April 24, 2026

Welcome to the Friday edition of The Path.

You're connected to The Path, offering strength for our journey towards salvation.

Here's Father Tom Siroka.

Today's epistle reading is from Acts, chapter 5 verses 1 through 11.

But a certain man, named Ananias, with Sephira his wife, sold a possession.

And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it,

and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet.

But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit,

and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?

While it remained, was it not your own, and after it was sold, was it not in your own control?

Why have you conceived this thing in your heart?

You have not lied to men, but to God.

Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last.

So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.

And the young men arose, and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

Now it was about three hours later, when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.

And Peter answered her, tell me whether you sold the land for so much.

She said, yes, for so much.

Then Peter said to her, how is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?

Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.

Then immediately she fell down at his feet, and breathed her last.

And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.

So great fear came upon all the church, and upon all who heard these things.

An important lesson from today's reading from Acts is that God knows our hearts.

About this, St. Gregory of Nisa writes,

and of the Holy Spirit also, Peter says to Ananias,

why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, showing that the Holy Spirit was a true witness,

aware of what Ananias had dared to do in secret, and by whom the secret was made known to Peter.

For Ananias became a thief of his own goods, secretly, as he thought,

from all people, and concealing his sin.

But the Holy Spirit at the same moment was in Peter, and detected his intent,

dragged down as it was to Averis, and gave to Peter from himself the power of seeing the secret,

while it is clear that the Spirit could not have done this, had it not been able to behold hidden things.

Today's Gospel reading is from St. John, chapter 5, verse 30, through chapter 6, verse 2.

I can of myself do nothing, as I hear I judge, and my judgment is righteous,

because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father who sent me.

If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

There is another who bears witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true.

You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.

Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.

He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.

But I have a greater witness than John's, for the works which the Father has given me to finish,

the very works that I do bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me.

The Father himself who sent me has testified of me.

You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form, but you do not have his word abiding in you,

because whom he sent, him you do not believe.

You search the scriptures.

For in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of me,

but you are not willing to come to me, that you may have life.

I do not receive honor from men, but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.

I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me.

If another comes in his own name, him you will receive.

How can you believe who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?

Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father.

There is one who accuses you, Moses, in whom you trust.

For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.

But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?

After these things, Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberius.

Then a great multitude followed him, because they saw his signs which he performed on those who were diseased.

While Jesus condemned the Pharisees for looking for life in the scriptures rather than in him,

St. John Chrysostom still reminds us how important the scriptures are for Orthodox Christians.

He writes, he tells them not to simply read the scriptures, but search the scriptures.

These sayings were not on the surface or out in the open, but were hidden very deep, like some treasure.

Anyone who searches for hidden things, unless they are careful and diligent, will never find the object of their search.

This is why he says, for in them you think you have eternal life, meaning that they did not reap much fruit from the scriptures,

thinking as they did that they should be saved by the mere reading of them without faith.

And so it was with good reason that he said, you think, because they did not actually listen to what the scripture had to say,

but merely prided themselves on the bear reading.

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Now, here with some final thoughts is Father Tom.

As Orthodox Christians, let us use the scriptures as they were truly intended by Christ.

That is, not as the source of life, but rather as the revelation of the One who is the source of life, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, to all generations forever and ever are men.

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