Holy Transfiguration
Orthodox Church

3491 Pleasant Grove Church Rd
Morrisville, NC 27560
(Raleigh/Durham)



All Services in English
на русском

The Rev. Fr. Edward Rommen,
Priest


919 600-0584 cell
910 892-3448 home

 
The Transfiguration of Our Lord
His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as snow. A bright cloud overshadowed
them and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to Him." When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces with awe. But Jesus
came and touched them saying, "rise, and have no fear." (Matthew 17)
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PASTORAL MESSAGE
This month we will be celebrating both Ascension (13th) and Pentecost (23rd). Ascension means that Christ is no longer physically in the world. How then are we to appropriate the things that Christ accomplished in his Life, on the Cross, through the Resurrection? How is a personal relationship with One who is absent even possible? With the Ascension and His glorification, He finished His work here and reoccupied His place next to the Father. He prays that the Father will send “Another Comforter,” (John 14:16). This occurred on Pentecost and if that event is read in the context of Jesus’ words at His last discourse, it becomes apparent that what is significant here is the personal descent of the third person of the Trinity. We see evidence of the personal nature of this descent in the way Jesus speaks about Him abiding with the disciples forever, teaching them, and reminding them of all that Christ taught them (John 14:26). The same personal character is evident in references to the Spirit’s actions, such as searching, helping, groaning in prayer (Rom. 2:10, 8:26), and in the possibility that he can be grieved (Eph. 4:30).

The most concrete manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s descent occur in the Church. It is the Body of Christ, by virtue of the Spirit’s presence. In the Church believers are molded into a multi-hypostatic whole through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit, who is called down to sanctify the elements at the Eucharist, transforming them into the very presence of Christ. The Holy Spirit equips the Church with a fullness of gifts enabling the faithful to witness to Christ, making Him known to the world.

So it is the gift of the Holy Spirit which represents a release of divine personhood, a self-giving transcendence of divine boundaries that allows Christ to remain personally present-inabsence. It is precisely in His absence that Christ can now be known by all.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 June
12 :
   Great Vespers with Litya for the Feast Day of Ascension - Wednesday 6:30 pm

 June 13 :
   Divine Liturgy for the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ - Thursday 10:00 am

 June 16 :
   Family Church School - All Are Welcome - Sunday at 9:00 am

 June 30 :
   A Missionary from OCMC will be here to give a presentation


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