Mid-Pentecost; The Repose of our Venerable Father Theodosius, Hegumen of the Monastery of the Caves at Kyiv and Organizer of the Cenoebitic (Common) Life in Rus’ (1074) and the Holy Martyrs Timothy and Maura (286-305).
Polyeleos Feast.
Acts 14:6-18; Hebrews 13:7-16; John 7:14-30; Matthew 11:27-30.
Read John 7:14-30
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
Today we celebrate “Mid-Pentecost.” We are now halfway between Pascha and Pentecost. We hear the following troparion: “At the mid-point of the Feast, O Savior, water my thirsty soul with streams of true godliness; for You cried out to all: Let any who thirst, come to Me and drink. O Source of Life, Christ our God, glory to You!”
Today’s Gospel reading begins with a reference to Jesus going up to the temple and teaching “now about the middle of the feast” (Jn. 7:14). The feast referenced here is the Feast of Tabernacles (see Jn. 7:2), an eight-day autumn harvest festival commemorating God’s protection of Israel when they wandered in the wilderness and lived in tents. To celebrate this feast, people would construct tents and then live and sleep in them. When Israel wandered in the desert, God protected the people and even had Moses strike a rock to provide them with water. Because of this, there was a daily procession from the pool of Siloam to the temple. To symbolize the light that God had provided for the people in the wilderness, there were four great lampstands set up in the Court of the Women which were lit.
Today’s reading explains what Jesus was teaching during the Feast of Tabernacles, demonstrating His wisdom and authority by how boldly He spoke. A few verses beyond today’s reading, “on the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (Jn. 7:37-38).
As we have reached the mid-point to Pentecost, let us remember what Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well: “whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (Jn. 4:14). While we continue to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, let us begin to look ahead to His promise to send the Holy Spirit to us Who flows as rivers of living water from our hearts.