The Apostles' Fast Is Our Fast
Yesterday was Pentecost in the Coptic Orthodox Church, the day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in tongues of fire. Today then marks the start of the Apostles' Fast.
This period is incredibly important to Abouna and me. This is "our fast" (our song, our day(s)... our fast, haha). Just as the Apostles were sent by Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit to serve Him across the globe, we also desired to be His servants in all that we do--and servants to each other in our marriage.
In our early days of marriage, we would always pray the Prime Hour of the Agpeya together, and I was always struck by these verses from the Pauline Epistle:
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live
a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love. Make every effort
to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
(Ephesians 4:1-3 NIV)
St. Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus, urging them to stay united, but I always took it as a direct command from God for us as a couple. In Orthodoxy, marriage is one of the seven Sacraments, where the Holy Spirit works mysteriously to unite us as one. These verses, then, were a daily reminder to recall God's blessing in bringing us together and to preserve it with all that I do.
Live worthy of the calling to belong to and support each other.
Be completely humble and gentle every day, in all that we do.
Be patient and bear with one another in love, even when we're tired or cranky.
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit--because it takes effort to maintain the strength of that still, small voice.
Although the Apostles' Fast is very short this year (just three weeks), I know it will be an incredible time to draw strength and peace from the Holy Spirit. It will be a time to refocus on our calling to each other and to the church, to ask ourselves again "How much are we willing to trust God? How much are we willing to sacrifice for Him and in His service?"
And every fast ends with a Feast where we reap the spiritual benefits of this special time! July 12 is just around the corner!