palmachaplain

  The feast of Pentecost is celebrated fifty days after the Easter Day. The name comes from the Greek word pentekoste which means fiftieth. However, Pentecost is a Jewish feast that has been celebrated since the Old Testament times, being called the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks in Jewish tradition. It is mentioned in five places in the Pentateuch (Exodus 23, Exodus 24, Leviticus 16, Numbers 28, and Deuteronomy 16). In the Christian calendar, it is the day that is celebrated to mark the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. The Book of Acts of the Apostles in chapter two vividly narrated this event that took place in Jerusalem. Today we celebrate it as the birthday of the church because on this day after Peter’s testimony over three thousand people repented and were baptized. Every year, Christians around the globe gather in their churches to celebrate this day in unique ways. The chaplaincy of St Philip & St James in Palma ...

  Texts  Acts 4:5-12  Psalm 23  John 10:11-18 Vocation means what you are called by God to be and do. Everyone has a vocation. While appreciating all vocations, the Church concentrates her attention on raising up shepherds for God's people - vocations to Holy Orders (the priesthood and diaconate) and to the religious life - while encouraging all who are discerning their vocation to pray more earnestly that they may hear and respond to God's call. The Fourth Sunday of Easter is known as Vocations Sunday or Good Shepherd Sunday, and is marked as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The purpose of this day is to fulfil Jesus' instruction to “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38).  Exegeting the Text  ‘I am the good shepherd’ This shepherd image reminds me of the bishop’s charge when we were ordained priests 21 years ago. This is how the bishop’s charge to those to be ordained priests reads, “…following the Good Sheph...