The Fifth Sunday of Easter (NTA)

Acts 20:7-16

⁷ On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. ⁹ And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. ¹⁰ But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” ¹¹ And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. ¹² And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.

¹³ But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. ¹⁴ And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. ¹⁵ And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. ¹⁶ For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

How come they are always gathering on the first day of the week? Oh, that is right, Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. Therefore, the people come together on the first day of the week in celebration of Christ's resurrection. But couldn't they just have an hour of service? How long does church have to last on Sunday Morning? Don't they know that we have other things to do on Sundays?

The people gather together in a cramped room, because there are so many people who want to listen to St Paul. The people come together on the third story of the building. They listen to the reading of scripture. They listen to the words of the Apostles. They even listen to the message of St Paul. He continues to tell them about life, faith, salvation, Christ, him crucified, atonement, passover, redemption, and resurrection. There is never enough time to talk about everything.

I do not know why Eutychus is sitting at the window. Was he trying to get some fresh air? Or maybe he just wanted a comfortable place to sit? Was he looking out the window in distraction, or staring at the stars in the sky? There are many different reason for him to sit there, but we know he was sitting there so he would fall, and could be raised from the dead.

St Paul raises him, and continues to talk well into the night. He not only talks to the people about death and resurrection. He shows them death and resurrection. He not only talks to them about passover, and the sacrifice for their sins, but even feeds them with the very body and blood of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

Now it is up to you to keep the conversation going. Keep talking about Jesus! Blessings.