John Simmons

June and July, 2020

by

Focus on the Faith: The Glorious Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is always a time for celebration in our land. It is a chance for family and friends to gather together for barbeques, outdoor activities, and fireworks. It is common practice in our churches to offer a Prayer Service, a Molieben of Thanksgiving at this time, and here, in the Pacific Central Deanery, it has been the custom for nearly 100 years to make a pilgrimage to Fort Ross and offer the Divine Liturgy there at the chapel in thanksgiving to God for this wonderful country of ours. But this year will be an exception. There will be NO Liturgy on the 4th of July at the Fort! COVID19 has seen to it that our get-togethers, fully open divine services, and pilgrimages are out! What a disappointment. But we can still take time out from our holiday to focus more carefully on the deeper meaning of the “Glorious Fourth.”

On Independence Day, the cause of our celebration is freedom, freedom from a cruel, repressive government, and freedom from a tyrannical king. This freedom is not only about liberation “from,” but also liberation “to!” Freedom means the ability to chart our own course, to work for our own goals, and to reap the fruits of our own labors. While this important civil holiday may not be found on our ecclesiastical calendars, we can certainly derive some spiritual food from it! The Fourth of July can be an opportunity for us to recall that there is a spiritual struggle for independence that goes on in our lives, and in our hearts, every single day. The tyrannical king is the devil; his cruel government is this fallen world and death; the overwhelming tax burdens and the tax collectors are our sins along with the demons who wait in the aerial toll-houses to accuse us at our death. These are the same demons, who would love nothing more than to kick the Heavenly King out of our hearts, and replace Him with seven of themselves (Matthew 12:45)!

Nothing is better, nothing is more natural to human beings than spiritual freedom. The Lord Jesus Christ said: “If the Son (of God) therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36.) But in order to gain this freedom, this freedom which is only found in Christ, there needs to be a revolution, a revolution in us! Now the word “revolution” literally means to turn around. Isn’t that what repentance is? A turning around? A change of direction? A change of mind? Repentance is a spiritual struggle to turn, a spiritual revolutionary war against the tyranny of evil. Repentance is a noetic rebellion and an ascetic strategy of separation that employs spiritual armaments given to us by the grace of God. St Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but our weapons have Divine power to pull down strongholds; casting down vain imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5.)

So, then, the Fourth of July can serve as a good reminder to us that we need to keep up the struggle and “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12.) It’s only when we let our guard down, relax our efforts and our resolve, that we find ourselves slipping back into the clutches of our Adversary, the King of wickedness, and falling into the tyranny of his cruel and oppressive government. “Stand fast therefore” (says St. Paul) “in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1.)

From the Fathers: St. John of Shanghai & San Francisco on the Martyrdom of Tsar Nicholas II and his family (selection)

“What did Russia render to her pure-hearted Sovereign, who loved her more than life? She returned love with slander. He was of great morality, but people began to talk about his viciousness. He loved Russia, but people began to talk about his treason. Even the people close to the Sovereign repeated the slander, passing on to each other rumors and gossip. Because of the ill intention of some and the lack of discipline of others, rumors spread and love for the Tsar began to grow cool. They started to talk of the danger to Russia and discuss means of avoiding that non-existent danger, they started to say that to save Russia it would be necessary to dismiss the Sovereign. Calculated evil did its work: it separated Russia from her Tsar and in the dread moment at Pskov3 he was alone; no one near to him. Those faithful to him were not admitted to his presence. The dreadful loneliness of the Tsar… But he did not abandon Russia, Russia abandoned him, the one who loved Russia more than life. Thus, in the hope that his self-belittling would still the raging passions of the people, the Sovereign abdicated. But passion never stills. Having achieved what it desires it only inflames more. There was an exultation among those who desired the fall of the Sovereign. The others were silent. They succeeded in arresting the Sovereign; succeeded, and further events were almost inevitable. If someone is left in a beast’s cage he will be torn to pieces sooner or later. The Sovereign was killed, and Russia remained silent. There was no indignation, no protest when that dread, evil deed happened, and this silence is the great sin of the Russian people, and it happened on the day of Saint Andrew, the writer of the Great Canon of Repentance, which is read in churches during Great Lent. In the vaults of a basement in Ekaterinburg the Ruler of Russia was killed, deprived, by the peoples’ insidiousness, of the tsar’s crown, but not deprived of God’s Sacred Anointment.

A Letter to All Parishoners and Friends of St. Nicholas

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
14220 Elva Avenue
Saratoga, CA 95070
Ph: 408-867-0628
Web: stnicholassaratoga.org

June 12, 2020

Dear Parishioners,

We hope this letter finds you healthy and doing well during this time of shelter-in-place. At our most recent Parish Council meeting, we designated two members as an emergency team to provide help to any of our parishioners who may need it at this time. Igor Feoktistov and Rachael Muratore will be available to help if any of you need assistance. You can contact Father Basil and he’ll let us know what you may need.

The Parish Council held a meeting on Friday June 5. At the meeting, our Treasurer, Aaron Labreque, informed us that our church is $5,000 short, compared to this time last year.

This year Saint Nicholas Church is faced with a very difficult financial situation for several reasons:

  1. The Parish Council was forced to cancel our Russian Festival, our main fundraiser, which netted us $19,331 last year. The cancellation is due to the constrictions of sheltering-in-place, as well as, the fact that Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, in San Jose, changed the date of their festival to the same two days, that we hold ours.
  2. The church has spent $10,680 remodeling the two bathrooms in the hall. Only $1,661.00 was collected from the parish, to defray this cost, which compels us to divert $8,500 from our general funds.
  3. We did not have our Bake Sale before Pascha, which generally nets us $1,200.

We would like to thank those parishioners, who have been supporting our church, during this difficult time. We would also like to encourage all of our parishioners to contribute periodically, whatever amount of money that you can afford; this will enable our church to conduct its important work. Even a small donation every month would be helpful. You can give your tithe and donate any extra amount you can either by PayPal or by credit card at this address on our home page: https://stnicholassaratoga.org/donate-now/

Candle sales have dropped a lot! But you can still have a candle lit for people you wish to remember by using Paypal on our website at this address: https://stnicholassaratoga.org/light-a-candle/

The Parish Council voted to send a gift $800 to Project Mexico from our Charity account and to give $500 to Our Lady of Kazan Skete in Santa Rosa. This leaves only $75 in our Charity Fund. So, please endeavor to fully support this very important cause.

We wish you and your family good health, financial stability and peace.

Saint Nicholas Parish Council

Orthopraxis: Am I Saved? An Orthodox Answer

In the Bible there are certain verses that talk about a person being “saved.”

Being “saved” means being delivered or rescued, usually from something deadly. When a ship is going down it sends out a distress signal, SOS, which means Save Our Souls! This is a similar meaning to our Orthodox understanding of salvation. So, what are we being rescued or delivered from? At the end of the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father, what do we pray for deliverance from? The Evil One! So we pray to be delivered or saved from Satan. But that’s not all. There are also: sin, death, sickness, suffering, sorrow, sighing, etc. (cf the Funeral Service). Some also refer to the World, the Flesh, the Devil.

Some Protestant Evangelicals believe that salvation is a one time event. They believe that they can point to a date on the calendar when they were “saved.” They believe that there was a moment when they made a decision for Christ, and prayed the Sinner’s Prayer sometimes called the Salvation Prayer – and they were saved. They also believe that once they were saved, it was forever – “once saved, always saved.” What is the “Salvation Prayer?” I took this random example from a pamphlet. Here’s how it reads:

Salvation Prayer:

“Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness. I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9, that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.
Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Lord and Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life. Amen.”

Then the little pamphlet goes on to say this: “If you just said this prayer and you meant it with all your heart and you have repented for your sins, we believe that you just got saved and are born again.”

But is this how we Orthodox understand salvation? Let’s look at some examples from Scripture:

Ephesians 2:8-9

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Romans 10:9-10

“If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Acts 16:31

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and all your household.”

Here we see three types of “salvation” – past, present and future. So the question: “Are you saved?” Or “When were you saved?” makes no sense to us Orthodox. It isn’t an Orthodox question. Why? Because salvation is a process. Let’s look at how we understand it. First of all, we say that we were saved and born again upon our confession of faith (the Creed, if adults) and Holy Baptism. The Bible is very clear that being “born again” has to do with something we must DO (faith, belief, an action, a “work”) faith AND water. (See John 3:5; Rom. 6:3–4; Col. 2:12–13; Titus 3:5). In fact, no early church father refers to John 3:5 as anything other than water baptism! (cf. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyon, Hippolytus of Rome, Clement of Alexandria, and others!)

Next we say that as we live our lives, we hope that we ARE being saved. This is actually what the Greek language in the Bible means when it says “you shall be saved. It literally says “you shall be-being saved.” It doesn’t mean right now, once for all. Salvation is a process, as I said. Actually, it’s what the Lord said in the Bible, not me.

And finally, at the Great Judgment, at the Second Coming of Christ, our final disposition will be determined, we pray we WILL be saved for eternity in God’s Heavenly Kingdom.

So, I was saved, I believe I am being saved, and I pray that I will be saved, is the simple, trinitarian, Orthodox answer. Molly Sabourin, a freelance writer and contributor to Ancient Faith Radio, mused on what she might have written as an Orthodox, instead of what she did write in her Protestant days, for a paper on the topic of what it means to be saved. She shared this as her fantasy re-write:

“I was originally saved over two thousand years ago when God the Son took on human flesh and offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for all of mankind, defeating the power of sin by suffering on the Cross and destroying death through His miraculous Resurrection.

I am being saved daily through my intentional decisions to follow Jesus’ example within each situation that I find myself, viewing paradise not as just a someday destination but as the everyday experience of self-denial, of being filled, through the Eucharist, obedience, and love for others, with Christ.

I will, (Lord have mercy), be saved at the Great and final Judgement when I give an account for a lifetime of actions, when it becomes clear whether or not I cooperated with the grace so generously bestowed upon me. Who of us, having been blessed beyond all comprehension, should feel the need to “insure” that, regardless of our choices, a reward will be ours free and clear? Who of us dare to sit idle with our assurances, interpreting the conditions of the Bridegroom’s invitation while our lamps for illumining the darkness run out of oil?

My individual salvation is being worked out with fear and trembling through the unique responsibilities God deemed best to set before me. Based upon the model of the publican who beat his breast and begged for leniency, I am careful to not assume I have a handle on the spiritual state of others. I would do best, rather, to stay focused on my own flagrant shortcomings, reverencing both friends and enemies, all of whom were created in God’s image, as living icons of Christ Jesus. I share my faith, yes, but not out of obligation; a soul that’s found its meaning cannot help but be a witness to such joy. My ongoing testimony is presented through acts of service, in accordance with Christ’s commandment to love God by loving your neighbor. I pray ceaselessly for the courage to fight the good fight, staying faithful until my very last breath upon this earth.”

Lives of Saints

July 2 St. John (Maximovich), Archbishop of Shanghai & San Francisco

St John is a contemporary saint, having reposed in 1966, and is a great wonderworker and healer, whose relics are enshrined in San Francisco at the Cathedral of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow.” He was an ascetic like those of old, who cared tirelessly for the poor, orphans and the ill and afflicted. Canonized first by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, St John’s sanctity has been recognized throughout the whole Orthodox world.

July 17 Holy Royal New Martyrs of Russia: Tsar Nicholas II, Tsaritsa Alexandra, Crown Prince Alexei, and Grand duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia, and those martyred with them (1918).

“Tsar Nicholas II was the son of Alexander III, who had reposed in the arms of St John of Kronstadt. Having been raised in piety, Tsar Nicholas ever sought to rule in a spirit consonant with the precepts of Orthodoxy and the best traditions of his nation. Tsaritsa Alexandra, a grand-daughter of Queen Victoria of England, and a convert from Lutheranism, was noted for her piety and compassion for the poor and suffering. Their five children were beloved of all for their kindness, modesty, and guilelessness.
“Amidst the political turmoil of 1917, Tsar Nicholas selflessly abdicated the throne for what he believed was the good of his country. Although he had abdicated willingly, the revolutionaries put him and his family under house arrest, then sent them under guard to Tobolsk and finally Ekaterinburg. A letter written from Tobolsk by Grand Duchess Olga, the eldest of the children, shows their nobility of soul. She writes, ‘My father asks that I convey to all those who have remained devoted to him… that they should not take vengeance on his account, because he has forgiven everyone and prays for them all. Nor should they avenge themselves. Rather, they should bear in mind that this evil which is now present in the world will become yet stronger, but that evil will not conquer evil, but only love shall do so.’
“After enduring sixteen months of imprisonment, deprivation, and humiliation with a Christian patience which moved even their captors, they and those who were with them gained their crowns of martyrdom when they were shot and stabbed to death in the cellar of the Ipatiev house in Ekaterinburg in 1918.
“Together with them are also commemorated those who faithfully served them, and were either slain with them, or on their account…” (Great Horologion)

July 12 Saint Païsios of the Holy Mountain (+1994)

‘The future Elder Paisius was born in 1924 and baptized by St. Arsenius of Cappadocia. He spent his youth as a carpenter until WW II, during which he repeatedly distinguished himself in the army by his bravery and self-sacrifice. In 1950 he went to Mt. Athos for eight years, where he was tonsured. Then he was asked to spend some time in his home village of Epirus, in order to defend the faithful against Protestant proselytism. He returned to Mt. Athos in 1964 and stayed in several monasteries, eventually settling in the Panagouda hermitage of Koutloumousiou Monastery, where he remained for fifteen years. Here his reputation as a holy elder and guide grew, and he tirelessly received those thirsting for spiritual direction, allowing himself only two or three hours of sleep each day. He reposed in 1994, one of the most well-known and beloved contemporary elders. Many of his counsels and other writings have been published.’ (St Herman Calendar, 1994) Elder Païsios was glorified by the Church in 2015; he is commemorated on the anniversary of his repose.

OUR VENERABLE AND GOD-BEARING FATHER COLUMBA OF IONA, ENLIGHTENER OF SCOTLAND (521-597)

Saint Columba (the Latinized name for Colum, meaning “dove”) was born at Garten in Donegall to a noble family. He entered the monastic school of Moville under Saint Finnian, who had studied at Saint Ninnian’s great monastery. Here Columba received the diaconate and entered monastic life. Tradition tells us that it is there that his sanctity is first attested to by the performance of miracles. Having completed his training he travelled to Leinster and then later to the monastery of Clonard. Here he was probably ordained priest before leaving for Glansnevin and the monastery there. When a pestilence devastated the country in 543, the monks dispersed and Columba spent 15 years traversing in Ireland founding several important monasteries, including Derry in 546.

In 563 Columba, with twelve companions, left for Scotland. On the Island of Iona he founded the famous Abbey, a centre for Celtic Christianity. Iona became a base for missionary work amongst the Northern Picts. Columba visited King Bridei, near Inverness, and won his respect. The royal residence had been bolted closed but, at the sign of the cross, the doors flew open and thus struck by such a miracle, the King listened and was baptised. Many of the people soon followed. This respect he found subsequently led him into a political role and he helped greatly in shaping the political landscape of that time, with some opposition remaining from the Druids.

Columba spent the rest of his life preaching and travelling in Scotland. The ‘Book of Deer’ (a tenth century illuminated manuscript, providing a unique insight into cultural, social and ecclesiastical life of the East of Scotland.) attests to Columba’s work and miracles in the East of the country. On another journey to the West he met with Saint Mungo, the apostle of Strathclyde. He returned to Iona, when not engaged in missionary work, and there many came to seek his counsel. From here, Columba governed the many communities he had founded. In the Celtic tradition the Abbot, although perhaps only in priest’s orders, was at times considered to govern above that of the position of a bishop, the bishop thus being subject to the Abbot’s jurisdiction.

On the afternoon of 8th June, 597, Columba climbed the hill behind his monastery and gave his final blessing to the place he loved so much. At vespers, that night, he collapsed before the altar and found home with his heavenly Father, surrounded by his monks. He was seventy six years of age. He was buried in the monastery but, one hundred years later, his bones were disinterred and revered. They were taken to Ireland when the threat of Vikings became apparent but they vanished in time. Books and garments remained at Iona Abbey and were the focus for miraculous works.

Saint Adamnan, a future Abbot of Iona, said of Columba: “He was angelic in appearance, graceful in speech, holy in work.”

It is without doubt that Columba stands as one of the greatest of the Celtic Saints. A man of incredible industry, of missionary work, of creating communities and not least a man of humility and deep charity.

Choir Director’s Corner: My Patron Saint

Many years ago, before I was Orthodox, I was studying and attracted to the faith, but becoming Orthodox seemed like a stretch. Wasn’t this very traditional faith old and irrelevant? Weren’t all those stories of saints demythologized now in our enlightened modern age?  It was easy enough to dismiss older saints as stories from another age, but St. John broke that idea in pieces.  I was meeting people who knew him personally and could verify that the many miracles attributed to him were facts and not merely fancy. I was talking to people who experienced his miracles personally! (There were at least 2 people at our parish who knew him when I first arrived!).  I went to the miraculously incorrupt relics of St. John at the cathedral in San Francisco, and prayed: “St. John, help me to become Orthodox!”  Things moved very quickly after that and the rest is history!  My namesday gift to you is to share one of my favorite sermons of St. John, which is challenging in its depth, yet practical for making a good beginning.

WATCH!

by St. John of San Francisco

Stand fast on spiritual watch, because you don’t know when the Lord will call you to Himself. In your earthly life be ready at any moment to give Him an account. Beware that the enemy does not catch you in his nets, that he not deceive you causing you to fall into temptation. Daily examine your conscience; try the purity of your thoughts, your intentions.

There was a king who had a wicked son. Having no hope that he would change for the better, the father condemned the son to death. He gave him a month to prepare.

The month went by, and the father summoned the son. To his surprise he saw that the young man was noticeably changed: his face was thin and drawn, and his whole body looked as if it had suffered.

“How is it that such a transformation has come over you, my son?” the father asked.

“My father and my lord,” replied the son, “how could I not change when each passing day brought me closer to death?”

“Good, my son,” remarked the king. “Since you have evidently come to your senses, I shall pardon you. However, you must maintain this vigilant disposition of soul for the rest of your life.”

“Father,” replied the son, “that’s impossible. How can I withstand the countless seductions and temptations?”

Then the king ordered that a vessel be brought, full of oil, and he told his son: “Take this vessel and carry it along all the streets of the city. Following you will be two soldiers with sharp swords. If you spill so much as a single drop they will cut off your head.”

The son obeyed. With light, careful steps, he walked along all the streets, the soldiers accompanying him, and he did not spill a drop.

When he returned to the castle, the father asked, “My son, what did you see as you were walking through the city?”

“I saw nothing.”

“What do you mean, ‘nothing’?” said the king.

“Today is a holiday; you must have seen the booths with all kinds of trinkets, many carriages, people animals…”

“I didn’t notice any of that,” said the son. “All my attention was focussed on the oil in the vessel. I was afraid to spill a drop and thereby lose my life.”

“Quite right, my son,” said the king. “Keep this lesson in mind for the rest of your life. Be as vigilant over your soul as you were today over the oil in the vessel. Turn your thoughts away from what will soon pass away, and keep them focused on what is eternal. You will be followed not by armed soldiers but by death to which we are brought closer by every day. Be very careful to guard your soul from all ruinous temptations.”

The son obeyed his father, and lived happily.

Watch, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. (I Corinthians 16:13).

The Apostle gives Christians this important counsel to bring their attention to the danger of this world, to summon them to frequent examination of their hearts, because without this one can easily bring to ruin the purity and ardor of one’s faith and unnoticeably cross over to the side of evil and faithlessness.

Just as a basic concern is to be careful of anything that might be harmful to our physical health, so our spiritual concern should watch out for anything that might harm our spiritual life and the work of faith and salvation.

Therefore, carefully and attentively assess your inner impulses: are they from God or from the spirit of evil? Beware of temptations from this world and from worldly people; beware of hidden inner temptations which come from the spirit of indifference and carelessness in prayer, from the waning of Christian love.

If we turn our attention to our mind, we notice a torrent of successive thoughts and ideas. This torrent is uninterrupted; it is racing everywhere and at all times: at home, in church, at work, when we read, when we converse. It is usually called thinking, writes Bishop Theophan the Recluse, but in fact it is a disturbance of the mind, a scattering, a lack of concentration and attention. The same happens with the heart. Have you ever observed the life of the heart? Try it even for a short time and see what you find. Something unpleasant happens, and you get irritated; some misfortune occurs, and you pity yourself; you see someone whom you dislike, and animosity wells up within you; you meet one of your equals who has now outdistanced you on the social scale, and you begin to envy him; you think of your talents and capabilities, and you begin to grow proud… All this is rottenness: vainglory, carnal desire, gluttony, laziness, malice-one on top of the other, they destroy the heart. And all of this can pass through the heart in a matter of minutes. For this reason one ascetic, who was extremely attentive to himself, was quite right in saying that “man’s heart is filled with poisonous serpents. Only the hearts of saints are free from these serpents, the passions.”

But such freedom is attained only through a long and difficult process of self-knowledge, working on oneself and being vigilant towards one’s inner life, i.e., the soul.

Be careful. Watch out for your soul! Turn your thoughts away from what will soon pass away and turn them towards what is eternal. Here you will find the happiness that your soul seeks, that your heart thirsts for.

(Translated from Pravoslavnaya Rus) and taken from ORTHODOX AMERICA, Vol. XIV, No. 2-3, September-October, 1993

Upcoming Events

Upcoming events this month (Events are subject to change! see the online calendar for updates or the attached PDF for more info)

 

May 2020

by

Focus on the Faith: On the Ascension of Christ

by the late Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko

Jesus did not live with His disciples after His resurrection as He had before His death. Filled with the glory of His divinity, He appeared at different times and places to His people, assuring them that it was He, truly alive in His risen and glorified body.

To them He presented Himself alive after His passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the Kingdom of God (Acts 1.3).

It should be noted that the time span of forty days is used many times in the Bible and signifies a temporal period of completeness and sufficiency (Gen 7.17; Ex 16.35, 24.18; Judg 3.11; 1 Sam 17.16; 1 Kg 19.8; Jon 3.4; Mt 4.2).

On the fortieth day after His passover, Jesus ascended into heaven to be glorified on the right hand of God (Acts 1.9–11; Mk 16.19; Lk 24.51). The ascension of Christ is His final physical departure from this world after the resurrection. It is the formal completion of His mission in this world as the Messianic Saviour. It is His glorious return to the Father Who had sent Him into the world to accomplish the work that He had given him to do (Jn 17.4–5).

. . . and lifting His hands He blessed them. While blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy (Lk 24.51–52).

The Church’s celebration of the ascension, as all such festal celebrations, is not merely the remembrance of an event in Christ’s life. Indeed, the ascension itself is not to be understood as though it were simply the supernatural event of a man floating up and away into the skies. The holy scripture stresses Christ’s physical departure and His glorification with God the Father, together with the great joy which His disciples had as they received the promise of the Holy Spirit Who was to come to assure the Lord’s presence with them, enabling them to be His witnesses to the ends of earth (Lk 24.48–53; Acts 1.8–11; Mt 28.20; Mk 16.16–14).

In the Church the believers in Christ celebrate these very same realities with the conviction that it is for them and for all men that Christ’s departure from this world has taken place. The Lord leaves in order to be glorified with God the Father and to glorify us with himself. He goes in order to “prepare a place” for and to take us also into the blessedness of God’s presence. He goes to open the way for all flesh into the “heavenly sanctuary . . . the Holy Place not made by hands” (see Hebrews 8–10). He goes in order send the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from the Father to bear witness to Him and His gospel in the world, making Him powerfully present in the lives of disciples.

The liturgical hymns of the feast of the Ascension sing of all of these things. The antiphonal verses of the Divine Liturgy are taken from Psalms 47, 48, and 49. The troparion of the feast which is sung at the small entrance is also used as the post-communion hymn.

Thou hast ascended in glory O Christ our God, granting joy to Thy disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Through the blessing they were assured that Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world! (Troparion).

When Thou didst fulfill the dispensation for our sake, and didst unite earth to heaven, Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, not being parted from those who love Thee, but remaining with them and crying: I am with you and no one will be against you! (Kontakion).

Orthopraxis: What is PRAXIS?

“Praxis” means the traditional use of knowledge or skills, distinct from theoretical knowledge. Works as opposed to faith, or rather, the practical actions required by faith.

Orthodox Praxis

Union with God, to which Christians hold that Jesus Christ invited man, requires not just faith, but correct practice of faith. This is found in Holy Scripture in the following passages:(1 Cor 11:2, 2 Thes 2:15) and the Church Fathers, and is linked with the term praxis in Orthodox theology. In the context of Orthodoxy, praxis is mentioned opposite theology, in the sense of theory and practice, and is a word that means things, universally, all that Orthodox do. Praxis is living Orthodoxy.

Praxis is most strongly associated with worship. “Orthopraxis” is said to mean “right practice,” as “orthodoxy” means “right glory” or “right worship.” Only correct (or proper) practice, particularly right worship, will give the correct glory to God, which is one of the primary purposes of liturgy, the work of the people. Some Orthodox sources maintain that, in the West, Christianity has for the most part been reduced “to intellectual, ethical or social categories,” whereas right worship is fundamentally important in our relationship to God, forming the faithful into the Body of Christ and providing the path to “true religious education.” A “symbiosis of worship and work” is considered to be inherent in Orthodox praxis.

Fasting, another key part of the practice of the Christian faith, is mentioned as part of Orthodox praxis in connection with the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 6)and in comparison with the history and commemorations of Lenten fasts.

Praxis also refers to proper religious etiquette.

From the Fathers: Saint Nicholas the Merciful

by Blessed Philaret, Metropolitan of New York

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

When we commemorate whole groups of Saints, we usually mention the great hierarchs among them first, and we have become used to the three great universal hierarchs and teachers—Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom—always being at the head of the hierarchical assembly. They belong there, because each of them contributed precious gifts [e.g. their writings] to the Church’s theological and moral treasury. So the Church honors them in particular and has established a feast for the three of them together, in addition to the solemn services for their individual feast days. But the feast of the great hierarch whom we commemorate today, the hierarch and wonderworker Nicholas, has a special place of its own.

He did not leave us as rich a spiritual heritage as these three great men, but we all know how greatly the Church reveres him. The Feasts of Saint Nicholas are so splendid that they even remind us of the 12 Great Feasts. Why is that so? Because he lived a life of virtue incarnate: an accessible, comprehensible virtue, close to every man and every heart, even the heart that rejects every other holy thing. That virtue is love; love and compassion.

The Russians like to call Saint Nicholas “Nikola the Merciful” because his miracles are as numerous as the stars of heaven. I would like to remind you of one touching miracle that shows his mercy. This did not happen once upon a time, long ago; it happened in our time, in the city of Harbin [China], where I lived for over 40 years. At the train station in Harbin there was a large icon of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, and it was especially venerated by all the travelers. Hundreds of candles were always burning in front of it. People departing by train and the people who came to see them off would light candles, and prayers were constantly going up to the great hierarch for his protection during trips. There was always a crowd in the station because the rail traffic was very heavy.

One day the people who happened to be there (they related this themselves, this is their own story; it was early spring, when the ice breaks up on the Sungari, on which Harbin is located) they saw a Chinese man rush in, soaked from head to toe. He ran up to the icon, threw himself down in front of it, and stretched out his arms to it, saying something in Chinese. The people who knew Chinese said he was thanking the saint for saving him from death.

Here’s what happened: for some reason he was in a terrible hurry to cross the river. But the river is wide, and the ice was flowing along it. He decided to take a chance. As he ran across the ice, jumping from one floe to another, he slipped, lost his balance, and fell under the ice. He was drowning, dying, when he remembered the wonderworking icon. His pagan countrymen revered it too, just as the Russian Orthodox did. As he was drowning, he cried out in despair, “Old man from the train station, help me!” He lost consciousness and went under completely; and he was about to perish … when, all of a sudden, he was on the riverbank, soaked but alive and unharmed! So he took off and ran—the train station was far away—and he rushed in to the icon and thanked the great hierarch for this evident and amazing miracle of his mercy and love.

The entire Far East, the entire land of China, has a great veneration for Saint Nicholas, you know. Once a Russian hunter had wandered far, far, into the taiga or steppe, and there he came upon a Chinese farmstead where he asked shelter. The friendly master and mistress of the house invited him in, and over their door he saw an icon of Saint Nicholas. He thought to himself, “What can these heathen be doing with it? What do they need it for?” And he wanted to take it. His host was offended and said, “Why do you want to take the Old Man away from us? He’s so kind, he helps us so much. We won’t give him up for anything!”

So not only the Orthodox Church but practically the entire human race honors this great hierarch. Whenever anyone is in trouble or has some need, he turns to Saint Nicholas. This great hierarch hears and fulfills each of the hundreds of petitions that fly to him in Heaven, as long as we ask with firm, strong faith. That’s why the Russian people love Saint Nicholas so much and constantly entreat him: “O Father and Hierarch Nicholas pray to God for us!” Amen.

Saint Nicholas Save us!

By Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of New York (George Nicholaevich Voznesensky 1903-1985), from The Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Boston. Permission pending.

Choir Director’s Corner: Light a candle at church from home!

Did you know that you can now light a candle at St. Nicholas from home? You can! The link is now at the top of the menu of our website, or just go here:

https://stnicholassaratoga.org/light-a-candle/

You can also “light a candle” in your heart.  Here are two of my favorite short articles on the Jesus prayer.

Notes on the Jesus Prayer by Fr. Artemy Vladimirov

The Jesus Prayer by St. Theophan the Recluse

Upcoming Events

Upcoming events this month (Events are subject to change! see the online calendar for updates or the attached PDF for more info)

 

Paschal Letter 2020

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St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
14220 Elva Avenue
Saratoga, California 95070
(408) 867 – 0628
www.stnicholassaratoga.org

 

 

April 19, 2020

Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

Christ is Risen!

What a strange and unusual season this has been! Every year I send out this Paschal letter, which is also an appeal to “give a little extra please, if you can.” But this year it’s impossible for us to procure the lovely Paschal letterhead paper, or the specially printed envelopes, etc. But thus is our life for the time being. (Sigh). So instead of focusing on what we don’t have let’s think about what we do have. The all-glorious and radiant day of Christ’s Resurrection is upon us, and we might ask ourselves, “how can we sing the Lord’s song” in quarantine? Well, we can! We may be limited in what we can do, yes. We have have constraints, yes, but we can still sing! We can sing in our homes, we can sing in the shower! We can sing in our back yards, we can sing in our cars! We can sing while socially distanced, and we can sing while we’re washing our hands. In our joy we can rejoice with the saints who “rejoice in glory and exalt on their beds” (Psalm 148/149 LXX). Our hearts can never be closed and our joy can never be restrained. This is the Day of Resurrection, let us be radiant O people! On this day mankind rejoices in the defeat of death and the overthrow of its power. On this day we see the darkness of night swallowed up by the Sun. On this day the Church bathes in the light of the empty tomb and the heart of each believer is filled to the brim with hope of eternal life. The worry and disappointment coming from this world are supplanted by the sure and manifest demonstration of God’s love for us. For “as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:5). Christian Family! No virus, no pandemic, no “house-arrest” can separate us from the great gladness that this Feast of Feasts brings! Please pay heed to the Parish Website for any services which we may be allowed to do, and how we can do them. “Let not your hearts be troubled!” (John 14:1). Christ is risen, and fear of death crumbles! Christ is risen, and despair is replaced by hope! Christ is risen, and the meaning of our lives is made clear! Christ is risen, and uncertainty is replaced by confidence! Christ is risen, and gloominess is replaced with a big, BIG smile!

As we celebrate these bright and saving days, let us give thanks to God for His great kindness and mercy toward us, and say the words so dear to us all, “Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!”

With love in our Risen Lord,

Archpriest Basil Rhodes and Family
The St. Nicholas Parish Council
The Choir
The Church School

April 2020

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Focus on the Faith: Holy Week in the Orthodox Church

The eight days that compromise Holy Week in the Orthodox Church express the spiritual summit of the Church’s liturgical life. The focus on the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ proceeds in a physically, psychologically and spiritually moving series of services that defy the limitations of space and time to bring the Orthodox Christian into the moment of the events commemorated. The elegant beauty of the services so move the faithful that it is not uncommon to see tears flow as people feel themselves mystically participating in the events of the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Lazarus Saturday (the day before Palm Sunday) recalls the last public miracle of Jesus in raising Lazarus from the dead. This act serves as a reassurance that the Passion Jesus Himself will face in the week ahead will not end in death and corruption. The hymnody emphasizes that Christ is fully human and Divine.

Palm Sunday is a celebration of the Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The Vigil Service includes a blessing of palm branches, which are held by the faithful for the remainder of the Vigil and throughout the Divine Liturgy. The hymnody reflects both the raising of Lazarus and the humility of the King who enters Jerusalem on the foal of an ass.

The evenings of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday feature the Bridegroom Matins. (Essentially, all the services for the following week are pushed forward twelve hours to allow more active participation of the faithful. Thus the morning service for Monday is celebrated Sunday evening, etc.) These services focus on the End Times. There is an urgency in the tone of the services as, successively, the innocent suffering of the Patriarch Joseph in the Old Testament, the parable of the Ten Virgins, and the anointing by the sinful woman is brought to mind in anticipation of the events to follow. Of particular beauty is the “Hymn of Kassiani” on Tuesday night, in which the faithful identify themselves with the sinful woman, both repentant and grieving at the suffering Jesus will endure for our salvation.

On Holy Thursday morning the Vesperal Liturgy of the Last Supper is celebrated (moved from the evening to the morning as noted above). The Gospel Reading is a masterful combination of readings that recount the Last Supper, institution of the Holy Eucharist, and betrayal, arrest, and condemnation of Jesus. The hymnody centers on betrayal of Judas with allusions to the three Old Testament readings which each focus on the innocence of Jesus as a lamb led to the slaughter.

Thursday evening the Matins of the 12 Passion Gospels is served. The complete Passion narratives of each of the Gospels are read to dramatically tell the story of the Passion and Death of Jesus. During the service, the faithful are spiritually transported into the events being described by the carrying of the Cross. A priest exits the Sanctuary with a large cross, which he carries in procession through the Church. The Cross is placed in the center of the temple. An icon of “The Crucified One” corpus is suspended upon the cross. The sense of terror and despair becomes palpable, and it is not uncommon for people to weep at this point. The service continues with a growing sense of dread and grief as the Gospels recount the Death of Jesus.

Holy Friday is truly a day of mourning. In the morning the Royal Hours provide a meditation on the theme of Christ’s sacrifice for us on the Cross. In the afternoon, the Vespers of the Burial of our Lord Jesus Christ occurs. Prophecies, Readings and Hymns again bring the faithful into the midst of events as the story of the Crucifixion is recounted and death of Jesus is affirmed. At the point of the Gospel narrative wherein Jesus is taken down from the Cross, the priest or acolytes exist the Sanctuary and remove the Icon corpus from the cross, wrap it in a white shroud and slowly take it into the Sanctuary. Again, the silence of the moment can prove overwhelming and often tears are seen on the faces of many. As the service proceeds, the priest emerges again, this time carrying the Plaschanitsa or Epitaphios (a large stiff cloth with the icon image of Jesus being laid in the tomb). The procession ends at a Tomb in the midst of the temple — where the Plaschanitsa is laid out to be reverenced by the faithful. In the Evening, the faithful gather for the Matins of the Lamentations, or “Praises.” The Church joins with the Angelic Hosts in mourning the death of the Deathless One. The Plaschanitsa is carried in procession as everyone prostrates.

Holy Saturday begins with the Vesperal Liturgy of the First Proclamation of the Resurrection. The Resurrection is proclaimed with a strong association drawn to Passover and Baptism. Before the Gospel the priest scatters bay (laurel) leaves and/or rose petals throughout the whole church as a sign of Christ’s triumph and victory over death. Traditionally, converts to Orthodoxy are baptized either before or immediately after this service.

Holy Week in the Orthodox Church is more than attending a series of services, it is a week long experience of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The hymnody, readings, and overall arrangement of the services combine to powerfully witness to the central Truth of our Salvation. Those who faithfully participate in the services truly walk the way

Orthopraxis: Fasting During Holy Week

The Thursday evening meal is ideally the last meal taken until Pascha. At this meal, wine and oil are permitted. The Fast of Great and Holy Friday is the strictest fast day of the year: even those who have not kept a strict Lenten fast are strongly urged not to eat at all on this day. After St. Basil’s Liturgy on Holy Saturday, wine, bread and fruit are blessed and may be taken for sustenance. The fast is broken after the Divine Liturgy on Pascha.

Exceptions: The Church has always exempted small children, the sick, the elderly, pregnant and nursing mothers, from strict fasting. Exceptions to the fast based on medical necessity (as with diabetes) are always allowed. In any case, always discuss your fasting with your spiritual father or father confessor for individual guidance.

From the Fathers: On the Death & Resurrection of Christ

by St. Gregory the Theologian

Yesterday I was crucified with Him; today I am glorified with Him.
Yesterday I died with Him; today I am made alive with Him.
Yesterday I was buried with Him; today I am raised up with Him.
Let us offer to Him Who suffered and rose again for us … ourselves, the possession most precious to God and most proper.
Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us.
Let us become Divine for His sake, since for us He became Man.
He assumed the worse that He might give us the better. He became poor that by His poverty we might become rich. He accepted the form of a servant that we might win back our freedom.

He came down that we might be lifted up. He was tempted that through Him we might conquer. He was dishonored that He might glorify us. He died that He might save us. He ascended that He might draw to Himself us, who were thrown down through the fall of sin. Let us give all, offer all, to Him who gave Himself a Ransom and Reconciliation for us. We needed an incarnate God, a God put to death, that we might live. We were put to death together with Him that we might be cleansed. We rose again with Him because we were put to death with Him. We were glorified with Him because we rose again with Him. A few drops of Blood recreate the whole of creation!

Choir Director’s Corner: Real Prayer in a Virtual World

The Corona Virus has disrupted our lives more than almost any event in most of our lifetimes (Previous generations have, of course, experienced equal or greater disruptions, but its new to most of us!).  The fact that this is happening during Lent, when services, prayers and spiritual reading is intensified, makes it even more disruptive. How are we as Orthodox Christians to respond to such events?

First of all, while the world is “freaking out” or panic shopping, we can keep the Lords peace.  We can take encouragement from our teachers in the faith such as Elder Zacharias of the Essex monastery, who recently wrote these words.

Secondly We can intensify our spiritual reading and prayer at home. Our prayerbook and other books contain canons, akathists and other prayers we can start adding at home to our daily prayer rule.  There are also many resources on the Internet. There is also the Jesus Prayer which doesn’t require any books at all.  It is also possible to do many of the cycle of services at home as “Reader Services.” Here is a page that contains everything you need to do daily vespers at home. Anyone who would like to learn how to do the Lenten 6th hour at home is welcome to contact me, and I will happily give “virtual instructions”.

Thirdly, the necessity of sheltering in place has led many churches to start livestreaming services.  St. Nicholas is doing some livestreaming of services through the parish Facebook Page.  When you see a service listed on the calendar, you can follow the service video here:

https://www.facebook.com/stnicholassatatoga/

There are other parishes in our diocese who are also doing livestreaming, and some are doing many services.  You can check these sites during the rest of Lent and during Holy Week, find a service and pray with the church.

Holy Trinity Cathedral, San Francisco

Nativity of the Holy Virgin, Menlo Park

Joy of All Who Sorrow, Los Angeles

And when we feel isolated, we can call each other and pray with one another as well.  Physical isolation does not create any barrier to prayer.

In Christ,

Reader John

Upcoming Events

Upcoming events this month (see the online calendar for updates or the attached PDF for more info)

 

Livestreaming services from St. Nicholas this weekend.

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Dear Faithful Parishioners & Friends of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Saratoga,

Glory to Jesus Christ!

In spite of the current lockdown, we will be Live-Streaming two services for your edification and consolation on our parish Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/stnicholassatatoga/

Tonight (3/21/20) at 5:00 pm: Molieben in Time of Devastating Epidemic and Death-bearing Pestilence

Tomorrow (3/22/20) at 10:00 am: Akathist to the Spiritual Ladder, the Precious Cross

Fr. Basil

March, 2020

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Focus on the Faith: The Holy Forty Day Fast

The most ancient Christian writers unanimously testify that the Holy Forty Day Fast was established by the apostles in imitation of the forty-day fast of Moses (Exodus 34), Elijah (3 Kings 19), and mainly by the example of Jesus Christ fasting for forty days (Mt. 4: 2). Ancient Christians have observed the time of the Holy Forty Days as the season of the commemoration of the Suffering of the Savior on the Cross, anticipating the days of this commemoration, so that, strongly imitating His self-renunciation and His self-denial, these ascetical feats would show the living participation and love on the part of the Savior, who suffers for the world, and that before all this to be morally cleansed for the time of the solemn commemoration of the passion of Christ and His glorious resurrection. The very name of the Holy Forty Days is met rather frequently in the most ancient written monuments with the indication of the purpose of its establishment. “Do not neglect the Forty Days,” wrote St. Ignatius the God-bearer in his epistle to Philippians: “for it establishes the imitation of the life in Christ”. St. Ambrose of Milan spoke even more clearly: “The Lord has blessed us with the Forty Day Fast. He created it for our salvation to teach us to fast not in words only, but also by example”. Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa assert that the Holy Forty Day Fast existed everywhere during their time. According to the Apostolic Canons (Canon 69) the Holy Forty Day Fast is considered obligatory and its observance is protected by strict punishment. St. Hippolytus (3 century) serves as the indisputable witness of the antiquity of this fast and the paschal cycle traced to his See, containing the instruction from antiquity of the custom to stop the Holy Forty Days Fast on Sundays. On the basis of all traditions of the Holy Apostles, our Holy Church, through her holy fathers and teachers, always considered the Holy Forty Day Fast an apostolic establishment. As the Blessed Jerome, on behalf of all Christians of his time said: “we fast for the Forty Days according to the apostolic tradition.” St. Cyril of Alexandria repeatedly reminds us in his writings, that it is necessary to piously observe the Holy Forty Day Fast, according to the apostolic and gospel traditions…

“The more days of the fast,” teaches the blessed Augustine, “the better the healing. The longer the abstention, the more bountiful is the salvation. God, the Physician of our souls, established the proper time for the pious to give praise, for the sinners to pray; for some to seek rest, for others to ask forgiveness. The time of the Holy Forty Days is proper, neither too short for giving praise, nor too long for seeking mercy. Holy and saving is the course of the Holy Forty Days by which the sinner is led through repentance to charity, and through piety to rest. During its days God is supremely propitious, needs are met, piety is rewarded”. “The holy fathers”, teaches St. John Chrysostom, “appointed forty days of fast in order that during these days the people, having been carefully cleansed through prayer, fasting and confession of sins, will approach Holy Communion with a pure conscience “.

According to the teaching of the Venerable Dorotheos of Gaza, “God has given these holy days (the Forty Holy Days) so that those who struggle, with attention and wise humility, who tend to themselves and repent, will be cleansed of the sins which were committed during the whole year. Then their souls will be released from that burden, and being cleansed, will attain the holy day of the Resurrection and without condemnation, receive the Holy Mysteries, having become a new person through repentance in this holy fast”.

Sergius V. Bulgakov: “ Handbook for Church Servers,” Kharkov, 1900

Orthopraxis: Traditions Concerning the First Week of the Fast

Clean Monday -Καθαρή Δευτέρα in Greek- refers to the leaving behind of sinful attitudes and non-fasting foods. The entire first week of Great Lent is often referred to as “Clean Week,” and it is customary to go to Church Services every day during this week, and also to clean one’s house thoroughly.

Strictly observant Orthodox hold this day (and also Clean Tuesday and Wednesday) as a strict fast day, on which no solid food at all is eaten. Others will eat only in the evening, and then only xerophagy (lit. “dry eating”; i.e. eating uncooked foodstuffs such as fruit, nuts, halva, fasting bread and honey, etc.).

The theme of Clean Monday is set by the Old Testament readings appointed to be read at the Sixth Hour on this day. Isaiah 1:1-20 says in part: “Wash yourselves and ye shall be clean; put away the wicked ways from your souls before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do good. Seek righteousness, relieve the oppressed, consider the fatherless, and plead for the widow. Come then, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, I will make them white as wool. If then ye be willing, and obedient unto Me, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye desire not, nor will obey Me, the sword shall devour you, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (v. 16-20). Genesis 1:1-13 is also read to imply that this is a time of renewal and new beginnings. The reading from Proverbs 1:1-20 instructs us towards clean and sober living through the use of wisdom, the beginning of which is “the fear of the Lord.” The clearest piece of advice given says: “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.”

The Three Day Fast

For those who are able and willing, it is encouraged by the Church to keep a three day strict fast where neither food or water (if possible) is consumed until Clean Wednesday when one partakes of Holy Communion at the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy. This is an excellent way to mark the beginning of a holy struggle against one’s passions and weaknesses.

Abstaining from all food and drink for three days will help us approach the Lord on a deeper level than ever before. It will also help us to see and know ourselves on a deeper level. During these three days one will observe that they will be able to more clearly see their weaknesses, their passions, their spiritual poverty, and their nakedness of all the virtues, the dark abyss within, and the inner ugliness. Physically one will recognize how truly weak the flesh is even when the spirit is willing. This humbling attitude is a prerequisite to a successful fast. It is also a motivating factor for the rest of Great Lent as well as the entire spiritual life in general.

From the Fathers

ST. BASIL THE GREAT ON THE BENEFITS OF FASTING

We know that Moses fasted while he climbed the mountain; otherwise, without having been fortified by fasting, he would not have dared to draw near to the smoking summit and enter into the cloud. It is through fasting that he received the commandments written on tablets by the finger of God. Likewise, while on the mountain, fasting obtained the gift of the law; while below, gluttony led the people to idolatry and defilement. Scripture tells us that the people sat down to eat, and drink, and they rose up to play. The effort of the servant of God, persevering for 40 days in the continual practice of fasting and prayer, was made pointless and unnecessary by one single day of drunkenness by the people. Fasting received the tablets written by the finger of God; drunkenness broke them. The holy prophet judged that a people drunk with wine was not worthy to receive the law of God. Because of gluttony, in one moment, these people formed in the worship of God by the greatest miracles, plunged headlong into Egyptian idolatry.

In comparing these two events, we can see that fasting leads to God, but pleasure to the loss of salvation. What dishonored Esau and made him the servant of his brother? Was it not for one dish of lentils that he sold his birthright? But was it not through fasting that Samuel’s mother conceived him? What made the very strong Samson invincible, if not fasting, through which he was conceived in the womb of his mother? Fasting conceived him; fasting nourished him; fasting made him a man. The angel prescribed fasting to his mother, telling her to abstain from all that came from the vine, and to drink neither wine, nor any other fermented drink. Fasting thus engendered the prophets; it strengthened and fortified heroes.

Fasting makes wise legislators; it is the best guardian of the soul, a sure companion of the body, a weapon for brave men, exercise for athletes and wrestlers. Furthermore, fasting takes away temptations. It reinforces piety, a companion of sobriety, and the architect of temperance. It gives courage in times of war and teaches tranquility in times of peace. It sanctifies the Nazirite [a form of consecration to God in the Old Testament] and perfects the priest, since it is not permissible to approach the sacrifice without fasting, not only now for the true and sacramental adoration of God, but even for that other worship that was the figurative sacrifice offered according to the law. It was fasting that brought Elias his great vision; because it was after having purified his soul through a 40-day fast that, in a cave, he merited to see God as much as a man may be permitted. Moses, in order to receive the law a second time, observed a fast a second time. If the Ninevites, and their animals as well, had not fasted, they would never have escaped the threat of ruin. [As told in the book of Jonas.] While in the wilderness, who was it who fell, except those who greedily desired meat? (See Numbers 11.)”

Choir Director’s Corner: Do WHAT to the infants?

You may have noticed that we have added a hymn during clergy communion, and at the end of Vespers, based on psalm 136:

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and we wept when we remembered Sion.
Upon the willows in the midst thereof did we hang our instruments.
For there, they that had taken us captive asked us for words of song.
And they that had led us away asked us for a hymn, saying: Sing us one
of the songs of Sion.
How shall we sing the Lord?s song in a strange land?
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.
Let my tongue cleave to my throat, if I remember thee not,
If I set not Jerusalem above all other, as at the head of my joy.
Remember, O Lord, the sons of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem,
Who said: Lay waste, lay waste to her, even to the foundations thereof.
O daughter of Babylon, thou wretched one, blessed shall he be who shall
reward thee wherewith thou hast rewarded us.
Blessed shall he be who shall seize and dash thine infants against the rock.

The psalm is one written in captivity, and speaks to us about our captivity – to the passions. Some folks are jarred (especially if we don’t know the reason why the Church gives us these things) by the rather violent imagery of the last verse. This psalm can be read on an historical as well as an allegorical level.

On the historical level, the last verse is discussing a grim reality of pre-technological and tribal warfare. If your tribe went and attacked a town, presumably killing the men, and taking spoils, the infants were the ones that were going to grow up and take revenge on you if you left them alive. So killing them with the adults was a way to stop that. Lest you think that such imagery is unthinkable in our day, consider little Vito Corleone in “Godfather II.” The Sicillian gangster tried to kill him as a child for the same reason. He failed, and little Vito grew up and came back to revenge his family.

But the Church gives us these verses, not to train us in warfare that is physical, but warfare that is spiritual. According to commentary by various Holy Fathers, the infants in question, are our passionate thoughts and the rock is Christ. We dash our thoughts on the Rock, in order that they may not grow up to be passions that will come back and take us captive. These verses remind us of the real battle in our lives and remind us to refocus and redouble our efforts during the opportunity of the great fast. Many other psalms are read during lenten services, and similar allegories may be found throughout Lent. As we hear the psalms, we are invited to a strategy meeting where we are instructed how to guard the walled city of our hearts and preserve there the treasures we receive from the King.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming events in March (see the online calendar for updates or the attached PDF for more info)