Jesus Speaks to the Church in Ephesus

Jesus Speaks to the Church in Ephesus by Scott Hahn

If you have a Bible, turn with me to Revelation chapter 2. "To the angel of the Church of Ephesus," Jesus commands John to write, "The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven lampstands of gold has this to say." Now Jesus speaks directly to the Ephesian believers who've enjoyed Paul's preaching and teaching, St. John the beloved disciple, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Timothy, as well as Apollos, and Priscilla, and Aquila. "I know your deeds, your labors, and your patient endurance. I know you cannot tolerate wicked men. You have tested those self-styled apostles who are nothing of the sort and discovered that they are impostors. You are patient and endure hardship for My cause; moreover, you do not become discouraged. But this one thing I hold against you; you have turned aside from your first love. Keep firmly in mind the heights from which you have fallen. Repent and return to your former deeds. For if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Let him who has ears heed the Spirit's word to the Churches." (Rev 2:2-7)

(I put the above quote in bold because I believe this speaks to us today...Joyce)

But listen to the Church at Ephesus and what they had to hear. They're patient; they endured hardship; they tested false apostles: they have reprimanded these false teachers. Yet Jesus says, "This one thing I have against you; you've lost your first love. Return to Me and recall the heights from which you have fallen." (Rev 2:4-5) . ...You know it's true, and yet how true it also is that all of us here to some extent have fallen from our first love. We have to recall the height from which we have fallen. We've got to beg the Lord for the grace we need to rise back to that. We've got to start asking St. Anthony to find for us something besides our keys.

*We ought to ask St. Anthony to help us find our first love and return to Christ. Do you know why? Because if you go to Ephesus today, there is no Church there. If you go to Ephesus today, it is illegal to celebrate Mass. There is no Church in Ephesus and there hasn't been a Church in Ephesus for hundreds and hundreds of years, even though it was founded by the likes of St. Paul and St. John with the Blessed Virgin Mary, along with Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos. With so much, what's happened? So little. Fr. de Lapaderi described how they had to implore the Turkish authorities to get permission for an exceptional occasion to celebrate Mass once out by the ruins of a Church in Ephesus.