by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher The Apostle describes the Church as a Body, and Christians as members of that body.  “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.  For in fact the body is not one member but many…Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually” (1 Cor. 12:12-14, 27). In its most basic … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher John the Baptist declared, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11; cf. Mark 1:7-8; Luke 3:16; italics mine) When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, He told John that in doing this “it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).  Coming up from the water, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove … [Read more...]