Orthodixie

A priest friend of mine, who used to serve as a Cop in New York City, tells of Mother Teresa’s visit to the Big Apple. He’d always admired Mother Teresa’s work among the destitute in India and hoped he would be able to meet her.

Sure enough, he was given VIP guard duty for her visit and, one day – amid the whirlwind of her tour – he was finally able to ask her the question that had been burning in his mind …

The Cop leaned down to Mother Teresa and asked: “Mother Teresa, I’ve always wanted to know … how do you do it? I mean … What is it that keeps you going?”

He saw a twinkle appear in her eyes and she slowly began to smile. She motioned for him to lean closer … he was beyond excited – THE Mother Teresa of Calcutta was going to answer his question … “What keeps you going?”

As he leaned his ear lower he heard this saintly woman say …

Tune in for the the rest of the story, the Orthodixie Podcast, on Ancient Faith Radio.

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I am reminded of a story that a parishioner once told about a man who died in a community where no one knew him. After the initial confusion and fuss, it was discovered that he was indeed Orthodox and wished to buried by the Church. The time for the funeral was set and the priest, who’d never met the man, stood at the podium and said: “He was a good man; a loyal son, who hoped that he would one day make it to heaven …

Now I want to tell you of my recent trip to France.”

What brings that story to mind is this – I want to tell you about the Great Feast of Pentecost, but first I need to tell you about the Summer of 1980, selling books door-to-door … and the mysterious creature known as the Hodag.

The summer after my first year of college, I sold books door-to-door for the Southwestern Book Company, based out of Nashville, Tennessee –

They are the “original door-to-door sales company” selling Bibles door to door from the time of the US Civil War.

My first year with them was in 1980 … and in those days the Southwestern Book Company recruited college kids from all over the country … got ‘em all pepped up … sent them to sales school for a week in Nasheville … and then, on the very eve of heading off to your sales territory for the summer … they informed you of where, exactly, you were going to be living and working for the next 12 weeks.

That year, on the last night of sales school, the group from North Carolina was informed that we were headed to … Wisconsin.

Wisconsin??

(Our next chore was to find a map, honest to goodness, and find Wisconsin!)

We’d learned a lot of the tricks of the trade while in Sales School.

First of all – there was …

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

For more on today’s Southwestern Company, go H E R E.

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Due to a rapidly approaching book deadline, I’m gonna hafta take a break — at least for a couple weeks — from updating this blog and moderating comments.

With God’s help, the Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio will continue to be updated weekly.

I hope to see many of you HERE soon.

Pray for me.

In the wee hours of Pascha, we Orthodox begin a joyful dialogue where when someone says “Christ is Risen!” the reply is “Indeed, He is Risen!” Or, “Truly, He is Risen!”

In those early hours of Pascha, some folks have grown a little rusty on their Orthodox lingo. Imagine: “Christ is Risen!”

“Glorify Him!” (The Christmas response.)

Or … “Christ is Risen!”

And, inevitably … “Happy Easter!”

Then there’s the fun we have for 40 days in the shortened written form. Emails and letters end with just the letters XB, CA, or CR — and the reply comes back BB, AA, or TR …

Those who are like me, that is, a Rule Follower, are very strict about when you are allowed to say the Christ is Risen dialogue. It is my sinfulness, sure – but when I arrive to church before the Pascha service begins and someone says “Christ is Risen!” I’m tempted to say: “Not yet, He’s not!”

Then there are those who come to Holy Saturday morning Liturgy and say “Christ is Risen” when they kiss the Cross (because they won’t be there early tomorrow morning) … and I think: “Don’t say that! There’s another 13 hours to go yet!”

Silly.

But, while I’m at it …

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