Holy Martyrs Terence, Pompeius and others with them.
Acts 4:13-22. John 5:17-24.
Read Acts 4:13-22
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
It is amazing to observe how the apostles and disciples act, preach, live, respond. It is really noticeable that they are doing so as Christ would have done—for Christ is present in them and with them by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. These men are completely transformed. They were unlearned, weak, often times lead by their passions—disordered desires—but all this changed when they received the Holy Spirit. Today’s reading not only shows us the boldness of their faith, but also the meekness of their response. With their meekness they put out the raging passions of their opponents. How do we fight fire? With the water of meekness.
St. John Chrysostom says, “For better than all others he knows the nature of things. He knows that fierceness is not quenched by fierceness but by meekness. If you wish to see this in action, read the book of the Acts of the apostles and you will see how often, when the people of the Jews was rebelling and sharpening their teeth, these men, imitating the dove and answering with suitable meekness, released their wrath, quenched their madness and dissolved their impetuosity. For when they said, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” the disciples, although they were able to work countless miracles, neither said nor did anything harsh but answered with all gentleness, saying, “Whether it is right to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge.” (Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 33.3.10)