all the Saints, and unworthy to bear the holy name of a Christian."

Saint Vincent fell asleep in the Lord about 445.. His holy relics are preserved at Lerins.

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Through the prayers of St. Vincent, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us! Amen.

05/24/2026

On the seventh Paschal Sunday, we commemorate the holy God-bearing Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council.

The Commemoration of the First Ecumenical Council has been celebrated by the Church of Christ from ancient times. The Lord Jesus Christ left the Church a great promise, “I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt. 16:18). Although the Church of Christ on earth will pass through difficult struggles with the Enemy of salvation, it will emerge victorious. The holy martyrs bore witness to the truth of the Savior’s words, enduring suffering and death for confessing Christ, but the persecutor’s sword is shattered by the Cross of Christ.

Persecution of Christians ceased during the fourth century, but heresies arose within the Church itself. One of the most pernicious of these heresies was Arianism. Arius, a priest of Alexandria, was a man of immense pride and ambition. In denying the divine nature of Jesus Christ and His equality with God the Father, Arius falsely taught that the Savior is not consubstantial with the Father, but is only a created being.

A local Council, convened with Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria presiding, condemned the false teachings of Arius. However, Arius would not submit to the authority of the Church. He wrote to many bishops, denouncing the decrees of the local Council. He spread his false teaching throughout the East, receiving support from certain Eastern bishops.

Investigating these dissentions, the holy emperor Constantine (21 May) consulted Bishop Hosius of Cordova (27 Aug.), who assured him that the heresy of Arius was directed against the most fundamental dogma of Christ’s Church, and so he decided to convene an Ecumenical Council. In the year 325, 318 bishops representing Christian Churches from various lands gathered together at Nicea.

Among the assembled bishops were many confessors who had suffered during the persecutions, and who bore the marks of torture upon their bodies. Also participating in the Council were several great luminaries of the Church: Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia (6 December and 9 May), Saint Spyridon, Bishop of Tremithos (12 December), and others venerated by the Church as holy Fathers.

With Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria came his deacon, Athanasius [who later became Patriarch of Alexandria (2 May and 18 January)]. He is called “the Great,” for he was a zealous champion for the purity of Orthodoxy. In the Sixth Ode of the Canon for today’s Feast, he is referred to as “the thirteenth Apostle.”

The emperor Constantine presided over the sessions of the Council. In his speech, responding to the welcome by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, he said, “God has helped me cast down the impious might of the persecutors, but more distressful for me than any blood spilled in battle is for a soldier, is the internal strife in the Church of God, for it is more ruinous.”

Arius, with seventeen bishops among his supporters, remained arrogant, but his teaching was repudiated and he was excommunicated from the Church. In his speech, the holy deacon Athanasius conclusively refuted the blasphemous opinions of Arius. The heresiarch Arius is depicted in iconography sitting on Satan’s knees, or in the mouth of the Beast of the Deep (Rev. 13).

The Fathers of the Council declined to accept a Symbol of Faith (Creed) proposed by the Arians. Instead, they affirmed the Orthodox Symbol of Faith. Saint Constantine asked the Council to insert into the text of the Symbol of Faith the word “consubstantial,” which he had heard in the speeches of the bishops. The Fathers of the Council unanimously accepted this suggestion.

In the Nicean Creed, the holy Fathers set forth and confirmed the Apostolic teachings about Christ’s divine nature. The heresy of Arius was exposed and repudiated as an error of haughty reason. After resolving this chief dogmatic question, the Council also issued Twelve Canons on questions of churchly administration and discipline. Also decided was the date for the celebration of Holy Pascha. By decision of the Council, Holy Passover should be celebrated by Christians on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the vernal equinox (which occured on 22 March in 325).

The First Ecumenical Council is also commemorated on 29 May.

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Thou art most glorious, O Christ our God! Thou hast established the Holy Fathers as lights on the earth! Through them Thou hast guided us to the true faith! O greatly Compassionate One, glory to Thee

05/24/2026