St. LukeDiocese Orthodox Christian Church of the South, Orthodox Church in America The Rev. Father Basil Henry, Priest 1415 Woodstock Ave. • Anniston, Alabama • www.stlukeanniston.org/ basilncana@yahoo.com • (256) 235-3893 Ju;y 3, 2011 • 3rd Sunday after Pentecost • Sunday of All Saints of Britain
Martyr Hyacinth of Cæsarea in Cappadocia (108). Translation of the Relics of Hieromartyr Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow (1652). Ven. Anatoly (Anatolius) of the Kiev Caves (Near Caves—12th c.), and Ven. Anatoly (another), Recluse, of the Kiev Caves (Far Caves—13th c.). St. Vasily, Bishop of Riazan’ (1295). Rt. Blv. Princes Vasily and Constantine of Yaroslavl’ (13th c.). Ven. John and Longinus, Wonderworkers of Yarensk (Solovétsky Monastery—1544-45). Bl. John of Moscow, Fool-for-Christ (1589). Ven. Nicodim (Nikodemus), Abbot of Kozheyezérsk (1640). Martyrs Diomedes, Eulampius, Asclepiodotus and Golinduc, who suffered with Hyacinth (2nd c.). Martyrs Mocius (Mucian) and Mark (4th c.). St. Alexander, Founder of the “Unsleeping Ones” (ca. 430). St. Anatolius, Patriarch of Constantinople (458). Monk Martyr Gerasimus (1812). Icon of the Most-holy Theotokos, the “MILK-GIVER” of Chilandari Monastery on Mt. Athos.
Announcements
We now have a bin in the dining room for those who wish to donate for the hungry. Fr. Basil’s class on Corinthians continues Wednesday evening at 4 o’clock.
The icon on the front is by the hand of by Matushka Patricia Fostiropoulos, Russian Orthodox Cathedral, London, UK.
Mon, 7/4
This Week’s Scripture, Service and Fasting Schedule Tues, 7/5 Wed, 7/6 Thurs, 7/7 Fri, 7/8 Sat, 7/9
Sun, 7/10
No Services
Matins 8 a.m.
Bible Study 4 p.m.
Matins 8 a.m.
Matins 8 a.m.
Great Vespers Divine Liturgy 4 p.m. 10 a.m.
Romans 9:18-33
Romans 10:11-11:2
Romans 11:2-12
Romans 11:13-24
Romans 11:25-36
Romans 6:11-17
Romans 6:18-23
Matthew 11:2-15
Matthew 11:16-20
Matthew 11:20-26
Matthew 11:27-30
Matthew 12:1-8
Matthew 8:14-23
Matthew 8:5-13
Galatians 5:22-6:2
2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9
Luke 6:17-23
Matt. 4:25-5:12
(St. Sergius)
(St. Anthony)
(St. Sergius)
St. Andrei Rublev the Iconographer
St. Sergius of Radonezh
(St. Anthony)
St. Sisoës the Great
St. Kyriake the Martyr
“Our Lady of Sitka” Icon
St. Urith of Chittlehampton
St. Anthony of the Kiev Caves Monastery
Service times are subject to change. Please check with Fr. Basil if in any doubt.
Great Vespers “Lord, I Call”
From the morning watch even to the night, let Israel hope in the Lord!
Sunday (Tone 2)
Lead forth my soul from prison, that I may confess Thy name!
Come, let us worship the Word of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, and incarnate of the Virgin Mary! Having endured the Cross, He was buried as He Himself desired and having risen from the dead, He saved me, an erring man. The righteous await me, till Thou shalt reward me.
Christ our Savior nailed to the Cross the bond against us, He voided it and destroyed the dominion of death. We fall down before His Resurrection on the third day. Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice!
With the Archangels, let us praise the Resurrection of Christ! He is our Savior, our Redeemer! He is coming with awesome glory and mighty power to judge the world which He made. Let Thine ears give heed to the voice of my prayer!
Thou didst possess truly acceptable boldness before Christ the Master as an invincible martyr, an obedient listener, and a pious athlete. Do not cease thine entreaties, O most wondrous one, delivering from temptation and evil fortune those who keep thy memory, singing hymns to thee in faith! Sunday of
All Saints of British Isles (Tone 1)
For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption, and He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
O come, all ye faithful, now let us praise the saints of the Isles, the venerable monastics, the holy bishops, the right-believing princes, all the martyrs and the company of holy women, those known by name and those unknown, for truly by their words and deeds and manifold ways of life and gifts of God, they become saints and God made glorious even their graves with wonders. And now, standing before Christ Who hath glorified them, they pray fervently for us who celebrate the splendor of their feast with love.
The Angel proclaimed Thee the crucified and buried Master. He told the women: “Come, see the place Sunday of All Saints of British Isles (Tone 2) where He lay! He is risen as He said, for He is al- O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye people! mighty.” We worship Thee, O Only Immortal One. With what beauty of hymn shall we praise the divinely Have mercy on us, O Christ, the Giver of Life! wise of the Isles, the splendor and adornment of the Church of Christ, the crown of the priesthood, the Martyr Hyacinth (Tone 8) rule of piety, the never-drying wellsprings of divine If Thou observest transgression, Lord, O Lord, who shall stand? For with Thee is propitiation. healing, the outpouring of the gifts of the Spirit, the The chosen Chief Cornerstone has been set up in streams of manifold wonders which gladden the Isles Zion: the immovable foundation on which the ranks and all those who seek God. For whose sake the Allof martyrs have been founded. With them the victori- Merciful Christ hath cast down the uprisings of the ous Hyacinth shines with heavenly light. How great is enemy. Thine ineffable loving-kindness, O Master! Save our Sunday of All Saints of British Isles (Tone 8) souls, O Christ, for Thou alone art merciful! For His mercy hath been confirmed upon us and the truth of For Thy name’s sake have I waited upon Thee, O Lord; my soul hath waited upon Thy word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
Thou didst sail through Jerusalem, the splendid city of God, like a stone dyed with blood, and clad in the purple robe of suffering. Now pray visibly, exulting and rejoicing, saving by thy prayers, O all-blessed one, those who celebrate thine all-glorious and sacred memory!
the Lord remaineth forever.
Let the earth make glad and the heavens rejoice, in praising thy toils and struggles, your spiritual courage and purity of mind, O venerable ones, for ye were not overcome by the laws of nature. O holy company and divine assembly, ye are truly the strength of our Isles.
~3~
All Saints of British Isles (Tone 5)
O Christ, the Giver of Life, for the sake of the dead Thou didst voluntarily endure death, descending into Rejoice, O faithful Church of the Isles! Rejoice, O hell as the Mighty One, to save those who awaited Thy First-Martyrs Alban, Julius and Aaron! Rejoice, O coming, granting them the life of paradise instead of Ninian, Apostle of the North! Rejoice, O divine Pat- hell. Grant also to us who glorify Thy Resurrection on rick come to the Irish land with the Gospel of Christ! the third day, cleansing of our sins and great mercy! Rejoice, O Gregory who with thy disciple Augustine, Sunday of All Saints of British Isles (Tone 4) saw not Anglos but Angels! For ye all were our first Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit… intercessors with the Maker of all, bringers of the Orthodox Faith and guides to the True Light! Rejoice, Celebrating the season of the commemoration of our from every hamlet and town, nurtured by those who holy kinfolk, let us call them blessed as is meet, for they now dwell in heaven! These saints have been shown to have truly passed through all the Beatitudes of the Lord, be guiding lights for our souls! With the brightness of made poor, they have become rich in spirit; being meek, signs and deeds, they have shone forth most mysti- they have inherited the kingdom of the meek; having cally unto all the ends of the earth and now they be- wept, they have been comforted; having thirsted after righteousness, they have been filled; having had mercy seech Christ for the salvation of our souls! on others, they have found mercy for themselves; pure in Dogmatikon (Tone 2) heart, they have seen God as far as such is possible; peaceBoth now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. makers, they have been counted worthy to be adopted as The shadow of the Law passed when Grace came. As children of God; persecuted and tormented for piety and the Bush burned, yet was not consumed, so the Virgin righteousness’ sake, they now rejoice and make glad in gave birth, yet remained a Virgin. The Righteous Sun Heaven; and they earnestly beseech the Lord that He will has risen instead of a pillar of flame! Instead of Moses, have mercy on the Isles. Christ, the Salvation of our souls. Sunday of
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
Theotokion (Tone 4)
Aposticha
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Sunday (Tone 2) Look on the entreaties of Thy servants, O Blameless Thy Resurrection, O Christ our Savior, has enlight- One! Stop all the terrible attacks against us, freeing us ened the whole universe, recalling Thy creation. Glory from every affliction, for we have only Thee as our sure to Thee, O Almighty Lord! and firm anchor. Do not let us be put to shame, O Lady, The Lord hath become King; with beauty hath He clothed for we call on Thee for our intercession! Hasten to pray Himself. for those who call in faith: Rejoice, O Lady, Help of all, By the Tree Thou didst destroy the curse of the Tree, the Joy and Shelter and Salvation of our souls! O Savior. By Thy burial Thou didst mortify the majesty of death. Thou hast enlightened our race by Thy Troparia Sunday (Tone 2) Resurrection. O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory When Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal, to Thee! Thou didst slay hell with the lightning flash of Thy For He hath established the world, which shall not be moved. When Thou wast seen nailed to the Cross, O Christ, divinity. And when from the nether regions Thou Thou didst restore the beauty of Thy creatures. The sol- didst raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: diers showed their inhumanity when they pierced Thy O Giver of Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee. side with a spear. The Hebrews not knowing Thy power asked that Thy tomb might be sealed. But through the mercy of Thy compassions, Thou didst accept the tomb and didst rise on the third day! O Lord, glory to Thee! Holiness belongeth to Thy house, O Lord, unto length of days!
~4~
Sunday of
All Saints of British Isles (Tone 8)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit‌
Resurrectional Dismissal Theotokion (Tone 8) Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
From the ends of the earth, O Lord, the Isles of the For our sake Thou wast born of the Virgin and endured Sea offer Thee all the saints who have shone forth crucifixion, O Good One, destroying death by death therein as the fair fruit of Thy saving splendor. and revealing the Resurrection as God. Do not despise Through their supplications and through the Mother the work of Thy hand! Reveal Thy love for mankind, O of God, preserve Thy Church and Thine Isles in pro- Merciful One! Accept the Theotokos who is praying for found peace, O most Merciful One. us, and save the despairing people, O our Savior!
Sunday of All Saints of the British Isles From the first day of its existence the Church has reverenced, and loved and sung the praises of its saints, of those people who have been heralds of the love of God, and who have testified to their faithfulness, to the steadiness, of their love not only by words, but by their whole life, and by their whole death. The first martyr, Stephen, and after him so many martyrs and witnesses, and all those who have lived and shone, and been on earth the resplendence of God, the shining of His love, the tenderness of His compassion, the purity of His message have been remembered with deep gratitude. Some of these saints are known, many names have fallen into oblivion, but all are remembered and all are in our midst, and it is their faith, their faithfulness, their message that has made it possible for us to belong to the Body of Christ, to enter onto that path which they have
followed so gloriously. Some of these Saints are known throughout the world, some are venerated locally, either in one country or another, or simply in a limited district where they have shone; and where their memory is kept with veneration.
One of the first Saints of the West that called for the reverence of the Russian Orthodox emigrees in Western Europe was Ste Genevieve of Paris, and when. I say that she called us to pay her veneration, to remember her together with the many Orthodox Saints of the West, I am using the words advisely. In one of our poorest and smallest communities in Paris a woman saw a dream that she was somewhere in the thikets near a wood, that she was impelled to look at what there was within it; she found a gate, walked further and was confronted with the statue of a woman, who was holding in her hands a book and a sheaf of wheat, and this woman looked at her in sorrow and said: How is it that the people of my city, who share my faith pay me no honour. The woman awoke, there was no name she could attach to the vision; she spoke of it, but she had no answer, until a few weeks later, going to a small place not far from Paris, called Sainte Genevieve des Bois, she recognised the place of her dream, the thicket; she entered it, found a gate and was confronted with the same statue, but this time an inscription revealed to her it was Sainte Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris together with Saint Denis. And she brought the news, and in our small community we began to pray to her, later we created a parish in her name, and this was the beginning of French Orthodoxy. continued on page 8
~5~
Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom Beatitude Verses
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
sunday
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
Come, let us worship the Word of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, and incarnate of the Virgin Mary! Having endured the Cross, He was buried as He Himself desired and having risen from the dead, He saved me, an erring man. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Thou didst come forth from the blest Isle of Iona, O lowly Aidan, light of the North, to feed the hearts of the English. Together with the glorious wonderworker and faithful shepherd of the flock of the Word, Cuthbert, and all the saints of the holy island of Lindisfarne, Abbots Finan, Colman, Edbert, Edfrith and Ethilwald, pray now that our sins may be forgiven by the Most Merciful Saviour.
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Christ our Savior nailed to the Cross the bond against us, He voided it and destroyed the dominion of death. Of old, the Creator of all wrought many wonders We fall down before His Resurrection on the third day. through Thee, O Virgin, and saved us from the invasion of enemies. Thus be thou now a protection and Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. aid for Thine Isles, O Lady and Queen, saving us from With the Archangels, let us praise the Resurrection all the assaults of the enemy. of Christ! He is our Savior, our Redeemer! He is coming with awesome glory and mighty power to Troparia judge the world which He made. sunday (Tone 2)
When Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal, Thou didst slay hell with the lightning flash of Thy The Angel proclaimed Thee the crucified and buried divinity. And when from the nether regions Thou Master. He told the women: “Come, see the place didst raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: where He lay! He is risen as He said, for He is al- O Giver of Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee. mighty.” We worship Thee, O Only Immortal One. Martyr Hyacinth (Tone 4) Have mercy on us, O Christ, the Giver of Life! Thy holy martyr Hyacinth, O Lord, through his sufSunday of All Saints of British Isles fering has received an incorruptible crown from Thee, Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, our God. For having Thy strength, he laid low his adand shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. versaries, and shattered the powerless boldness of deRejoice and be glad, O servant of Christ, Palladius who mons. Through his intercessions save our souls! was the first sent, bringing the Word of God to the souls Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
of the humble who had long thirsted for the Wisdom and Truth of God. Rejoice, O great and noble Patrick, thou didst go out to the Irish land as Apostle, teaching the Trinity and thus freeing those that were held captive by the demons from the wiles of the serpent. Pray thou now that the souls of all who dwell in the Irish land may be saved. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.
Sunday of
All Saints of British Isles (Tone 8)
From the ends of the earth, O Lord, the Isles of the Sea offer Thee all the saints who have shone forth therein as the fair fruit of Thy saving splendor. Through their supplications and through the Mother of God, preserve Thy Church and Thine Isles in profound peace, O most Merciful One.
Armed with the might of the Cross, thou didst vanquish the enemies of Christ, O holy King Oswald, thus meriting a martyr’s crown. Together with the holy martyred Kings, Edwin and Oswin, do thou pray for the salvation of our souls. ~6~
Kontakia
sunday (Tone 2)
Thou didst rise from the grave, All-powerful Savior; and Hades seeing the wonder was affrighted; and the dead arose, and creation beholding rejoiceth with Thee; and with Thee Adam also is glad; and the world, O my Savior, hymneth Thee forever. Martyr
Hyacinth (Tone 4)
shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received our reconciliation.
Alleluia Verses
sunday (Tone 2)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,…
Vs: May the Lord hear Thee in the day of trouble! May Come, you faithful, plait a crown of unfading hya- the Name of the God of Jacob protect Thee! cinths today for the Martyr Hyacinth, and let us cry to Vs: Save the King, O Lord, and hear us on the day we call! him: “Rejoice, glory of martrys!” Sunday of
All Saints of British Isles (Tone 8)
Gospel Reading
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Sunday
The Gospel according to St. Matthew (6:22-33) Today the choirs of the saints who have pleased God in the British Isles stand forth in the Church and unseen pray to The Lord said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if God for us. With them the angels give glory; and all the your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of saints of the Church of Christ make glad with them, and light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is all together they beseech the Pre-ëternal God for us. darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve Prokeimenon two masters; for either he will hate the one and love sunday (Tone 2) the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise My might and my song is the Lord, and He is become the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. my salvation. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, Vs: The Lord hath sorely chastened me; but He hath what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more not given me over unto death. than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor Epistle Reading gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds Sunday them. Are you not of more value than they? And The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans (5:1-10) Brethren, since we are justified by faith, we have peace which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him his span of life? And why are you anxious about we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of that suffering produces endurance, and endurance pro- these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, duces character, and character produces hope, and hope which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, been given to us. While we were still weak, at the right ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly ‘What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek all these die for a righteous man—though perhaps for a good man things; and your heavenly Father knows you need one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righthat while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, teousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more
~7~
continued from page 8 This opened, our minds, and our hearts to something which we had overlooked, because having lost our Country and all we loved we had a tendency to be (engrained) in our Russian life, remembering only our Russian ancestry, both spiritual and material, the country we loved, the people who were our kin, and the saints who were the glory of Russia. And now we suddenly became aware that we had come into the West, not in a part of the world that was strange and alien to us but in a part of the world which for nearly a thousand years had shared with us the same faith, the same plenitude of oneness, the same joy of belonging together with all the Christian world.
We began then to pay attention to the saints of the West and. in all countries now this awareness has grown and when we come to a country of the Western world., we know that beyond a thousand years of separation we meat the memory, the prayers, the names and the presence of those Saints of Orthodoxy who are and. were its glory, its resplendence before God, we come to our own people; and this is something which is so wonderful and for which we are so deeply grateful. We are no strangers in this land, thousands and thousands of men and women have shared our faith; we are strangers in no land because the oneness of the Church hundreds of years ago unbroken make us the kin of those who are their resplendence and their glory.
available to those who had lost it and yet longed for its plenitude. And this we have done in all the countries in which Russian Orthodoxy has bean brought by the tragedy of the Russian Revolution and the subsequent years. And now, for the first time we have celebrated here, after the Sunday of All Saints appointed of old to be kept after Pentecost, after the Sunday of All the Saints of Russia, that is celebrated as a consequence of a decision of the Council of 1917-1918 at the moment when the revolution was breaking all that had. been standing, we have kept now the Sunday of All the Saints of the British Isles. Today, unbeknown to the world, we have began a tradition which will not die, we have resurrected the memory of all those who are our brothers in the Faith, examples for us to follow in our lives, those people on whose prayers we can count, who are at one with us. Let us never forget this oneness of the Church of God, let us not forget the way in which the Saints of the West have addressed themselves to us, challenged our faithfulness in the person of Sainte Genevieve of Paris, let us never forget the loving wisdom of Patriarch Sergius, who called us to be like seed sown in the West which is bound. to die, because our generations are growing thin, and those who wore children are now among the old who came out to Russia.
Later we wrote about it to one of the greatest men of the Russian Church, to Patriarch Sergius at the time when he was still ‘Locum tenens’ of the Seat of Moscow and. of all Russia; he encouraged. us, he called us to recreate, to call back into life the Orthodoxy of the West; he called us to translate the services, to celebrate in the language of the country, to make Orthodoxy alive and.
M
Let us remember faithfully, lovingly, and build on the foundation of the Saints, on the foundation of the faith once delivered to them, Christ being the cornerstone, a Church whose mark will be love, offering of self, readiness to die that others may live, full of joy, open, tender and true. Amen. Metropolitan Anothy (Bloom) (+2003) on the occasion of the first celebration of this feast in 1978
ay the Trinity protect me wherever I stay, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Bright angels walk with me dear presence-in every dealing... St. Columba, Apostle to the Picts (521-597) ~8~
St. Patrick’s Breastplate I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through the belief in the threeness, Through confession of the oneness Of the Creator of Creation. I arise today Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism, Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial, Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension, Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom. I arise today Through the strength of the love of Cherubim, In obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In prayers of patriarchs, In predictions of prophets, In preaching of apostles, In faith of confessors, In innocence of holy virgins, In deeds of righteous men. I arise today Through the strength of heaven: Light of sun, Radiance of moon, Splendor of fire, Speed of lightning, Swiftness of wind, Depth of sea, Stability of earth, Firmness of rock. I arise today Through God’s strength to pilot me: God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to save me From snares of devils, From temptations of vices, From everyone who shall wish me ill, Afar and anear, Alone and in multitude. I summon today all these powers between me and those evils, Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul. Christ to shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So that there may come to me abundance of reward. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the threeness, Through confession of the oneness, Of the Creator of Creation. ~9~
Practical Instructions in Living the Orthodox Life
Below follows an edifying letter to an Orthodox parisioner seeking practical advice on living an Orthodox life.
Prayer is the Mother of the all the virtues and is inseparable from humility. When we pray, even if we aren’t asking for a specific virtue, our souls are being cleansed of all the filthiness of the passions, which gives birth to the virtues. Prayer is the direct converse of man with God, which is something very special. How often should we pray? Without ceasing, as the Apostle Paul commands us. Just sends during prayer with patience, he is going forward. like a fish will die without water, so the Orthodox ChrisLet’s write now a little about family life for your benefit. tian will die without feeding his soul with the milk of An Orthodox household is like a sanctuary in this world prayer. For someone like you, who is far from the monasof sin. An Orthodox home is full of love and concord. It tery, or even a church, prayer is extremely important. It is is peaceful, as much as possible. When you receive your your life and you should come to love it with all your soul. catalogue, and pick out the icons you desire, you should As we mentioned above, prayer and humility go hand in set aside a special place in the house where you all pray hand. A person who realizes how weak he is and how together in front of your icons. That’s your icon corner. much he needs God’s help, will not cease from asking People usually keep their holy books, their holy waHim for His aid, lest his own inherent weakness come ter, holy oil, and of course, their icons there, but, there forth. Thus, through prayer he cleaves to God, which should be at least 1 icon in every room of the house, except the bathroom, so that in whatever room you are in, increases the humility in his soul. you have a constant reminder of God. When you get up As you grow in Orthodoxy, that growth will be insepain the morning, you shouldn’t just walk by the icons, you rable from prayer. Think of that person to whom you should cross yourself and kiss them. And its good for us are closest: this is how we must come to know our Lord, who haven’t been raised Orthodox to look at the icons, and this will come about through prayer. and rejoice in their beauty. Look at them as much as Prayer is not always easy, for sometimes God withdraws you can. Simply by looking at them, your soul becomes from us, just like a mother might leave her baby alone, holy. Isn’t that wonderful? In the Church, God gives us and let it cry a little and then come to it, so that the so many ways of becoming close to Him. child’s attachment to her becomes very strong. The same The father is the leader of the house, and his wife is his happens to us with God. But don’t be discouraged: rather, helper. She isn’t his slave, and she is expected to voice be humble, and bless God and thank Him for whatever concerns if there is danger, either spiritual or bodily, in He allows to happen to you, since He certainly knows some matter. But, the wife should learn to reverence her best. In doing this, you won’t become frustrated with your husband, and respect him out of love for him. In our spiritual progress, and simply because of your patience, culture this isn’t easy, since there has been a movement you move forward. One thing you should know, in the for many years to “liberate” women. This in fact enslaves spiritual life you never stay the same, either you go forthem, sad to say. Of course, these rules are somewhat ward, or you fall backward, so one has to compel oneself different if your spouse is not Orthodox. to go forward. Its not always easy, but this is the life that God demands from us. Keep in mind though, that prog- Saint John Chrysostom gives a wonderful exposition ress is not always what we think it is. When a person of Orthodox marriage, truly founded on Christ, and goes to do his prayers, he desires it to be without dis- blessed by Him. He says that the foundation of an traction, and compunctionate. This doesn’t always happen. Orthodox marriage is for each spouse to fulfill his/her As we’re saying above, if a person endures whatever God duty before God, regardless of whether or not the other ~10~
member does. Thus, it is the husband’s responsibility to love his wife, and the it falls to the wife to be obedient to her husband. One thing that I found surprising in St. John’s writings is that the husband should never refer to his wife by her first name, but always with some affectionate name. The wife, for her part, should strive to be humble. Marriage, he says, is not a democracy. A democracy engenders discord and confusion. Rather, the family must advance in the commandments by fulfilling their own individual responsibilities, in the fear of God.
Christ. Just like his parents, who are his living model in everything, he should fast, unless he is below the age of 7, should pray, and in general be a good boy or girl. Sounds wonderful, but I know, being the oldest of 7, that it doesn’t always work that way. Once sin begins to manifest itself in the child, the parents are obliged to combat it, in whatever way they deem necessary. Spanking the child is not out of the question in an Orthodox family. One thing which not many American families have, which I have noticed in several Orthodox families, is a lot of affection between parents and children. Affection is good, where the parent kisses the child at special times during the day. This is a simple thing, but it does have a wonderful impact on the children. It makes the whole atmosphere of the home holy, and gives the children the strength they need to maintain their Orthodoxy in a world of paganism.
An Orthodox Christian should be modest. An Orthodox woman should wear dresses, not pants, and blouses that cover her arms. Pants are the clothing for men, and the rules of the Church forbid women from wearing men’s clothing and vice versa. The most God fearing women cover their heads with a kerchief whenever they go in public out of modesty. Although not many women What is the purpose of a man and woman being united do this, it should be your long term goal to accomplish in marriage? It is for one reason: their mutual salvation, this. Also, makeup is frowned upon, as St. Paul stays in and that of their children. If you keep this in mind, as the his Epistles. We should not strive to destroy the natural goal of what you all are striving towards, then life will bebeauty which God has given to all women. The same come very, very beautiful, even if difficulties arise. When can be said about earings that are not in the ears, but are you stand with your husband before Christ at the dread put through the lips or nose. Many earings in the ear is Judgment, whether or not your children have been saved too much also. People take things to excess, and try to will be one of the big questions asked of you. You must do justify it by saying, “This is beauty.” Imagine a beautiful everything you can to instill within those children the love icon, painted by a master. Suppose some novice painter of the truth, which will plant in their hearts the love of Orcame along and said, “Hey, I can make that picture betthodoxy at the same time. This is your duty. You don’t have ter!” and then proceeded to destroy it. Well, this is how to worry about converting anyone else, or anything else, as we are: God has made each one of us the way He wants. much as your own family. I will answer, not for you at the For us to paint or disfigure ourselves is an insult to Him. Judgment, but I will be questioned as to whether I fulfilled The family should be taught modesty. In a good Ortho- my monastic vows or not. You, on the other hand, will be doxy family, the father and mother are modest even in judged if you have been diligent to instruct your children front of their children, so as to teach them chastity. I to the knowledge of their Creator. How, pray tell, will you don’t mean that couples shouldn’t be affectionate, but do your duty towards them? By doing what is right for your own soul, that is, all we have been discoursing on. there should be a measure in front of others. Telling them is good: showing them by your actual deeds Now that I’ve mentioned children, here is what a good what they should do is far greater. Orthodox child is like. First, he is obedient to his father http://www.pravmir.com/article_382.html and mother. He is diligent in his studies in the fear of God, and he also takes into his heart our Lord Jesus
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hen despondency seizes us, let us not give into to it. Rather, fortified and protected by the light of faith, let us with great courage say to the spirit of evil: “What are you to us, who you are...a fugitive from Heaven, and a slave of evil? You dare not do anything to us: Christ...has dominion over us and over all St. Seraphim of Sarov (1759–1833) ~11~
Iona Abbey is located on the Isle of Iona, just off the Isle of Mull on the West Coast of Scotland. It is one of the oldest and most important religious centres in Western Europe. The abbey was a focal point for the spread of Christianity throughout Scotland and marks the foundation of a monastic community by St. Columba, when Iona was part of the Kingdom of Dรกl Riata.
St. Luke Orthodox Christian Church 1415 Woodstock Ave. Anniston, AL 36207