Prayer to Saint Herman of Alaska

Posted on by Fr. Peter
O Almighty God, We praise and glorify You, Our Lord and Creator. All the earth and everything within it acknowledges You as Creator, The Eternal Father.
Heaven and Earth, Angels and Men, together, praise and glorify You, the most glorious company of Apostles, the praiseworthy fellowship of Prophets, the great and noble gathering of Martyrs, the whole community of Saints, all praise You.
We the members of the holy community on earth pray: Make us worthy with all the Saints in Heaven, especially the newly glorified Elder, the Blessed Herman of Alaska, to reign in Your everlasting glory.
On this day the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church praises and glorifies You, our God, in joyful thanksgiving. The inheritors and children of the Holy Church of Christ which you, 0 Blessed Father Herman and your holy companions planted here, now flowering and growing throughout this great continent, gather at your reliquary. We gaze at your Relies in the knowledge that your soul joins together with the Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs, Saints and the Heavenly Hosts before the Throne of the Most Merci- ful God in praise of the Holy Trinity.
O Blessed Herrnit of Spruce Island, good teacher of the faith in the Holy Trinity, and our Spiritual Father, intercede before the throne of the Almighty God, for peace within the Church, the dispelling of all disunity, faithlessness and discord.
Come to the aid of our spiritual leaders that they may always be true and ef- fective instruments of the Holy Spirit, with the power to proclaim the evangelical truths, with the wisdom to enlighten the unenlightened, with the spirit to inspire all to love the knowledge of God, with the perseverance to defend the Church, even unto death, from all enemies both within and without and at all times.
May the hearts of your spiritual children be filled with that faith and love of the Holy Church which you manifested in your holy life; praying to Him to: deliver us from the temptations which cause us to fall; renew our child-like faith in our Heavenly Father; replace our trust in God, and in Him alone; satisfy our thirst for the true knowledge of God; teach us to serve God faithfully; transfigure our life that it may truly reflect the image and likeness of God.
O Holy Father and Patron of the Church in Araerica: Be a physician to the weak in faith; be a support to the fallen; be a defender to the defenceless; be a bulwark of strength to the weary in spirit; be a guide to the travelers by sea, by land and by air; be our heavenly intercessor.
O Blessed Father Herman of Alaska, together with all the Saints and the Heavenly Hosts, pray to God that on each of us He will bestow wisdom for our mind, strength for our will, light for our spirit, enabling us to attain to the true peace of life which is from God alone. We praise with joyous and grateful hearts, the Life-Creating Trinity: Father Almighty, Only-Begotten Son, Comforter, Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Source: oca.org

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine Johnstown Cape Breton
On the Roman Catholic calendar today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  I have kind of a weird connection to this feast day.

My mother’s family hails from Johnstown Cape Breton Canada.  The Roman Catholic Church that sits on the hill in the center of the town is the Church of the Sacred Heart.  Located behind the Church is a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe.  A priest from the parish was serving as a chaplain to the Royal Canadian Navy and went to Mexico.  Whilst there he was impressed by the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and brought a Mosaic of Our Lady back to Johnstown.  It has been installed in a shrine located on the hill behind the church.

Its an interesting world.  A Gaelic parish located on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia Canada has a shrine to a Mexican saint.  Well, I find that interesting anyway.

Courage

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Since St. Andrew’s feast day, November 30th, I have been following the writings of Matuska Anna, an Orthodox Priest’s wife and mother of five children. Her blog came to my attention through another blog that read. Her blog is an interesting mix of all sorts of things and she has a section of help for women, and men, who have lost children due to miscarriage. You see Matuska Anna lost a child some time ago and then on St. Andrew’s Day she lost another one. She has been writing about this since.
The amazing thing to me is she is still carrying the child and will go to hospital tomorrow to “deliver” her baby. Some of what she has been writing about are the preparations she and her husband have been taking prior to the “birth” that will take place tomorrow (Monday). She has made a little dress and a small hat and a box has been obtained for the burial. I find this entire this very courageous and I commend her for writing about it. Maybe what she is writing will help another who is going through a similar situation.
As someone who has studied the psychological arts I know how important it is to grieve. Saying goodbye is never easy and even harder I would guess, when it is a child that died whilst you were carrying it. I have read stories of people, who years later, have regrets of not seeing their child prior to the burial and other such things. I think this family is doing the right thing.
Years ago I was listening to a Roman Catholic couple on a podcast. They were going through a similar situation, their second miscarriage, and how they had dealt with the previous one. They named the child and speak of the child as part of the family. The other children know about both of them and speak about them as part of the family. I find this a very healthy thing to do. Death is part of life and shielding children from it makes it harder for them to deal with.
To Matuska Anna and Father, if you read these words know that I will be holding your family in prayer tomorrow and in the days to come. I would ask any of you who read this to say a little prayer for this family and for all families who have lost a child, for whatever reason.

(Matuska is used in Slavic Churches as a title for the wife of the Priest)

Dallas

Posted on by Fr. Peter

I am in the process of watching the 14th and final season of the TV show Dallas.  Who does not like Ole JR Ewing?  I remember watching this show when I was growing up and have been watching the DVD’s on Netflix this show is amazing.

One of the other remembrances of Dallas I have comes from one of my first trips to Romania.  It seems that Dallas is one of US programs that was shown on Romanian TV and many people learned English from watching this program.

Of course the downside of this program is that is embraces everything that is wrong with the world today.  Greed, lust, hatred etc.  Good always seems to win over evil in the program but it does take time.  There are many lessons to learn from this show and the more I watch the more I learn.  Maybe I should write a book, “The Spirituality of Dallas”  could be a hit.

It is funny how this show that started in 1978 still rings true today.  I wonder what JR would think about the bank buyouts and such that are going on right now.

9 December ~ The Conception of the Theotokos

Posted on by Fr. Peter
The Conception of the Theotokos by Saint Anna is commemorated by the Orthodox Church on December 9. St. Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary, was the youngest daughter of the priest Nathan from Bethlehem, descended from the tribe of Levi. She married St. Joachim, who was a native of Galilee. For many years, St. Anna was childless and the couple suffered much reproach for her barrenness. When they were in Jerusalem to offer sacrifice to God, the High Priest, Issachar, upbraided Joachim, “You are not worthy to offer sacrifice with those childless hands.” Both spouses gave themselves to fervent prayer, and the Archangel Gabriel announced to them separately that they would be the parents of a daughter who would bring blessings to the whole human race.

The barren Ann leaped for joy when she gave birth to Mary the Virgin, who will in turn give birth in the flesh to God, the Word.  Overflowing with happiness, she cried out: “Rejoice for me, O all tribes of Israel, for I have given birth according to the will of God, my Benefactor, who answered my prayer and wiped out my shame.  According to His promise, He has healed the pains of my heart through the pains of birth-giving.” (From the Vespers of the Feast)

The Occupy Movement

Posted on by Fr. Peter
I will admit right up front that I have not done all I can to understand what is going on.  There has been much discussion on the Internet of what is going on in the various Occupy Movements around the Country.  The bottom line is people are upset and they are voicing their opinions.  I may not support their message 100% but I do support their rights to protest.  I will say if they break the law then they need to pay the price but they do (as we all do) have the right to peaceful protest.

I was in a discussion recently with one of my clergy friends and he was demanding that they be removed from their site in Boston.  I neglected to ask if he had gone to the site and tried to talk to anyone there to see what they were all about.  We get our information from the media and they only present half or even a quarter of the story, but certainly not the entire story.  If you want to understand what is going on, then go an talk to people I think this is what Jesus would have done.

My friend, Pastor Mike Schutz has a post on his blog today about his visit to Occupy Boston.  Mike is a friend and fellow pastor and has some insights and thoughts about what he experienced.  I know Mike and I trust his observations.  I would challenge all of the clergy out there to take a moment or two and go to the occupy in your area and talk with the folks there.  I plan to do this very soon.

My study of history informs me that during the 18th century people were upset with their government.  Some agreed and some did not.  They protested, in some very violent ways if memory serves, and that protest eventually led to what is now the United States.  In 1989 a group of Romanians had enough of their dictator and took their protest to the streets.  That protest led to a free and democratic Romania.  We have seen this in countless situations, when people have enough they speak out.  Do I wish to see a violent revolution, certainly not, but we have the opportunity to change our government every two years in peaceful ways and my hope is that everyone who is Occupying anywhere will occupy the voting booth come this November or whenever your election is.  Step up and run for office and make a difference.  Democracy only works if we the people participate.  We the people can make a difference but we need to be engaged in the process and that includes being an informed voter.

Prayers Requested for OCMC Missionary James Hargrave

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Following his recent recovery from malaria, OCMC missionary to Tanzania, James Hargrave, has been diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia and is in the hospital in Mwanza. He is on oxygen and antibiotics. His vital signs are improving at this time and he is getting good care. OCMC missionary nurse Maria Roeber is assisting with his care and missionary Michael Pagedas has also been present with him. We thank God for our team in Tanzania! Please pray for James that he regains his strength quickly and that he will experience healing of body and soul. Remember missionary Felice Stewart as well, holding things together in Bukoba.

7 December ~ Ambrose, Bishop of Milan

Posted on by Fr. Peter
This Saint was born in Gaul in 340, and was a member of the Roman Senate. After the death of Auxentius, the Arian Bishop of Milan, a violent dispute arose among the Orthodox and Arians about who would succeed him. Ambrose, desiring as Governor of the province to restore the peace, attempted to mediate between them. As he spoke to the people, eloquently persuading them to elect a new bishop without tumult and disorder, a young child, inspired from on high, suddenly cried out “Ambrose, bishop!” To his astonishment and dismay, the people immediately took up this cry themselves, and over his many protests, he was raised to the episcopal throne of Milan on December 7, 374. A great Father of the Church, he wrote many works in Latin, and was both an unwearying opponent of Arianism, and a fearless accuser of emperors when they transgressed the law of God. Having lived fifty-seven years, he reposed on April 4, on the eve of Pascha, in the year 397.

Troparion in the Fourth Tone
The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; for this cause, thou hast achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty. O Father and Hierarch Ambrose, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

The Second Adam

Posted on by Fr. Peter
As the second and final Adam, Jesus does everything that the first and original Adam was called – but failed – to do.  He obeys God.  He honors His Name.  He delights in His Presence.  He adores His Divinity.  He gives thanks for His gifts.  He speaks His words.  He does His works.  He accomplishes His will.  And so He fulfills Himself in a human manner as one made in God’s image and likeness.  But being the Son of God Himself, God’s uncreated Image and Word, His accomplishment extends to all human beings and is made fully and freely available to all people.  “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor 15:22).  For Adam himself was but “a type of the One who was to come” (Rom 5:14).  This is Jesus.

Fr. Thomas Hopko
The Winter Pascha

error: Content is protected !!