1st Sunday - Sunday of Faith (Thomas Sunday)
CHRIST is Risen- Truly He is Risen
Khristós Anésti! Alithós Anésti!
Sundays of the Holy Fifties
Meditation on Church reading during the Holy Fifties:
The fathers of the church arranged and named Sundays of the Holy Fifties as they did with the Sundays of the Great Fasting.
The readings of Sundays of the Great Fasting, encourage us on doing the virtues and to repent. After the Passover (Pascha) when we are freed from the chains of sins and bondage, to walk in the Light of the Lord, "We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation". (Romans: 5: 11)
After our true repentance we shall enjoy our spiritual resurrection on earth " Most assuredly I say to you, the hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voices of the Son of God; and those who hear will live". (John: 5: 25)
"But thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1Corinthians: 15: 57).
The Glorified Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ awards us this:
"For if we have united together in the likeliness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeliness of His Resurrection".
(Romans: 6: 5)
The reading of the Sundays of the Holy Fifties focus on the rewards we get.
1st Sunday, Sunday of Faith (Thomas Sunday):
Thomas had doubt about the Glorified Resurrection of the Lord. It is a sin not to fully trust in the Words of God. Satan tempted Eve to fall in this sin by introducing doubt in her thoughts by saying to her: "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree in the Garden'?" "You will not surely die". (Genesis 3:1,4)
This caused humanity to fall in the original sin.
Disciple Thomas also doubted, and today's reading shows us the reward of fully trusting and not doubting.
The Lord allowed His Disciple Thomas to doubt so that the Glorified Resurrection is confirmed to all His sons and daughters. Some fathers of the church prefer to call this Sunday (Sunday of the confirmation or Sunday of Faith).
The Lord Blessed the true believers; "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John: 20: 29)
Have blessed Holy Fifty days,
