Christ is Risen!
Since this is Bright Week, which as Dino commented earlier is an extension of the entire day of Pascha, I’d like to continue the celebration of Eastertide.
Below is a video of one of my favorite hymns, dedicated as it is in all its triumphant glory to “the Lady full of Grace”.
Enjoy!
P.S. I’m putting the finishing touches on my essay on Christian governance which I hope will be out next week.
The link is not working.
Truly He is Risen!
Link not working George, but thanks for all you do here. Without you none of this would be possible. I am blessed to know of you, and your blog! Xronnia Polla!
Try now! Sorry!
Very eloquent hymn!
Estonian Slovak
My sincerest apologies
Christ is Risen!
Not sure what brought about that post, but I apologize as well. I don’t think you did anything to me. I was reacting to some of your posts. I do ask forgiveness for having misread some of your words.
I quit posting here because it appeared that my posts were leading you and others into temptation. I don’t want to be a stumbling block for anyone’s salvation. People like Gail and Michael Bauman have expressed my point of view much better than I can. May God grant you salvation.
Estonian Slovak
Truly He is risen!
Post from Dino regarding Bright Week:
“You see this week, Bright Week, at least in my Greek upbringing, going all the back to family roots in Smyrna, all grudges are forgiven, and patience the rule.”
I noticed you haven’t been posting as well
I agree no real grievance between us, but certainly I have been rude and abrasive at times
I think Monomakhos is a great forum for honest debate. On occasion, we might get a bit under each other’s skin –
Therefore, I like Dino’s stated Bright Week tradition of “all grudges are forgiven, and patience the rule.”
I have also demonstrated a real lack of patience in my life the last few years, so I need that as well
I hope you reconsider and begin to post again. We might not always agree, but the reality is – some of your posts I have really enjoyed and found helpful. You just didn’t know because there was only a focus on things disagreed
I suppose that is very human
Christ is Risen! I just became a catechumen, George is one of the many people who make my parish great. God bless all of you!
Truly He is Risen!
Brothers and sisters, join our joy at the reception into the Holy Orthodox Church this past Sunday of our four youngest grandchildren, by baptism, chrismation, tonsure, and communion! It was a joyful and moving service.
The kids are a boy, 11, a girl, 9, a girl 7, and a boy 5. They are the children of our youngest son and his wife.
There is a great beauty in a “later” baptism, added to by the fact that four are taking place. The awe and deep reverence of the children is beautiful to see and greatly moving. Combine that in the 5 year-old-boy with barely-contained excitement and curiosity about every step, and it was wonderful and joyous to experience.
Our wonderful priest is tremendous with the kids. All of our grown children were there. I’ll say, when you’re baptized in the Orthodox Church, you know you’ve been baptized. The little one said he wanted to be baptized “20 times”! Five month ago that little guy was in tears, saying he didn’t want to be “appetized”!
To God be the Glory. Pray for my family, friends!
Glory to God for all things!
Edward, Oppa!
I like what you say:
My brother, an Orthodox priest, came to town this weekend for a visit. We were talking about my exchange with Brian and the full gospel. He made the comment that the sacraments “do something”.
That in turn reminded me of an occurrence after the funeral of a dear friend several years ago. One of the people with whom he worked came to the funeral. He had never attended an Orthodox service before in his life. He was in is 60’s and quite deaf with really big hearing aids on both ears. As we exited the temple after the service he was commenting to someone that while he really could not hear well what was said the when we buried folks we really “did something”…and the funeral service is not even a sacrament.
If one considers and engages the Orthodox sacramental services plus all of the additional prayer services of various kinds with anything near an open mind and heart it is quite easy to see that we preach the full Gospel. Including the Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
It is nowhere else in fullness. Glory to God for you and your family. Many, many years. They have entered the Ark of Salvation and entered into the joy of our Lord.
Thank you, Michael.
Glory to God! May God grant your grandchildren long and healthy lives in Christ!
Glory to God for all things! So happy to hear about your family, Tim. May the Lord bless them and keep them as they walk in the Faith.
Mr. Mortiss,
Χριστὸς Aνέστη! Αληθώς Ανέστη!
I apologize that I completely missed this. It does, however, serve as a segue into making two points: the first has to do with correctly identifying the correct band and album for this 70’s rock classic, and at least two members of the band. And secondly, to take joy in the words of the Psalmist.
In the first instance, I have resigned myself to the fact that I will undoubtedly miss certain issues, topics, and posts that would ordinarily interest me, but are “bathed” in stuff into which I’d rather not wade (e.g. how it is that heretical, schismatic Roman Catholics have the ability to raise the dead, while I do not – and as near as I can tell, the Lord suggests, in speaking about me, “[It is] because of your unbelief.” (Matt. 17:20) And there you have it…) The song, then is “I looked Away,” written by an artist from Memphis, TN and released on November 9, 1970.
More to the point, however, is the joy of the Psalmist in Ps. 127:
It is quite curious when you think about it, that one of the readings at the Vespers of Great and Holy Friday, at the darkest hour of the church, where there was absolutely no explanation for the indignity and suffering of its Lord and Master, and when it seemed that darkness had overtaken the entire earth, the church does the most paradoxical thing possible: it concludes the reading of the Book of Job. Oddly enough, the reading of Job, the account of his undeserved & unexplained suffering would “logically” seem to fit the crucifixion “narrative of the week and of the day. But the reading is astonishing (and in fact, is not even drawn completely from the “canonical” scripture, but relies on a closing section found in the Apocrypha) in that it joyfully speaks of how God restored everything to Job, including his beloved children and grandchildren, who surround him at table in this closing scene. His possessions are not only doubled, but in may cases are even tripled, and Job is referred to as the “righteous,” and he died in peace. Why? Because he was the foreshadow of him who endured until the end! And it was here, as a young seminarian, that Fr. Alexander Schmemann, the future writer, theologian, and Dean decided to forego lunch and ran through the streets of Paris home, to tell his mother what he had heard! I feel such joy every time I reminisce about him telling that story.
You, Mr. Mortiss, are that “journeyman, as well, not having come to all of this as a young man. And now, our God has richly blessed you to not only see your children’s children, but to see them as Orthodox as well! Who is richer than you? Many Years to all!
[The song, “I Turned Away” is the lead song on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek & the Dominos. The band included keyboardist and singer Bobby Whitlock (who co-wrote “I Turned Away”), bassist Carl Radle, and drummer Jim Gordon, but the most well-known guitarists were Duane Allman from the Allman Brothers’ Band (who died in a motorcycle accident less than 6-months later), and Eric Clapton.]
Many and deep thanks, Michael S.
Ed
If any one has a tendency to think that the dysfunction in the Orthodox Church is all there is, take a look at Journey to Orthodoxy. I guarantee you will be re-invigorated unless you are just a curmudgeon like the Walter character created by Jeff Dunham.
The latest testimony is from an ex-Morman. It was especially interesting to me because he came to the same conclusion I did (by different means) regarding the genuine nature of the Church.
Protestants are automatically excluded, it came down to a choice: RCC or Orthodox.
For reasons he outlined, different than mine but complimentary, it was obvious to him that the Orthodox Church has the only legitimate claim, historically and theologically.
That is discernment, not judgment BTW–a vast difference.
All, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in LA was robbed of a number of crosses last night. Quick B&E, grab and run. The thief had to know where the crosses were kept.
The story on Fox News also contained the typical comments like “they should not have these items anyway–sell them and give the money to the poor” etc.