A Vigil Light upon the Hill

“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:17-23, OSB)

As we stand in the presence of the living God, let us turn our hearts toward the words of the holy Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, particularly his prayer for the believers in Ephesus. These words reveal to us the splendour of God’s divine wisdom, the richness of His calling, and the majesty of Christ’s authority over all creation. They help us realise the immeasurable grace given to those who are called into the Body of Christ and of the power that is at work in us through faith.
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“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city…Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:5-8, 14-17, OSB)

The passage from the Acts of the Apostles reveals the divine power of the Holy Spirit at work in the early Church, manifesting both in signs and in the transformation of those who received the Word of God. The Apostle Philip, filled with apostolic zeal, went to the city of Samaria to proclaim Christ to a people long regarded as outsiders by the Jews. Despite centuries of hostility between Jews and Samaritans, the power of the Gospel broke through these divisions. The people of Samaria listened attentively to Philip’s preaching, their hearts stirred by his words and by the miraculous signs that accompanied his ministry. The authority of Christ was revealed as unclean spirits fled at his command, crying out in terror, and the sick and the lame were restored to health. The city, which had been burdened by spiritual and physical affliction, was filled with joy.
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The entire Christian life is summed up in the two great commandments given by our Lord Jesus Christ: to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). These commandments are not basic ideals but the very foundation of our salvation, for love is the essence of God’s being, and to abide in love is to abide in Him. (1 John 4:16) However, love in the Christian sense is not simply an emotion or sentiment; it is an active and sacrificial way of life, inseparable from obedience to Christ and His commandments.

In the Holy Gospel according to St. John, our Lord solemnly stated: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) This verse reveals a truth that is central to Orthodox spirituality—love and obedience are inseparable. In the Orthodox Church, we do not approach faith as a matter of intellectual assent alone, nor as an abstract belief in God’s existence. To love Christ is to live in complete submission to Him, conforming ourselves to His divine will—He is our Sovereign King. This is why the life of the Church, with her Holy Mysteries, ascetic practices, prayers, and fasting, exists—not as minimal religious duties but as the concrete means through which we manifest our love for God.
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The twenty-fourth chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, beginning with verse thirteen, recounts an event that occurred on the first day of the week following the crucifixion and burial of our Lord. Two of Jesus’ disciples were walking to a village called Emmaus, discussing the recent events that had unfolded—Jesus’ death, His burial, and the strange reports of His resurrection that had begun to circulate. As they journeyed, a stranger approached and began walking with them, but they did not recognise Him. The stranger engaged them in conversation, asking them what they were discussing, and then began to open the Scriptures, showing them how the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus had been foretold by the Prophets. Upon reaching the village, the disciples invited the stranger to stay with them, and during the breaking of bread, their eyes were opened, and they recognised Him. However, He immediately vanished from their sight. In awe and joy, they immediately returned to Jerusalem to share the good news with the other disciples who had gathered there.
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The Holy Eucharist is at the heart of the Orthodox Christian life. We do not regard it as a mere symbol, nor as a theological abstraction, but as the true and actual presence of Christ—His Body and Blood, given to us for our salvation. As our Lord Himself declared: “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.” (John 6:53-54) From the earliest days of the Church, this has been the faith handed down by the Apostles. At the Mystical Supper, Christ took bread and wine and proclaimed: “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20) The Holy Church has never wavered in the understanding that in the Divine Liturgy, through the invocation of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine become, in truth, the Body and Blood of Christ. This is not a change that can be measured by human senses, but it is a reality known through faith and experience.
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