Today we remember the attack on Pearl Harbor. Much has be written on this subject and I am not going to add to those voices already speaking out and other such things. All I will say is that we should pray for peace in the world. One of the litanies in the Orthodox Liturgy ask us to do just that, …for peace in the world, let us pray to the Lord…
St. Nicholas
From the Greek Archdiocese Website:
This Saint lived during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, and reposed in 330, As a young man, he desired to espouse the solitary life. He made a pilgrimage to the holy city Jerusalem, where he found a place to withdraw to devote himself to prayer. It was made known to him, however, that this was not the will of God for him, but that he should return to his homeland to be a cause of salvation for many. He returned to Myra, and was ordained bishop. He became known for his abundant mercy, providing for the poor and needy, and delivering those who had been unjustly accused. No less was he known for his zeal for the truth. He was present at the First Ecumenical Council of the 318 Fathers at Nicaea in 325; upon hearing the blasphemies that Arius brazenly uttered against the Son of God, Saint Nicholas struck him on the face. Since the canons of the Church forbid the clergy to strike any man at all, his fellow bishops were in perplexity what disciplinary action was to be taken against this hierarch whom all revered. In the night our Lord Jesus Christ and our Lady Theotokos appeared to certain of the bishops, informing them that no action was to be taken against him, since he had acted not out of passion, but extreme love and piety. The Dismissal Hymn for holy hierarchs, The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock … was written originally for Saint Nicholas. He is the patron of all travellers, and of sea-farers in particular; he is one of the best known and best loved Saints of all time.
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 Nicholas, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.Troparion of St. Nicholas 4th Tone
Father, hear our prayers for mercy, and by the help of Saint Nicholas keep us safe from all danger, and guide us on the the way of salvation. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.Liturgy of the Hours
Parish Website
For those of you who have not visited our parish website, I have made some changes today. Under the news section I have added the December newsletter for all to enjoy… Look for more changes this week.
Snow?
Today is Monday, and I was ready when I woke up to see a little snow on the ground. We have been told all weekend that we should get ready for the first snow of the year. I have yet to see a flake. I am all ready, have the boots out, got the shovel out yesterday and cleaned it all up, we put all the outside stuff inside so not to get ruined in the snow, and nothing nada, not a flake, well snow flake anyway. So we sit and wait. If it does snow I will try and get some snaps and post them. I think snow is great except when one has to travel in it. As long as I don’t have anywhere to go, then bring it on.
Incense
Thanks to Fr. Jim at Dappled Things, he has posted something about the history of Incense in liturgical practice. Very interesting.
Sunday Recap
Divine Liturgy was wonderful with His Grace Bishop Nikon at St. Nicholas Church here in Southbridge. We had about 125 people in the congregation and that was wonderful also. It is shades of what could be if all the churches in town were one. Putting that aside, it was a great morning.
This afternoon I attended a concert at St. George Cathedral in Worcester. This was a concert by the combined choirs of the New England Antiocheans. 65 voices and a crowd of about 300 or maybe 400 it was spectacular. I can only imagine how hard they must have to rehearse to get to sound like that. Man they are good.
Off to a class tomorrow on Critical Incident Stress Management. This is part of my duties as a fire chaplain. When I went into this ministry I had no idea I would get involved in the things that I am involved in. I am so happy that I decided to do this ministry. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to get involved deeper in ministry and ministry from another perspective. Two days of class to move to the advance level. More on that after.
Sunday
Today I will be a spectator at liturgy. As my parish has done for the last few years, we join our friends across the street at St. Nicholas Albanian Orthodox Church for the celebration of their feast day. I believe that Bishop Nikon will be in attendance so I will be at the altar but will not celebrate per se. In the Orthodox world we do not concelebrate as our friends in the Roman Church do. One of the best parts of this is that I will have a chance to worship for a change and also I don’t have to preach. As a pastor I very rarely get the chance to worship as I am always working. Not that being the celebrant at a Divine Liturgy is not worship, but you often find your mind drifting to what the altar servers are doing of what the cantor is going to sing, how many people are in the church, and the every important what am I going to say today. So today it is sit back and enjoy the liturgy.
Here in the village we have three Orthodox Churches. Ours, St. Michael’s, the one across the street that I have already mentioned, St. Nicholas, and a small Greek church, St. George. This can cause some distress from time to time as we really should be one church and not three small ones. We all struggle to survive and I often think it would be easier if we were one larger church. The three of us exist because Southbridge was once a town with people from all different lands and could support three churches. By the way there are four Roman Catholic Churches here also… However time has changed the town and we no longer have the numbers we used to have. Something should be done, but it will happen in God’s time.
So I got to sleep a little latter today and will have an enjoyable day at St. Nick’s. Tonight there is a concert at St. George Cathedral in Worcester that I might try to attend. We are supposed to get our first snow, so we will see.
Happy Sunday to all!
Friday
Friday was a very busy day hence the lack of posts. The day began with breakfast with Fr. Greg. We decided some months ago that we would meet every now and again and have breakfast together. We use these times for mutual support and also a time to just shoot the bull so to speak. We always go to the same place Bickfords in Auburn. Its nice to be able to break bread with a brother in the Lord.
Returned to the Village to gather up some stuff and change my shirt and started out on visitations. I don’t do this as often as I should and it was nice to get back in the groove of visiting. I only have two house bound parishioners here so it does not take long, but it also allows me more time to spend with each of them. One lady lives in her own home and one lives in a rest home. Both are lovely ladies and I enjoy talking with them. They have great stories of church life here in the early years and it is nice to hear them.
In between the two visits I had my oil changed in the old truck, another thing that I don’t do enough. Why is it that you go to have your oil changed and they want to sell you every other thing under the sun. Just change the oil thank you. The other thing I thought was funny while I was sitting in the waiting room I picked up the local paper and noticed that all of the ads from other oil change places had the word VOID written across them. I had to laugh at that.
After my second visit I went off to the Fire House. I have not been by there in a while either and I like to pop in for lunch, but I had such a big breakfast I skipped lunch yesterday. It’s nice to pop and see the guys and talk with them about what is going on. We have a small town and not much happens in the way of big fires, but they still get busy from time to time.
Back to the village for a light supper and then I watched the movie White Christmas. Nice movie about simpler times and I was wondering if that movie would be a hit today like it was when it first came out. Everyone had their clothes on in the whole movie, no one got killed, and everyone stayed in their own rooms at night. Just some good clean dancing and singing. I did not know this but it was the first time that Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby were in a movie together.
Well, that’s pretty much a day in the life here.
World AIDS Day
Today is World AIDS day and a day when we should remember those who work with people affected by AIDS and also those who suffer with this dread disease.
Divine Liturgy
I have just finished watching the rebroadcast on EWTN of the Divine Liturgy from Turkey this morning. I did not see the entire liturgy but a the end when the two were on the balcony and they held hands and raised them over their heads was just beautiful.
Now I know that there are many things that stand between east and west, and one visit it not going to erase all of those years of distrust and misunderstanding, but what a gesture that was for me, and I have to say I got a tear in my eye. Let us continue to pray for discussions and understanding between both east and west. Many years to Pope Benedict and Many Years to Patriarch Batholomew.