So it would seem that all of Boston was in a uproar yesterday over some stupid prank by the TBS network. Some fun loving people put things that appeared to be bombs in various places around the city and once spotted set off a military like operation. Okay some may say that they over reacted to the whole thing, but in this post 9/11 world I am glad we take such things serious. In my opinion the TBS network should reimburse the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the costs of yesterdays little stunt. I understand that two men have been arrested for posting the things all over town. There are numerous sites on net where one can read about the thing but there are too many to post. Outrage is welcome!
New Name
When I started this blog it was with the intention that I would post things about Monasticism both East and West. Well a quick look back at the posts during the last year will see that I have not really done that. I am considering changing the name of this here blog to something more fitting to what I have been posting but I am not sure yet. I need to give this some thought as well as seek advice from those of you who have been blogging for longer than I. Is there a downside to changing the name of the blog?
Anyway stay tuned for more updates.
Road Trip
Yesterday I met up with Fr. Greg and Chris D at the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Massachusetts. What an amazing place this is. You would never know that this place is there, but there it is right in the middle of this old New England town. This description is from their literature:
The Museum of Russian Icons was founded as a non-profit educational museum by Gordon Lankton. It was through his travels to Russia during the past 18 years that Mr. Lankton developed his fascination with icons and Russian history. Since then he has made over forty trips to the former Soviet Union and his collection now contains over two hundred icons from the 15th-21st centuries. The Museum of Russian Icons is the institutional home of his collection. The museum, overlooking Central Park, is a 19th century structure and one of the first buildings in Clinton.
The museum is just the right size and not overwhelming and one can just walk around and take in all of the great Icons. They are all labeled so one knows what one is looking at, and there are even little magnifying glasses hanging nearby so you can get a good look. Nothing is behind glass so you get a real good look. Open Tuesday-Saturday and admission is a mere $5.00 to get in. If you are in the area check it out.
After the visit to the museum we took lunch at this great Irish place called The Old Timer Restaurant and Tap Room also in Clinton. What a great day, and thanks to Fr. Greg and Chris D for inviting yours truly to go along for the trip.
Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
2 Timothy 3:10-15
Luke 18:10-14
Nothing begins without the desire to see Jesus and when we truly see Him, then and only then are we able to see ourselves. This is the second step in our approach to Great Lent and Pascha and the theme of the Second pre–lenten Sunday.
The Gospel reading for this Sunday is taken from Luke 28:10-14. Two men went to the temple to pray. The pharisee was actually a very religious man. He fasted, prayed, and gave away ten percent of his goods. Yet he boasted about his accomplishment and, as a result, his prayers were rejected by God. The publican on the other hand, was truly evil, a genuine sinner. He sought to make a change in his life, however, by confessing his sinfulness and begging God for mercy. Consequently, he was justified and accepted by God.
Like the pharisee, we to are filled with pride and boastfulness; unlike the publican, we often refuse to acknowledge our sinfulness, confess it, and beg for mercy.
On this Sunday we are invited to take a deeper look inward, to search the depths of our souls and to beg for mercy. We are called, through our vision of Jesus, to acknowledge our sins and to fall before the face of God in repentance, making the publican’s prayer our own: “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Adapted from “Pre-Lenten Sundays”
Sunday of Zacchaeus
1 Timothy 4:9-15
Luke 19:1-10
Update: I should have posted this last week but time got away from me…
We know that we are approaching the beginning of Great Lent when we hear, at the Sunday Liturgy, the reading from Luke 19:1-10 concerning Zacchaeus, the tax collector. The Sunday of Zacchaeus id the first of the pre–lenten Sundays which take us, step by step, to the beginning of Great Lent and, ultimately, to Pascha.
We begin with this particular lesson because Zacchaeus himself began his repentance with a simple desire: he wanted to see Jesus Christ.
Jesus was passing by. A great crowd was gathered. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but the crowd was so great and he was so short, so he climbed up into a tree and thereby enabled himself to look above the heads of the crowd at the Master. Jesus saw him and called him down. He went to his house and there Zacchaeus repented and returned four times as much as he has stolen, gave the remainder of his possessions to the poor, and became a true disciple of Christ.
The message of this lesson is clear: everything begins with the simple desire to see Jesus. Nothing can happen without this desire. We must desire to see Jesus as well. This is our first step toward the approaching Great Lent and Pascha.
Adapted from “Pre-Lenten Sundays”
Hand Kissing
Fr. Tim Finigan has a post about greeting the bishop and should one kiss his hand or not. It got me thinking about the orthodox practice in this area and I would like to share some of my thoughts.
The custom is to refer to a bishop in the Orthodox Church as Your Grace, if an Archbishop Your Eminence, Patriarch, Your Beatitude. In the case of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople then he is referred to as His All Holiness. Okay so that is a mouthful but that is tradition for you. When speaking with the bishop you should refer to him by his title, i.e. Your Grace. When you approach the bishop you should make a small metanyia and bless yourself then hold your hands together to receive his blessing and then his hand to kiss. We are not kissing the hand of a man here but reverencing his office as successors to the apostles. Thanks to Fr. Tim for giving me the correct words.
In Orthodox and Catholic theology we understand the office of bishop of that as being passed down from the apostolic ministry itself. Bishops today are inheritors of that ministry of the Apostles that walked with Jesus. We call this Apostolic Succession as there is an unbroken line from the Apostles to the bishop standing in front of you.
The faithful should approach a priest in the same manner. Small metanyia, bless yourself, then hold your hands out to receive his blessing and his hand to kiss. Same reason we are not kissing the hand of a man but we reverence the office of priest. Whatever you feel about the person this is the custom.
I remember when I was in Guatemala at the orphanage and preparing for vespers. The children would all line up in front of me to receive my blessing and kiss my hand. I had been a priest about a year and half at this point and my hand was kissed more that week than it was before or after. Like some traditions this one has fallen into disuse.
When I was first ordained and the faithful would kiss my hand it was a very strange thing for me to get used to. I remember one of the priests at the seminary sharing a similar story and he said that it would insult the person if you pulled your hand away. They are reverencing the office and saying thank you for the blessing you just gave them.
Just some random thoughts.
St. Conan
Bishop of the Isle of Man, died January, 684; an Irish missionary, also known as Mochonna. He is not to be confounded with St. Conindrius, who is said to have been a disciple of St. Patrick, and to have lived to be a very advanced age (17 November, 560). The Bollandists place St. Conan amongst the early bishops of Man, and Colgan gives an account of his life and labours. Unfortunately the history of the Isle of Man in the fifth and sixth centuries is very obscure, and it is difficult to get at definite facts, yet St. Conan, or Mochonna, who is also described as “Bishop of Inis-Patrick” left a distinct impress of his zeal for souls in Manxland. Some authorities give the date of his death as 26 January, but Colgan, quoting from the ancient Irish martyrologies, gives 13 January, on which day St. ConanUs feast is observed. There are also several minor Irish saints of the same name, including St. Conan of Assaroe (8 March), and St. Conan of Ballinamore (26 April).
Deep Freeze
As I sit here in the warmth of my office I see that the old mercury has fallen to -1 degrees F. I ventured outside to check on the church and noticed that our digital thermostat was not reading a number all it said was low. I was expecting it to say hey turn on the heat!
It is times like this that I call to mind those who have no place to keep warm and who live on the streets. We can debate the reasons latter but let us remember them today and also those who work outside for a living. I have one parishioner who works for the power company and this time of year they are very busy. Keep safe and warm today and lift up those outside in prayer.
Line of Duty Death
I have blogged before about being a Fire Chaplain and the joy that that aspect of ministry brings. The down side to that ministry is being on a team that has to inform a family of a death in the line of duty. I can say that so far I have been spared that particular part of ministry.
Yesterday at our chaplains conference this topic came up. A very sensitive area and one that has to be handled just right. I always find it interesting that people think it is easier for one in ministry to bring the bad news. Why is that? Why am I, just because I happen to wear a collar, any more prepared to bring the news than anyone else? The answer for me anyway is because someone has to do it. Usually the chaplain and the chief go to bring the news, and it is not easy for the chief as he has just lost someone in the line.
I am working now on the protocol for the Line of Duty Death Notification for our department and it is amazing how detailed this document is. It leaves nothing out and allows for no mistakes. After all, we owe it to the bravest to handle things in the right way.
This brings up another topic. Does everyone have a will? Recently a parishioner died in the parish and he had no family. This set off all sorts of questions about what to do and even who will make the arrangements. I was so surprised by this, but I come from a large family so the chances of me being that last are pretty slim. But, have we made arrangements for us or told someone what we want done? In other words are we ready to go? We need to make sure that our death will not be any harder on the people we leave behind. Even if we think we have nothing, we should have a simple will. Oh and let me make this pitch. Do not forget your church, whatever church that might be, in your will. Okay shameless commercial over.
St. Fechin
Fechin was probably born at Luighne (Leyney), Ireland. He was trained by St. Nathy, was founding Abbot of Fobhar, or Fore, in Westmeath, and died of the plague that devastated Ireland in the year 665. His feast day is January 20th.