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A Greeting
When you send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works.
(Psalm 104:30-31)
A Reading
When the day of Pentecost had come,
they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven
there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the
entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire,
appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of
them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other
languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
(Acts 2:1-4)
Music
Meditative Verse
A Greeting
When you send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works.
(Psalm 104:30-31)
A Reading
When the day of Pentecost had come,
they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven
there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the
entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire,
appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of
them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other
languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
(Acts 2:1-4)
Music
Meditative Verse
Then they remembered his words,
and returning from the tomb,
they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.
(Luke 24:8)
A Reflection
and returning from the tomb,
they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.
(Luke 24:8)
A Reflection
The gospels, in giving the names of women who witnessed Jesus death
and his burial in Joseph’s tomb, specifically mention the fact that
these women “had followed him from Galilee.” (Luke 23:49, 55) The
women present in the upper room were those who had been with Jesus from
the beginning of his public ministry, they had been witnesses of his
miracles and teachings and had been eye witnesses to his death and post
resurrection appearances. Luke 8:3 lists some of these women by
name: Mary, from Magdelene, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward, Chuza,
and Susanna. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary, James’ mother,
whom Luke documents as being at the cross and who later told the
disciples about the empty tomb. (Luke 24:10)
....The Greek word “apostello” means to send out as on a mission. An “apostelos” is one who is sent. Those who hold this title in the New Testament are part of a group much larger than the original twelve disciples. Paul considers himself to have been “sent by Christ” and assumes this title... All those who received their anointing and commission by the risen Lord in the upper room were indeed “apostles.”...The Comforter gave them courage and hope; the Spirit of Truth opened their minds to understand Scripture and Jesus pronounced them his witnesses. Now the women and men who had followed Jesus wait in the Upper Room to be “clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)
- from "The Upper Room; Part 1 of 2" by Donna Haerich, found on Spectrum
....The Greek word “apostello” means to send out as on a mission. An “apostelos” is one who is sent. Those who hold this title in the New Testament are part of a group much larger than the original twelve disciples. Paul considers himself to have been “sent by Christ” and assumes this title... All those who received their anointing and commission by the risen Lord in the upper room were indeed “apostles.”...The Comforter gave them courage and hope; the Spirit of Truth opened their minds to understand Scripture and Jesus pronounced them his witnesses. Now the women and men who had followed Jesus wait in the Upper Room to be “clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)
- from "The Upper Room; Part 1 of 2" by Donna Haerich, found on Spectrum
Verse for the Day
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything,
and remind you of all that I have said to you.
(John 14:26)
†
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything,
and remind you of all that I have said to you.
(John 14:26)
†
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| Orthodox icon of Saint Joanna |
Although she appears only twice in the New Testament, the life of Joanna offered profound witness to the story of Jesus. Married to Chuza, the steward of Herod Antipas, son of King Herod, she was a member of that court and is believed to have been present when the head of John the Baptist was brought to Herod. (Orthodox tradition holds that she recovered the head so that it could be buried with the body.) Joanna, whose name means "God has been gracious", is mentioned in Luke 8:3 as one of the women who had been healed by Jesus of an infirmity or of demons. Luke 8 also makes clear that she was a follower of Jesus and attended to him and supported the disciples throughout their Galilean mission from her own resources. Given the political climate of the Herodian court, this must have been a bold, controversial and courageous commitment. She was present at the Crucifixion and Luke 24 tells us that Joanna was among the women myrrhbearers who were the first to arrive at the tomb, prepared to anoint the body. With Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, she witnessed the angelic proclamation of Jesus' resurrection. A companion and close friend of Mary Magdalene, she was likely present in both Upper Room scenes: at the last supper on the night of Jesus' arrest, and in the collection of those gathered at a much later time, who found themselves upon the descent of the Holy Spirit, speaking with tongues of fire.
May 24 is the Feast day of Saint Joanna, Myrrhbearer. This year it falls on Pentecost.
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| Pentecost by El Greco |
The next devotional day is Wednesday, May 27th. Blessings!
†
LC† Feasting with the Saints is a project of
Lutherans Connect / Lutheran Campus Ministry Toronto.
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Lutherans Connect / Lutheran Campus Ministry Toronto.
Join our Facebook page. Follow us @LuTConnect.
