ORTHODIXIE ... Southern, Orthodox, Convert, Etc.

Piggy backing on a previous example of CHURCH, here's another from the Gospel according to St Matthew:

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water”. So He said, “Come”. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God”.
Matthew 14:22-33

Remembering the classic definition of Christ’s mission -- “Christ came to do two things: Establish a Church & destroy death” -- Which do you see involved here?

ANSWER: The Church

The boat represents the Church, the disciples represent all Christians. The stormy sea is our life. We are in the Church (the boat) because Christ commands us to be there. Disciples are obedient. Christ comes to us in times of danger. Notice that Christ did not command Peter to come to him -- rather he permitted the act. Peter was not acting out of obedience, but boldness. Peter became frightened, his faith was shaken. Why? Chiefly because he stepped out of the boat. Thus, our first lesson here is: Do not leave the safety of the boat (Church). Christ commands the Disciples to get into the boat! When we do find ourselves outside the ark of our salvation (boat/Church), we must, like Peter, cry out “Lord, save me!”. And He will. Christ not only commands us to enter the Church, He also has mercy upon us when we are disobedient -- leading us back to the calm haven of our salvation the Church. It is in the confines of the Church that we [like Peter, and later Thomas] recognize Jesus as our Lord and God. It is in the Church that we, like the disciples in the boat, worship Him.

Series to be continued ...

Pic source
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Okay, so the pic is here because I just couldn't resist. But, while we're at it, go H E R E to read about, quite possibly, the guy in the stained glass window.

Pic source.

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A couple of these I'd read before -- skip or enjoy. Then again, remember when we could all just enjoy skipping? :)

1. A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah,"

The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"

The little girl replied, "Then you ask him."


2. A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."

The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."


3. A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds.

After explaining the commandment to "honour" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill."


4. One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?"

Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white."

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, "Then why are ALL of grandma's hairs white?"


5. The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

"Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, "And there's the teacher, she's dead."


6. A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face."

"Yes," the class said.

"Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?"

A little fellow shouted, "Cause your feet ain't empty."


7. The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:

"Take only ONE. God is watching."

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples."

You guessed it ... thanks to a FWD from the wife.
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Herod Antipas, son of the Herod who slew the young children in Bethlehem at the time of the birth of the Lord Jesus, was ruler of Galilee when John the Baptist was preaching. This Herod was married to the daughter of Aretas, an Arabian prince. But Herod, an evil branch of evil stock, put away his lawful wife and took Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, to live with him while Philip was still alive. John the Baptist stood up against this lawlessness and strongly denounced Herod, at which Herod threw him into prison. At the time of some feast at his court in Sebastia in Galilee, Salome, the daughter of Herodias and Philip, danced for the guests. Herod, in his cups and carried away by her dancing, promised her whatever she asked, even to the half of his kingdom. Instructed by her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist. Herod commanded that John be beheaded in the prison and his head brought on a platter. John's disciples took the body of their teacher by night and buried it, but Herod tore out John's tongue with a needle and then buried his head in an unclean place. What later happened to John's head is recorded and can be read under February 24th.

God's punishment was quickly visited upon this group of evildoers. Prince Aretas, to avenge his daughter's honour, attacked Herod with his army and brought him to his knees. The defeated Herod was condemned by the Roman Caesar, Caligula, to exile first in Gaul and then in Spain. As exiles, Herod and Herodias lived in need and debasement until the earth opened and swallowed them up. Salome, Herodias's daughter, came to a bad end in the river Sikaris (Sula).

The death of John took place before the Passover, but its commemoration on August 29th was instituted because it was on this day that a church, that had been built over his grave in Sebastia by the Emperor Constantine and the Empress Helena, was consecrated. In this church were also placed the relics of John's disciples, Eliseus and Audius.

Source.

More.

For those on the so-called New Calendar, today is a strict fast day.

For those on the so-called Old Calendar, the Beheading of St John the Baptist is remembered 13 days later on September 11th. Not a good day, some say, for Madonna to be "celebrating" in Moscow.

About the icon:

If you look closely at the icon of St. John you will see a number of symbolic details. First, the “Forerunner of Christ” is usually portrayed with wings, for he was the messenger of the Lord who came to prepare people’s hearts for the Good News. Second, he is placed in the desert, where he spent such critical parts of his life. Third, his staff and scroll, which proclaim his very words at seeing Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes awaythe sins of the world.” Finally ... notice his head on a sort of platter, reminding of us of the ultimate price he paid.

NOTE:

In a number of cultures the faithful commemorate this day by eating nothing on plates. As mothers serve the food for the day in bowls, they tell their children, “Today we honor the Forerunner of Christ by choosing not to use plates, because Salome asked for St. John’s head to be given to her on a platter.” For the same reason, no knives are used on that day, since a sharp blade was used to take the life of this godly prophet. As this is a strict fast day, soups and other meager food are typical. Bread is torn from the loaf, knives are not used to cut it. These simple, physical reminders help us connect to the story surrounding the death of the baptizer of our Lord, and help make this day different.

Source.
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Today is believed to be the date in 474 A.D. when the Western Roman Empire, which had lasted for almost five hundred years, came to an end ...

Historians have been theorizing about the causes of the fall of Rome ever since. The most famous theory was one put forth in Edward Gibbon's multivolume work The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776), which argued that the Christian Church was to blame. After Christianity became the official religion of the empire, the best and the brightest leaders became leaders of the church rather than leaders of the government or the military.

Another theory about the fall of Rome is that the aqueducts, which carried the water supply, were lined with lead, and so the Romans slowly went crazy. Some geologists believe that the eruption of Mount Vesuvius released so much ash into the air that it brought about great climactic changes, which ruined Roman agriculture and weakened the empire.

Stolen from today's Writer's Almanac.
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Here's a story.



Here's a video.



Here's your sign.


(Forgive me.)
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The Church within the context of forgiveness, from the Gospel according to St Matthew.

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant, therefore, fell down before him saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’. So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” [Matthew 18:21-35]

Remembering the classic definition of Christ’s mission according to Orthodox Church Tradition – “Christ came to do two things: Establish a Church & destroy death” – Which do you see involved here?

ANSWER: The Church

The Church is our safe ship on the stormy sea. It is in the Church that we find forgiveness from God. We are brought into the family of God upon entry into the Church of Christ; yet the unfaithful servant, after gaining the Grace of God’s forgiveness, lost it all when he failed to forgive in return. We too can lose everything that we have been given (and forgiven) by God in that terrible moment when we refuse to forgive our debtors. We receive forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession. We receive Grace in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. And in one moment, that moment when we turn our back, walk out on God, and demand of our debtors that which we have been forgiven -- we lose it all. In the Orthodox Tradition, the Church is called the Kingdom of God on earth. Thus, when our Lord speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven we should also see therein a model for the Church, “the Kingdom of God on earth.”

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done --
on earth as it is in heaven.

Forgive us our trespasses
Forgive us our debts
Forgive us our sins ...

As WE forgive ...
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Anglicans in shock as a leading C of E cleric affirms one of those Christian thingies ...

The Archbishop of Canterbury has told homosexuals that they need to change their behaviour if they are to be welcomed into the church, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal: “Rowan Williams has distanced himself from his one-time liberal support of gay relationships and stressed that the tradition and teaching of the Church has in no way been altered by the Anglican Communion’s consecration of its first openly homosexual bishop.”

Stolen from Anglican TK
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Another blog reg sent me an email concerning, ultimately, these ( 1 ) postings ( 2 ). First, Chesterton -- followed by a word from the sender:

GK Chesterton ... in the profound opening to Chapter 6 or Orthodoxy:

The real trouble with this world of ours is not that it is an unreasonable world, nor even that it is a reasonable one. The commonest kind of trouble is that it is nearly reasonable, but not quite. Life is not an illogicality; yet it is a trap for logicians. It looks just a little more mathematical and regular than it is; its exactitude is obvious, but its inexactitude is hidden; its wildness lies in wait.

Some are fortunate enough that the wildness lies in wait their whole lives, others are simply lured patiently into its big trap. Many of us in high visibility fields of endeavor seem to find it in little bites nearly every day. Some days the bites are bigger, and more challenging to one's sense of humor. The greatest fear I see lies in the stillness this often engenders in so many as they can seem to be overcome rather than fed by their experience in later years, and over-compensate for earlier (costly) boldness by increasing fear of any action. This is where I hope an active life in the Church will provide useful guidance in my time. But for now...it lies in wait.
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From Wittenberg to Athens and All Stops in Between ... A bole weevil Lutheran finds the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church in Orthodoxy.

A site all about Flannery O'Connor.

Finally, a bit of refreshment from a "Confessional Lutheran Homemaker in the Midwest" at Favorite Apron.
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A counselor at a rescue mission once told me of their intake interview wherein they asked each man about his history. The stories, with little variation, involved mostly drinking and drugging, coupled with promiscuity. Later, when asked, “How’s your relationship with God?” – almost 100% of the interviewees answered along the lines of, “Oh! Me and God are tight! Yep. God and I are close.”

It happens to all of us: our “old man” [Eph.4:22] plays tricks on us, leading us to neglect the one thing needful and fill up our lives, though we long for God, with that which leads us far from Him.

Elder Paisios of Mount Athos writes:

“The one who neglects his prayer and duties unjustifyably and works all the time (building pyramids for Pharaoh) is estranged from God, becomes wild, constantly and cruelly hitting his guardian angel with kicks and disorder, until he finally drives him away. Then, he accepts the devil as his ruler, who immediately make the following changes: 1) abolishes the prayer rope, replacing it with worldly worry beads and 2) does away with spiritual study completely, replacing it with worldly magazines and newspapers. In the end, the devil conquers him and he suffers internally and seeks amusement as Saul did, when he was alienated from God and demon possessed (Epistles, p.218) .”

The temptations of contemporary society, not to mention the destructive forces of addiction, seduce us into believing them to be necessary to the point of excluding that which is necessary for our salvation (prayer, fasting, alms giving).

Truthfully, brothers and sisters, we’ve only got one chore:

“The thing that will move God more on the Day of Judgment is the work each one of us has done on his old man.

Certainly, we all have some discernment, but unfortunately most of us do not use it on ourselves but on our fellow men and we contaminate it with criticism, condemnation, and the demand for others to correct themselves. We should, rather, demand this only from ourselves who do not resolve to struggle fervently, cut off our passions, liberate our soul, and fly into Heaven” (Epistles, pp.150-151).
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Rowan Williams says he doesn't want Anglicans to resemble the Orthodox ...

“I don’t especially want to see the Anglican Church becoming like the Orthodox Church – where in some American cities you see the Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Romanian Orthodox Church,” he said. “I don’t want to see in the cities of America the American Anglican Church, the Nigerian Anglican Church, the Egyptian Anglican Church and the English Anglican Church on the same street.”

More.

Talk about spin! Issues that divide the Orthodox are no where near those that divide Anglicans. But, when you've got news like THIS to contend with, spin is no doubt in order.

Meanwhile, in Russia, a church is being dedicated to the Martyred Unborn ...

Moved by the story of the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem killed by Herod during the time of Jesus, an Orthodox priest has launched the building of a church in Siberia to celebrate regular liturgies for aborted babies.

The Orthodox Church considers abortion a form of infanticide and a grave sin, Vatican Radio is quoted as saying.

More.
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A previous posting on "holy atheism" (my phrase) brought the following G.K. Chesterton quote from blog reg, Photios. It's long, but worth a good skimming. I should also note that the author of the article on Atheism, David Gleeson, has kindly posted comments to the original posting and may, indeed, respond to this one. Reciprocal kindness would resemble, some would say, even Christianity.

But modern thought also hit my second human tradition. It went against the fairy feeling about strict limits and conditions. The one thing it loved to talk about was expansion and largeness. Herbert Spencer would have been greatly annoyed if any one had called him an imperialist, and therefore it is highly regrettable that nobody did. But he was an imperialist of the lowest type. He popularized this contemptible notion that the size of the solar system ought to over-awe the spiritual dogma of man. Why should a man surrender his dignity to the solar system any more than to a whale? If mere size proves that man is not the image of God, then a whale may be the image of God; a somewhat formless image; what one might call an impressionist portrait. It is quite futile to argue that man is small compared to the cosmos; for man was always small compared to the nearest tree. But Herbert Spencer, in his headlong imperialism, would insist that we had in some way been conquered and annexed by the astronomical universe. He spoke about men and their ideals exactly as the most insolent Unionist talks about the Irish and their ideals. He turned mankind into a small nationality. And his evil influence can be seen even in the most spirited and honourable of later scientific authors; notably in the early romances of Mr. H.G.Wells. Many moralists have in an exaggerated way represented the earth as wicked. But Mr. Wells and his school made the heavens wicked. We should lift up our eyes to the stars from whence would come our ruin.

But the expansion of which I speak was much more evil than all this. I have remarked that the materialist, like the madman, is in prison; in the prison of one thought. These people seemed to think it singularly inspiring to keep on saying that the prison was very large. The size of this scientific universe gave one no novelty, no relief. The cosmos went on for ever, but not in its wildest constellation could there be anything really interesting; anything, for instance, such as forgiveness or free will. The grandeur or infinity of the secret of its cosmos added nothing to it. It was like telling a prisoner in Reading gaol that he would be glad to hear that the gaol now covered half the county. The warder would have nothing to show the man except more and more long corridors of stone lit by ghastly lights and empty of all that is human. So these expanders of the universe had nothing to show us except more and more infinite corridors of space lit by ghastly suns and empty of all that is divine.

In fairyland there had been a real law; a law that could be broken, for the definition of a law is something that can be broken. But the machinery of this cosmic prison was something that could not be broken; for we ourselves were only a part of its machinery. We were either unable to do things or we were destined to do them. The idea of the mystical condition quite disappeared; one can neither have the firmness of keeping laws nor the fun of breaking them. The largeness of this universe had nothing of that freshness and airy outbreak which we have praised in the universe of the poet. This modern universe is literally an empire; that is, it was vast, but it is not free. One went into larger and larger windowless rooms, rooms big with Babylonian perspective; but one never found the smallest window or a whisper of outer air.

Their infernal parallels seemed to expand with distance; but for me all good things come to a point, swords for instance. So finding the boast of the big cosmos so unsatisfactory to my emotions I began to argue about it a little; and I soon found that the whole attitude was even shallower than could have been expected. According to these people the cosmos was one thing since it had one unbroken rule. Only (they would say) while it is one thing, it is also the only thing there is. Why, then, should one worry particularly to call it large? There is nothing to compare it with. It would be just as sensible to call it small. A man may say, "I like this vast cosmos, with its throng of stars and its crowd of varied creatures." But if it comes to that why should not a man say, "I like this cosy little cosmos, with its decent number of stars and as neat a provision of live stock as I wish to see"? One is as good as the other; they are both mere sentiments. It is mere sentiment to rejoice that the sun is larger than the earth; it is quite as sane a sentiment to rejoice that the sun is no larger than it is. A man chooses to have an emotion about the largeness of the world; why should he not choose to have an emotion about its smallness?

It happened that I had that emotion. When one is fond of anything one addresses it by diminutives, even if it is an elephant or a life-guardsman. The reason is, that anything, however huge, that can be conceived of as complete, can be conceived of as small. If military moustaches did not suggest a sword or tusks a tail, then the object would be vast because it would be immeasurable. But the moment you can imagine a guardsman you can imagine a small guardsman. The moment you really see an elephant you can call it "Tiny." If you can make a statue of a thing you can make a statuette of it. These people professed that the universe was one coherent thing; but they were not fond of the universe. But I was frightfully fond of the universe and wanted to address it by a diminutive. I often did so; and it never seemed to mind. Actually and in truth I did feel that these dim dogmas of vitality were better expressed by calling the world small than by calling it large. For about infinity there was a sort of carelessness which was the reverse of the fierce and pious care which I felt touching the pricelessness and the peril of life. They showed only a dreary waste; but I felt a sort of sacred thrift. For economy is far more romantic than extravagance. To them stars were an unending income of halfpence; but I felt about the golden sun and the silver moon as a schoolboy feels if he has one sovereign and one shilling.

Taken from Chapter IV of Orthodoxy.
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Moscow, August 23, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church has expressed its support for the bishops of the Episcopal Church in the USA who decided to refrain from recognizing Catherine Jefferts-Shori as the leader elect of this organization.

‘I would like to assure you that I fully share the stand you have taken... the Russian Orthodox Church supports your act and expresses willingness to restore relations with your diocese’, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad says ...

MORE.
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Today's letter is "B."

Symeon Sets Sights on Seminary ... Pop by, give him a shout-out!

But, please don't BLAST him!

Barnabas Powell on "Blasting Prayers" ...

As a former Pentecostal (now Orthodox) I remember services where a man would "walk the backs of the benches." He would literally jump up on the back of the front pew and jump from pew to pew until he came to the rear pew.

We would also "rebuke the devil" in very loud voices to drive out the evil one.

One of the draws to Orthodoxy for me was becoming exhausted with the histrionics, especially since all the noise and bluster really didn't change my life.

Blasting prayer is simply a re-worked Pentecostal exorcism.

What are BLASTING PRAYERS? Hop back up to the "blast him" link.

Bling-Bling ...

Have we taken our eyes off the prize? The civil rights movement continues, but the struggle today is not so much in the streets as in the home -- and with our children. If systemic racism remains a reality, there is also a far more sinister obstacle facing African American young people today: a culture steeped in bitterness and nihilism, a culture that is a virtual blueprint for failure.

Their search for identity and a sense of direction is undermined by a twisted popular culture that focuses on the "bling-bling" of fast money associated with famous basketball players, rap artists, drug dealers and the idea that women are at their best when flaunting their sexuality and ...

MORE HERE.

HT OrthodoxyToday
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The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father always paused and bowed his head, for a moment, before starting his sermon. One day, she asked him why.

"Well, Honey," he began, proud that his daughter was so observant of his messages,

"I'm asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon."

"How come He doesn't do it?" she asked.

You'll thank me that I only posted one from an e-list of a dozen! (FWD from the wife.)
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An excerpt from the August 22nd issue of DYNAMIS (2 Corinthians 2:14-3:3); subscription info at bottom ...

Of course when a pastor comes to a parish, there will be those who experience his ministry as a blessing, though some may not. St. Paul alludes to the varied reactions using the figure of fragrance from incense. Some members may find a pastor's ministry to have an enhancing "aroma," while others may find his pastoral relationship something of a "stench" (vss. 15,16). The Apostle views such reactions as going beyond mere like and dislike. As he points out, for some, a pastor's presence and work gives off the aroma of death, while for others the same ministry works as an aroma that leads them deeper into true Life in Christ (vs. 16).

One might think that this difference in reactions would follow the line between those in the Church and those still outside in the world, but it does not seem always to divide neatly along such lines. We know that there are Pastors who fail, abuse, or even betray their people, and we know of congregations who have failed, abused, and betrayed their Priests. All of this is sad commentary on the reality of sin, and as the Apostle says earlier in Second Corinthians, Satan has "his devices" (2 Cor. 2:11). Many of those who oppose a Pastor inside the Church disclose their own captivity to death. Let those who find themselves in opposition to their Pastor be especially cautious! On the other hand, opposition or attraction to a Pastor by those outside the Church can have many reasons, some of which can lead them to life in the discovery of true Orthodox Faith.

To enroll send email to:
orthodoxdynamis-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Or visit DYNAMIS on the web H E R E.
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People have been landing here due to their search for a Prayer such as the one following, therefore I've brought this entry back up top for all those now making their way back into the school year.


O God, our heavenly Father, Who lovest mankind, and art most merciful and compassionate, have mercy upon these your children, Thy servants, for whom we humbly pray Thee, and commend them to Thy gracious protection. Be Thou, O God, their guide and gaurdian in all their endeavors; lead them in the path of Thy truth, and draw them near to Thee, that they may lead a godly and righteous life in Thy love and fear; doing Thy will in all matters. Bless and strengthen their teachers. And, give them grace that they may be temperate, industrious, diligent, devout and charitable. Defend them against the assaults of the enemy, and grant them wisdom and strength to resist all temptation and corruption of this life; and direct them in the way of salvation, for the merits of Thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, and the intercessions of His Holy Mother, and Thy blessed saints --
and their Guardian Angels!

Amen.
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Subdeacon Andrew was a joy. He'd served for over 40 years as a Deacon in the Episcopal Church before converting to Orthodoxy back in 1996. By the time he was ordered a Subdeacon, he was nearly 80. This, coupled with his childlike nature -- no guile at all -- made for some delightfully erroneous moments in the altar.

Once, while I was outside the Holy Doors preparing to chant a litany, the Subdeacon came out of the northside Angel Door and stood by me. Thinking he was going to ask me a question or tell me something important, I paid him no mind. The Psalms being ended by the chanters, I commenced the great litany of Matins. After about 4 petitions I looked over at him, still standing by my side, and raised my eyebrows. He smiled and went back to happily staring at the icons on the iconostasis. While the chanters replied to one of the petitions, I leaned over and said, "What are you doing here?" He turned, draped his arms around my neck, hugged me, and said with a big smile, "I don't know!" We laughed. He retired to the altar.

One Sunday, I'd gotten up early and realized we had no bread for oblation. My long suffering wife arose and made the bread just in time for Matins. While I was puttering around making sure all the preparations for Liturgy were in order, I noticed the Subdeacon cutting up the holy bread (Antidoron) for distribution to the faithful. Yet, about every fifth piece was being popped into his mouth ...

"Are you going to receive Communion today?" I asked.

"Plannin' to," he mumbled as he chewed.

"Then stop eating up all the holy bread!"

He honestly had not realized what he was doing! He looked a bit embarrassed and said, "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry. But it smells so good!"

My favorite story happened one night following Vespers. We had a new family in the church whose beloved Mother/Grandmother had died the year previous. The daughter, a grown woman with grandchildren of her own, wanted us to serve a Panakhida (memorial service). The whole family was gathered, the family Matriarch was crying. The choir began ...

Subdeacon Andrew came out and stood by me, beside the memorial table. When it was about time for the censer, I went to receive it from him ... he was empty-handed. I said, "Go get me the censer." Into the altar he went. The choir was singing beautifully ...

He exited the altar and handed me the censer. I went to bless the incense ... there wasn't even charcoal inside.

Meanwhile the Matriach's crying, the choir is singing ...

I whispered, "There's no charcoal." Back into the altar went the Subdeacon. He quickly returned, handing me the censer ...

You guessed it. There was charcoal ... but no incense!

It dawned on him about the time I was trembling. Back he went ...

Meanwhile the Matriach's crying, the choir is singing ...

Quickly the aged and beloved Subdeacon reappeared with a censer and lighted charcoal. But, alas, the incense had fallen off the target and wasn't smoking. Here's where I took charge. Sometimes, it's possible to tap the base of the censer on the floor -- causing the incense to pop up onto, at least more closer to, the charcoal. This I did.

At precisely the moment of impact, one of the chains on the censer broke, the contents of the censer (that would be, most importantly, a burning coal) spilled out onto the carpet.

Meanwhile the Matriach's crying, the choir is singing ...

Book in one hand, broken censer in the other; I looked toward the Subdeacon, in split-seconds now become eternity, and he resembled a Major League Ump with hands on knees staring down at the smoldering scene as if to see just what would become of it. I stage-whispered, "Pick it up!"

(Now, really. Who wants to pick up a burning piece of charcoal?)

By the time he said, "Wha ..." I'd picked it up, burned my fingers and put it in the censer. I grabbed the broken section of chain and did my best to cense the table in the normal fashion.

All in all, I don't think the grieving family ever noticed.

However, when it was all sung and done, I was beside myself.

We had an old friend staying with us as a house guest. By the time I made it next door to the Rectory, I was slightly disturbed. I flung myself down into a chair and opined: "Is this my last day on earth?!"

To which he replied: "No ... that was yesterday!"




* Phronema is a Greek term that is used in Eastern Orthodox theology to refer to mindset or outlook; it is the Orthodox mind. The attaining of phronema is a matter of practicing the correct faith (orthodoxia) in the correct manner (orthopraxia). Attaining phronema is regarded as the first step toward theosis, the state of glorification.
Source

Subdeacon Andrew, aka "Fr Douglas," served the Lord in the Episcopal Church for over 40 years and the Orthodox Church for 33 months. May his memory be eternal!
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How to stay safe in the world today.

1. Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents.

2. Do not stay home because 17% of all accidents occur in the home.

3. Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians.

4. Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all accidents involve these forms of transportation.

5. Of the remaining 33% ...
32% of all deaths occur in Hospitals.
So ... above all else, avoid hospitals.

BUT ... You will be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders. Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is at church!

From an email from my wife, who got it from my mom, who got it from ...
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If you want to have the kind of a church
Like the kind of a church you like,
You needn't slip your clothes in a grip
And start on a long, long hike.

You'll only find what you left behind,
For there's nothing really new.
It's a knock at yourself when you knock your church;
It isn't the church -- it's you.

When everything seems to be going wrong,
And trouble seems everywhere brewing;
When prayer meeting, Young People's meeting, and all,
Seem simmering slowly -- stewing,
Just take a look at yourself and say,
"What's the use in being blue?"
Are you doing your "bit" to make things "hit"?
It isn't the church -- it's you.

It's really strange sometimes, don't you know,
That things go as well as they do,
When we think of the little -- the very small mite --
We add to the work of the few.
We sit, and stand around, and complain of what's done,
And do very little but fuss.
Are we bearing our share of the burdens to bear?
It isn't the church -- it's us.

So, if you want to have the kind of a church
Like the kind of a church you like,
Put off your guile, and put on your best smile,
And hike, my brother, just hike,
To the work in hand that has to be done --
The work of saving the few.
It isn't the church that is wrong, my boy;
It isn't the church -- it's you.

-- Unknown

Taken from The Best Loved Poems of the American People, pp.93-94.

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Fr John Whiteford offers a thought provoking video on Orthodoxy among Africans and African-Americans ... H E R E.

A priest from Atlanta once recalled Metropolitan PHILIP telling him that we need to do everything we can to help bring African-Americans home to the True Faith.

What are we (you, me) doing?

Speaking of Atlanta, the sermons of Dr Tony Evans are always worth a listen. Much of what is preached from the pulpits (though they never seem to use them) of black churches is sound, Christ-centered and true. Whereas, in my opinion, popular white preachers often seem to be no more than positive-mental-attitude-snake-oil-salesmen.

There's much to be done, no doubt. And we're a long, long way from seeing T.D. Jakes convert. But, ya gotta admit, THAT would be a hoot!
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Maybe it's just me and my upbringing, but I have never ever understood stuff like this:

"I can't speak for the religious, but I cannot imagine anyone feeling a greater sense of the spiritual than I do when I look up at a starry sky on a cloudless night. I've said it before and I'll continue saying it: There is more awe and wonder in one chapter of an introductory astronomy book than in any ten Bibles.

During the 2000 presidential campaign, when Al Gore nominated Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew, as his running mate, Americans were asked if they would vote for a qualified Jewish president. Over 90% of respondents said “Yes.” In the same poll, only 49% claimed they would support an atheist for president. While Jews can take heart in these numbers, atheists and humanists can only shake their heads in astonishment. When half of Americans still equate godless with immoral, there is clearly a massive amount of work to be done."

You can read the whole article by David Gleeson H E R E.

Ugh! Spoiler alert ...

"In the meantime, it is my fervent hope that our children’s children inherent a world free from superstition, fear, guilt, arrogance and sin, and that we all learn to embrace a new, spiritual atheism that espouses love and tolerance toward each other, and awe and humility in the face of an endlessly wondrous, but godless, universe. "

Oh, and by all means, click here for the pic source & commentary.
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More on Mary, Mother of God.

Jack Black is Herod in JC Superstar revisited.
HT Thunderstruck

The church of the Life-Giving Trinity consecrated in Pyongyang.
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When Pope Benedict XVI revealed his appreciation for the "Funny Side of Life" (scroll to end of article), I believe it's safe to say he was NOT talking about this -- a sad and pathetic story of two men, Episcopal priests, wanting to get "married" to each other.

Now that's just not funny!

What would be funny about gay marriage?

But, there's a lot of laughs allotted the married state and I believe the Pope probably had something more like these in mind:

While attending a Marriage Seminar dealing with communication, Tom and his wife Grace listened to the instructor, "It is essential that husbands and wives know each other's likes and dislikes."

He addressed the man, "Can you name your wife's favorite flower?"

Tom leaned over, touched his wife's arm gently and whispered, "It's Pillsbury, isn't it?"

* * * * *

Morris and his wife, Esther went to the State Fair every year. Every year, Morris would say, "Esther, I'd like to ride in that helicopter." Esther always replied, "I know Morris, but that helicopter ride is 50 dollars ... and 50 dollars is 50 dollars."

A few years later, Esther and Morris went to the fair. Morris said, "Esther, I'm 85 years old. If I don't ride that helicopter now, I might never get another chance."

Esther replied, "Morris, that helicopter is 50 dollars and 50 dollars is 50 dollars."

The pilot overheard the couple. He said, "Folks, I'll make you a deal. I'll take the both of you for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and not say a word, I won't charge you! But if you say one word, it's 50 dollars."

Morris and Esther agreed -- and up they went.

The pilot did all kinds of fancy maneuvers, but not a word was heard. He did his daredevil tricks over and over again, but still not a word.

When they landed, the pilot turned to Morris and said, "By golly, I did everything I could to get you to yell out, but you didn't. I'm impressed!"

Morris replied, "Well, I was going to say something when Esther fell out, but 50 dollars is 50 dollars."

Both the beyond-the-pale Episcopalian link (sad, not funny) and the clean jokes are thanks to e-notes from parishioners.
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HYMN OF PRAISE
The Most-holy Theotokos

Thus spoke the Lord Most-high:
"From thy heart, pure Virgin,
Living water will flow,
That those who thirst will drink Christ."
-- Life bearing source,
-- We all boast of thee!

Those who thirst will drink Christ.
By Him, the bitter is sweetened;
By Him, the scales are washed from blind eyes;
And by Him, the grief of those in sorrow is healed.
-- Life bearing source,
-- We all boast of thee!

Sweet drink sprung from eternity,
The brook filling our arid age:
Once more raised toward heaven,
Our exhausted world becomes refreshed.
-- Life bearing source,
-- We all boast of thee!

Glory to thee, O Most-pure One!
Glory to thee, O Mother of God!
Thou didst bear for us the Living Christ,
The living water of grace!
-- Life bearing source,
-- We all boast of thee!

St Nikolai Velimirovic, The Prologue of Ohrid, Volume Two, p.184.


To read the story of the Falling Asleep (Dormition) of the Mother of God, Go HERE.


A couple years ago, after being loaned a book by Max Lucado, I posted a piece entitled ALMOST ... All Generations Will Call Me Blessed (now edited) -- wherein I lament the "lack of Mary" among our Protestant brethren.

Later I noted ...

Regarding my post of July 9th on a book by Max Lucado ... yes, I did finish the book. No, I certainly can't recommend it for Orthodox. But, being fair, for many in the Protestant world, this sort of positive-mental-attitude-for-Jesus collection of meditations is a small form of "therapy." It's unrealistic of me to believe that, being Protestant, there's hope of proper appreciation for Mary, the Mother of God. That being said, there's a need, I've come to believe, within Orthodox America for lighter fare within an Orthodox context. Not everyone is going to become proficient in reading the Church Fathers, Vladimir Lossky, and the like.


You can watch & listen to a sermon on the Dormition of the Theotokos, in Greek & English, by Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Archdiocese by clicking HERE.


To those Orthodox & Catholics celebrating today's Feast, to those still persevering in the Dormition Fast, and even to those yet to honour the Mother of God ... through her prayers, may God grant good health and many years!
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Pic SOURCE ... HT: Serge.

The following is from DYNAMIS, August 10, 2006 ...

Speaking In Tongues:
1 Corinthians 14:6-19, especially vs. 19: "yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue."

The spiritual gift of speaking in tongues appeared among Christians in the earliest days of the Church, as both the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 10:46; 19:6) and St. Paul report (1 Corinthians 14:6-19). Not long after, tongue-speaking became the focus of the heretical Montanist sect in Phrygia, a group that flourished from the 2nd to the 9th century.

It should be noted that as a phenomenon tongues have not been limited to Christians - Orthodox or heterodox. Plato, among the pagan Greeks, and Virgil, among the ancient Latins, report tongue-speaking in various pagan rites. During the Middle Ages, tongues was practiced in Europe by mendicant friars, and later by Quakers and Methodists. The practice enjoyed a revival during the 19th and 20th centuries among certain Evangelical Protestant congregations, such that whole denominations formed, emphasizing tongue speaking. Then, in the later 20th century, tongues spread among many mainline western Churches, e.g., Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

The Apostle Paul himself spoke in tongues, considering it a gift from God for which he gave thanks (1 Cor. 14:18). However, note carefully in today's reading, that as St. Paul speaks about this practice one is able to discern his cautions concerning tongue speaking.

A reading through the passage immediately discloses the Apostle's point of view that this vocal gift from the Holy Spirit (vss. 12,18) ought to be a matter of private prayer and be avoided in public, corporate worship (vss. 6,9,19). His reasoning is quite straightforward: there are "many kinds of languages in the world" (vs. 10), and if one does "not know the meaning of the language" he is made a foreigner simply because he cannot understand what he hears (vs. 11).

Also observe: the present passage rejects the opinion of those who relegate speaking in tongues to merely psychological causes. Such opinions disregard St. Paul's manifest assumption that tongues can be a gift of the Holy Spirit (vss. 12,18). However, while God the Holy Spirit may give tongues, He also will give the "discernment of spirits" (1 Cor. 12:10). Note also, evidence from comparative religions suggests that not all speaking in tongues is of God. Some does indeed come from demonic sources and from darkened or immature human psyches.

As an Apostle, St. Paul was one sent by the Lord Jesus, a man under necessity to preach the Gospel and at grave spiritual risk for refusing to do so (1 Cor. 9:16). Today's passage clearly shows the unceasing urgency in him to communicate the good news. Hence, St. Paul was mostly concerned for understanding among his hearers, a concern that included occasions when he prayed with other people, especially in worship with those new to the Faith (vss. 6,9,11,16).

Continually planting churches in communities where the Christian message never had been heard, St. Paul bore a responsibility for these congregations he brought into existence - as in the case of the church at Corinth. The present passage reveals his concern for such congregations - that they develop as communities wherein their members would grow in spiritual knowledge - again, that primary concern for edification (vss. 12,19) and he insists that tongues should remain a matter of private devotions, so as not to confuse congregations.

Following the Apostle's concern that prayer, hymns, and blessings should be understood (vss. 15,16), the Orthodox Church continues to resist the introduction of tongues into corporate worship, fearing possible confusion in the understanding of the Faithful.

Light is the Father; and Light the Son; Light is the Holy Spirit descending upon the Apostles through which the whole universe was illuminated to worship the Holy Trinity.

To enroll to DYNAMIS daily e-meditations send an email to:

orthodoxdynamis-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Or, visit them on the Web HERE.
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Direct the course of our lives, Lord, straight towards you, so that in you we may reach you, and so that in you we may find you. Make us worthy to attain to you, in you; and let us behold nothing beside you. Hide everything from our mind's vision by means of the manifestation of your glorious Light.

For whoever gazes upon you does not need to look upon anything else; but whoever does not gaze upon you is in need of all kinds of other sources of illumination in order to be able to see.

Praise to you for you are the Light, and in you our souls have illumination. You illumine all with knowledge of yourself. Draw back the veil of falsehood from our souls so that we can see your Light clearly, for our minds are not totally dark owing to love of you.

-- John of Apamea, in, "The Syriac Fathers On Prayer And The Spiritual Life," translated from the original Syriac-Aramaic by Sebastian Brock, Cistercian Publications.

Stolen from a Christian Mysticism list.
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My ol' pal, Roxanne, found my Monster Magnet. (Well, sorta.)

Add the word “monster” to just about anything, and it suddenly becomes cool—“No, it’s MONSTER broccoli,” “But these are your MONSTER church slacks,” “Are you ready for MONSTER long division?”—but it helps if the thing is already pretty cool to begin with. Such was the case with Wham-O’s 1964 monsterpiece, the Monster Magnet, which fused the power of the monster with the power of magnetic energy ...
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My interview with Come Receive the Light is available today and, I believe, this whole week by clicking their site (in the margin).

I bumped into a couple comments about my book, One Flew Over the Onion Dome (also available in the margin), recently on the Net:

I've just finished reading "One Flew Over the Onion Dome- American Orthodox Converts, Retreads & Reverts" by Fr. Joseph David Huneycutt.

I found it hilarious, but that's not the only reason why I am recommending it. I found it an insightful book which would be of benefit not only to clergy but both "converts" and "cradles" as a first step toward understanding each other. The book also points out some of the pitfalls both "converts" and "cradles" fall into, and how to manage them.

-- Comment found on an e-list

Our Orthodox faith is drawing the spiritually seeking people of this nation. This is a trend that will only increase. It isn’t going away and it isn’t something we will be able to stop. Thank God! God loves all people and He is drawing men and women to Himself from every ethnic background, even average Americans who really don’t know what their ethnic backgrounds are anyway. Orthodoxy is becoming part of the fabric of America, and we rejoice in this exciting time to be alive and serving His Church.

Still, this growth and influx of converts is going to cause some real trauma for those who are not ready for it. That's why I hope you'll order the new book by Fr. Joseph Huneycutt called "One Flew Over the Onion Dome" published by Regina Orthodox Press. In this book, Fr. Huneycutt talks about converts, reverts (Orthodox who've left the faith and come back), and retreads (Protestant clergy who have converted and then entered the Orthodox clergy). He does a good job in spurring on the necessary conversation between us "newbies" and the folks who've been here all their lives.

Source.

Thanks for your support!
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To the tune of "Supercalafragalisticexpialadocius" ...

Um diddle diddle um diddle ay
Um diddle diddle um diddle ay

Superchristological and Homoousiosis
Even though the sound of them is something quite atrocious
You can always count on them to anathemize your Gnosis
Superchristological and Homoousiosis

Um diddle diddle um diddle ay
Um diddle diddle um diddle ay

Now Origen and Arius were quite a clever pair.
Immutable divinity make Logos out of air.
But then one day Saint Nicholas gave Arius a slap--
and told them if they can't recant, they ought to shut their trap!

[chorus] Oh, Superchristological and Homoousiosis...

One Prosopon, two Ousia are in one Hypostasis.
At Chalcedon this formula gave our faith its basis.
You can argue that you don't know what this means,
But don't you go and try to say there's a "Physis" in between!

[chorus] Oh, Superchristological and Homoousiosis...

Um diddle diddle um diddle ay
Urn diddle diddle um diddle ay

Now freedom and autonomy are something to be praised,
But when it comes to human sin, these words must be rephrased,
For Pelagius was too confident that we could work it out--
And Augustine said *massa damnata* is what it's all about.

[chorus] Oh, Superchristological and Homoousiosis...

Heresies are arguments that you might find attractive,
But just remember in this case the Church is quite reactive.
So play it safe and memorize these words we sing together,
'Cause in the end you'll find, my friend, that we may live forever.

[chorus] Oh, Superchristological and Homoousiosis
Even though the sound of them is something quite atrocious
You can always count on them to anathemize your Gnosis
Superchristological and Homoousiosis

Lyrics by Dan Idzikowski


Sort of like Ten Little Indians ...

Ten Little Orthodox came to church all the time;
One fell out with the priest, then there were nine.

Nine Little Orthodox stayed up late;
One overslept on Sunday, then there were eight.

Eight Little Orthodox intent on Heaven;
One took the low road, then there were seven.

Seven Little Orthodox, chirping like chicks;
One didn't like the singing, then there were six.

Six Little Orthodox seemed very much alive;
One took a vacation, then there were five.

Five Little Orthodox pulling for Heaven's shore;
One stopped to take a rest, then there were four.

Four Little Orthodox each as busy as a bee;
One had his feelings hurt, and then there were three.

Three Little Orthodox couldn't decide what to do;
One couldn't have his way, then there were two.

Two Little Orthodox each brought one more;
Now don't you see, two plus two equals four.

Four Little Orthodox worked early and late;
Each brought one, now there were eight.

Eight Little Orthodox if they double as before;
In just seven Sundays, we have one thousand twenty four.

In this jingle there is a lesson true;
You belong either to the building up, or to the wrecking crew.

Both are available HERE and elsewhere around the Net, though the first one was forwarded to me by Fr John Salem.
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Though Orthodox and Catholic Christians may disagree on Tradition, at least they appreciate and, to the best of their ability, understand and adhere to it. Our Protestant brethren? Not so much.

The following passage, from Umberto Eco's "The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana," is from the main character who is suffering amnesia. I think it also speaks, in a way, to Tradition:

"Yesterday evening ... in the hospital, I was bored, and I started humming a tune to myself. It was automatic, like brushing my teeth ... I tried to fugure out how I knew it. I started to sing it again, but once I began thinking about it, the song no longer came of its own accord, and I stopped on a single note. I held it a long time, at least five seconds, as if it were an alarm or a dirge. I no longer knew how to go forward, and I didn't know how to go forward because I had lost what came before. That's it, that's how I am. I'm holding a long note, like a stuck record, and since I can't remember the opening notes, I can't finish the song. I wonder what it is I'm supposed to finish, and why. While I was singing without thinking I was actually myself for the duration of the memory, which in that case was what you might call throat memory, with the befores and afters linked together, and I was the complete song, and every time I began it my vocal cords were already preparing to vibrate the sounds to come. I think a pianist works that way, too: even as he plays one note he's readying his fingers to strike the keys that come next. Without the first notes, we won't make it to the last ones, we'll come untuned, and we'll succeed in getting from start to finish only if we somehow contain the entire song within us. I don't know the whole song anymore. I'm like ... a burning log. The log burns, but it has no awareness of having once been a part of a whole trunk nor any way to find out that it has been, or to know if it caught fire. So it burns up and that's all. I'm living in pure loss."

Giambattista “Yambo” Bodoni in Umberto Eco's "The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana," pp.36-37.

Eco's been featured here before.
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Bad reporting? No worries, Mollie's on it. A must read ... hit the link above.
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Let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us - Psalm 89:17.

This is the cry of the Holy Prophet and God-seer Moses (who wrote this Psalm some 500 years before King David), born of his experience at the burning bush and in communion with God on the top of Mt. Sinai- during which the brightness of the Lord shown upon him and caused his face to glow with the uncreated light.

It is a cry fulfilled in the Holy Transfiguration of our Savior on Mt. Tabor when Moses beheld the divine majesty of the Theanthropos, the God-Man, Jesus Christ. This is the light that illumines the soul in baptism, and that we confess to have beheld every divine liturgy when we sing, "We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith, worshipping the undivided Trinity Who has saved us."

It is the light to which we advance and which we hope to behold and be filled with for all eternity in God's heavenly kingdom. "Let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us."

Thanks to FWD from Fr Josiah Trenham.
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Where's Flip Wilson when we need him?

"Talk of the Devil has been brushed under the carpet in our churches in recent times. Once an essential feature of any decent sermon, Satan is now seen as an embarrassing reminder of the Church's superstitious past ..."


MORE.

HT NewsForum





A rrrgh!

(Sorry 'bout that. I have no idea how that got on here!)

Mr Crouch sure makes a lot of sense ... would that the Devil (MTV and others -- like, say, herself) would heed his words.

HT Drudge

Others agree.

Here's why.

Meanwhile, from Russia there's this:

Two-thirds of Russian men smoke, more vodka is consumed per capita here than anywhere else, and recent surveys have ranked Russians among the world's most promiscuous people.

The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University wants to change all that. And time is of the essence.

A letter written this year by Patriarch Alexy II wishing the group a happy Easter hangs in the corridor. The Orthodox Church does not have any relations with the university ...

Full story.

Finally, wanna see some good reporting on an Orthodox blog?

Go here: NOTESFROMACOMMONPLACEBOOK ...
and read about traveling with St Ephraim!
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We first met in Franklin, Tennessee in 1993. Mary and her husband, Conrad, were fellow Converts to Orthodoxy from the Episcopal Church. We once had lunch at an Italian restaurant and Conrad told us that he knew of two St Conrads. His favorite St Conrad story involved a spider. It seems that a spider was observed slinking down a thread from the ceiling and went into this Conrad's drink. Conrad drank it -- and lived! Everyone back then knew that you couldn't swallow a spider and live! Therefore, he was a Saint. Conrad Stolzenbach had no idea if that saint was Orthodox, but he liked the story.

At the Missions and Evangelism Conference, fall of '93, there were so many ex-Episcopalians at the Antiochian Village that we formed a group called the "Canterbury Club." I don't recall all the players, but Mary and Conrad were ring leaders. We all had our own Anglican War Stories and we were thrilled to be Orthodox.

Mary had been patiently taking care of Conrad lately: Alzheimer's. She'd had some serious health scares of her own, only to receive better news. As Terry Mattingly mentions, it was most likely a fatal fall, a little over a week ago, that ended her life. Her funeral is today.
May the Lord rest her soul and comfort the family.

Mary and I had many arguments over the years. These were always ill matched because Mary's intellect was far superior -- with a biting wit. Some of these disagreements happened on various e-lists. We would often swap friendly private posts to each other while carrying on "badly" for public consumption. When Mary sided with you, you felt justified. When she was on the "other side," well, you felt differently. And, I must admit, sometimes she would send me emails -- or questions -- that helped me to realize just how non-intellectual (aka dumb) I really am. But, like a good school teacher, you never doubted that she loved you.

I last saw Mary in the fall of 2003 when she, Conrad, and one of their sons stopped by on their way home from visiting her mother in the Carolinas. Back before the popularity of email, she and I used to correspond with snail-mail. But, like most, I knew her best "electronically." She was omnipresent on the internet. She was a frequent Commenter on this blog -- her last comments here were on this story, July 23rd, shortly before her fall.

I am stunned and saddened by her sudden passing. I cannot believe that there will be no more "Stolzi" on the internet. We're all the worse for it. I can only with sorrow imagine the void now felt in her beloved parish, St Ignatius Antiochian Orthodox Church, Franklin, Tennessee.

At Stolzi's request, the family has requested donations to the Alzheimer's Association, in honor of Conrad Stolzenbach and his care giver, Mary.

May her memory be eternal!
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At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on the Great Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord on Mount Tabor, the priest blesses grapes ...

Why?

Here follows some answers ...

The blessing of grapes, as well as other fruits and vegetables on this day is the most beautiful and adequate sign of the final transfiguration of all things in Christ. It signifies the ultimate flowering and fruitfulness of all creation in the paradise of God's unending Kingdom of Life where all will he transformed by the glory of the Lord.
Source.

This is an ancient Christian custom. The first week of August, on the sixth of August, the farmers use to gather the early fruits of their summer harvest (grapes, figs etc.) and to present them in the Church to be blessed and to give them for free to congregation. These fruits are called the “beginnings”.

In a text from the 7th century (“the laws of the kingdom” by emperor Constantine Porfirogenitos) this custom is described vividly: “The Emperor of Constantinople gathers the “beginnings” (“aparches”) in Chalcedone, where there are many vines, and then he waits for the Patriarch of Constantinople to come on the the Holiday of Transfiguration, to bless the fruits and to personally hand out the grapes to the laymen”.

This custom is honored in many places in Greece where there are plantation with vines.

We must not forget that the Church was presented once as a “vine”. So, [the] Church blesses the first fruits of vine giving a "theological" meaning to farmer’s work.
Source.

In footnote 2 for Canon III of the Canons of the Apostles it says that, "during the festival of the Dormition...they used to offer bunches of grapes to the patriarch...at the end of the divine service. Today however [this is St Nikodemos Agiorite writing in the early 19th c] it is the prevailing custom in most regions for such grapes to be offered at the festival of the Transfiguration of the Saviour, and for them to be offered by the priest."
Source.

A nun, Mother Evfrosinia adds ...

However, as grapes do not ripen at the same time everywhere, the Church adapted this tradition in various ways. In some places in the Holy Land, for instance, grapes are blessed on the feast of the prophet Elijah. In Russia, where grapes were not always readily available, apples were more commonly blessed, and Transfiguration is known as "Yablochny Spas", "the Apple Feast of the Saviour". In northern Russia, where even apples weren't ripe by August 6/19, it was traditional to bless peas. Nowadays, when you can buy any sort of fruit or vegetable year round, we've lost the sense of getting a blessing to partake of the first fruits. But we can still try to keep to the spirit of this tradition. In our monastery we bless all sorts of fruit on Transfiguration, but we abstain only from grapes, taking care not to eat grapes of the new harvest until the feast, in keeping with the ancient monastic practise.
Source.

In addition, the blessing of grapes, that is specifically mentioned liturgically, is an allusion to the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the New Wine that is Christ's Blood that nourishes us spiritually. The liturgical prayers also refer to Christ Himself as the "Divine Cluster" attached to the Cross from which "Drips the Mystic Wine."
Source.

Some ancient Typicons prescribe the blessing of fruit of the vine (grapes), not on the feast of the Transfiguration, but on the feast of the Dormition. In the Greek Nicolo-Casulan Typicon of the twelfth-thirteenth century, we read: “Let it be known that, on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, the 15th of August, grapes are blessed and eaten in church after the Divine Liturgy according to an ancient tradition.” The Typicon of Sinai of the year 1214 contains the same prescription. Similarly, the Typicons of the Lavra of St. Athanasius on Athos prescribes the blessing of grapes on the 15th of August. We have the custom of blessing flowers on the feast of the Dormition.
Source.

Finally, the late Bishop Alexander ...

It is the tradition of the Day of Transfiguration to consecrate grapes, apples and other fruit after the Divine Liturgy. The custom of bringing fruit to the temple for consecration originates in the Old Testament time (Gen 4:2-4; Ex 13:12-13; Num 15:19-21; Deut 8:10-14). The Apostles brought this tradition to the Church of the New Testament (1 Cor 16:1-2). Instruction regarding bringing fruit to temple is found in the Third Rule of the Apostolic Canon, the earliest collection of ecclesiastic laws (canons), known since the second century. In Greece, August is the month of ripeness of fruit, mostly grapes and new ears of corn. Since old time, the faithful have been bringing them to temple for consecration and as Thanksgiving to God. St. John Chrysostom wrote, "Plowman receives fruit from the earth not so much for his labour and diligence, as out of goodness of God Who grows this fruit, because neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."

Grapes are brought to temple because they are directly related to the Eucharistic sacrament; that is why in the prayer for consecration of grapes the priest says, "Bless, Lord, this new fruit of vine which reached ripeness because Thou kindly provided good weather, drops of rain and stillness. Let eating this fruit of vine make us joyful. And give us the honor of offering this fruit to Thee, as the gift of purging of sins, altogether with the Holy Body of Thy Christ."

In the first centuries of Christianity, the faithful brought forth to the temple the fruit and crops of the new harvest: bread, wine, oil, incense, wax, honey etc. Of all these offerings, only bread, wine, incense, oil and wax were taken to the altar, while the rest was used for the needs of the clergy and the poor whom the church was caring for. These offerings were to express gratitude to God for all goods, but at the same time help servants of God and people in need. Until today, consecration of bread and wine, eggs and milk and other food has been kept in consecration of artos in the church and meals at home on Easter. Consecration of flowers and tree branches is performed now on Palm Sunday, the days of the Holy Trinity and Exaltation of the Cross, and on Sunday of the week of the Veneration of the Cross. Rice with rasins and honey are used as offerings in services for the dead and remembrance repast. Prosphoros are brought forth for proskomide everywhere even today.
Source.
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Remember when sane people used to say things like this ...

"This is not the first year that this lady has been mixing singing about human passions with Christian symbols - crosses, statues of the Virgin, beads, and now it's self-crucifixion. This means the singer needs spiritual assistance," Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, deputy head of the External Church Relations Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, told Interfax.

"It appears that, by this interest in Christian symbolism, an interest more than strange, the singer seeks to justify her own passions and solve her own internal problems," Chaplin said.

Brief story.
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The following piece was posted last year on August 4, 2005, the day my Dad died. May God rest his soul.

My Dad had a sense of humour. When “on” he could be one of the funniest people you’d ever meet. His sense of humour was often biting, at someone else’s expense and, therefore, could be offensive. Good humour, this side of Paradise, usually is. There’s the rub: This side of Paradise.

My Dad, every time we passed a cemetery, would say: “Hey, David, people are just dying to get in there!” Did you hear me say “every time?" Well I meant it. That is, every single solitary time that I can remember riding past a cemetery – every single time – my Dad said, “Hey, David, I hear people are just dying to get in there.” When you’re a kid, it’s funny. It’s funny the first few times. Then it gets old as you enter adolescence. Forget the teen years. Then about the millionth time, it’s suddenly funny again.

My Dad had other sayings that, God help me, I find myself saying often – always attributing the source, of course. (Some of these have been “sanitized” for general consumption.)

When you’re fond of using the word “IF” to justify something ...

“Yeah, well, if a frog had wings we wouldn’t bump his butt all the time.”

If you were basing your goals and dreams on wishes ...

“Why don’t you try wishing in one hand and *&@##@+$ in the other and see which one fills up first.”

When you complained of a headache ...

“If I had a head like yours that didn’t ache, I’d go see the doctor.”

If you complained of another body ache ...

“How ‘bout I hit you in the _____ (arm, head, stomach, etc) and see which one hurts worse.”

Etcetera, etcetera.

None of these are really funny. They’re biting. The kind of thing a parent might say to neutralize drama. However, as I father I must admit, I've stolen some of Dad's material.

We once had a parishioner whose mother had given her a plaque for her wall that read:

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall ... I am my mother after all.”

I resemble that remark. I am my father after all. In other words, the very things I hated hearing as a child, I often find myself repeating – always attributing the source, of course.

But my Dad’s sense of humour was spontaneous. All my pals and girlfriends loved him. They thought he was the funniest person they’d ever met. He could be. To me, that is, he could be. He was happiest when he had an audience. (Family don’t count.) I loved watching my Dad “perform.”

There’s not many stories I can relate here cuz, being spontaneous humour, you had to be there. He just had a way about him.

The other thing is, I look just like him. Growing up in a small town I often found myself being recognized as his son by total strangers. Folks see pics of my Dad and say, “Gosh, you look just like him.” I never wore the sort of Elvis-like hairstyle, and was a bit taller and bulkier. But folks say that we’re the spittin’ image of each other.

Mirror, mirror ...

Like many kids this side of Paradise, I spent a lot of years disliking the man, wishing he were different, wanting more than he offered, judging him. Looking back, it was probably more me than him. A year or so ago, he and I apologized to each other. It was short, real, needed. As a pastor, I often hear similar tales from males. Dads, sons ... you know. I often weep over my own son, out of his sight, hoping I do better in his eyes. I know my Dad did the same. But this side of Paradise, for many, there’s often a male thing going on with sons and Dads.

Anyway, my Dad, Malcolm Huneycutt, was definitely NOT “dying to get in there.” He found out that he had prostate cancer 7 or 8 years ago. Did all the stuff they typically put you through, Lord have mercy, and he died today at the age of 64.

Back in the 60's there was a toy called “Monster Magnet.” It was a brawny piece of plastic, a man-shaped horse shoe, with magnets at each end. It could pick up just about anything. I don’t know how this routine started, but after yelling from my room in the dark house, “I love you, Mom” – my Dad and I would each yell “Monster Magnet.” Like this ...

“Goodnight, Mom, I love you.”

“I love you, son. Sleep well.”

“Monster Magnet, Dad!”

“Goodnight, son. Monster Magnet!”

When he started working 16 hours a day, which he did for 16 years, the routine stopped. Till the other day. Only one participated, however. My Dad lay dying, looking 20 years older than he should. I’ve watched many people die, studied theology for years; I am never at a loss for words. My Dad, by this time non-responsive, just lay there, labouring to breath. Nothing more.

My Dad was a simple man.

I kissed him and said, “I don’t have any words of wisdom, Dad. Sorry ...
Monster Magnet, Dad. Monster Magnet.”

Malcolm Lee Huneycutt
May 7, 1941 - August 4, 2005
May the All-Merciful God grant him a good and welcoming audience inside Paradise. ('Cuz that's the place he was really dying to get into.)
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