Orthodixie

I was blessed to carry the cross for the Crucifixion re-enactment during last night’s Twelve Gospels service. (Pictured here, courtesy Greg Quartaro, heading through the narthex.) I hadn’t expected the honour, but was asked to carry it just before the procession left the altar. Having had no experience with that particular cross, I had no idea what I was getting into when I hoisted it over my shoulder and stooped to pass through the door leading out of the iconostasis. Then I felt a guiding hand assisting at the base of the cross. Knowing that there was someone helping me to steer the cross through building and people was a great relief! The darkened church was packed with people kneeling, and the last thing you want to do is to whap someone on the head during the three circuits of the temple.

As each curve approached, like an eighteen wheeler I was careful with my rear in making my forward movements. Always … I felt the guiding hand helping out in the back.

After a while I started to resent all the help I was getting … thinking: “Come on, Fr John, I’m not that bad! I think I’ve got the hang of it.” But, it was a comfort, nonetheless, to know that someone was helping me to make it to Golgatha.

As I ascended the steps of the dias, and circled the stand for the cross, I noticed that I was alone … the other priests and servers had stopped at the edge of the dias. I still felt the helping hand — I thought my mind played a trick.

After placing the cross in the holder, Fathers John Salem and Joseph Shahda “nailed” our Lord’s image to the Cross … we made our reverences and re-entered the altar while 300 or so of the faithful made their way up to fall down before the Tree and kiss the image of the Saviour’s feet.

I said to Fr John, “I appreciate your help steering the cross.”

He said, “I didn’t help you.”

I said, “Come on! Really?”

“No,” he said, “I made sure I was about five feet behind you so that I wouldn’t interfere.”

Y’all?

God is [always] good.

Good Friday.

Lots o’ bloggers have been shinin’ the light on the latest column by tmatt. I meant to, but the Church Calender had other plans. 🙂

Anyway, just in case you’ve not read it: HERE’S A COPY.

As most of you know, the priest prays many prayers in secret. That’s why you’ve probably never heard the “all wobbly” part following the “Command!” at the Presanctified Liturgy.

Its purpose, especially this time of year, is to make all clocks and calendars irrelevant. You only thought it was Thursday … it’s really Friday. Or, you only thought it was morning … it’s really evening. Etc.

So, while you were dutifully and piously falling to your knees during service, the above image shows what was actually taking place.

Now, carry on (don’t go all wobbly) … and may God grant us all a spiritually profitable Three Days.

Pic courtesy of Greg Quartaro.

From lips defiled and a vile heart,
from an impure tongue and a soul defiled,
receive my prayer, O my Christ,
and do not despise my words,
my appearance,
nor my shamelessness.
Grant me boldness, my Christ,
to say what I desire.
Even more, teach me
what to do and say.
I have sinned more than the harlot
who, on learning where Thou wast,
bought myrrh and came boldly to anoint Thy feet,
my God, my Master and my Christ.
As Thou didst not turn her away
when she came with her heart,
so, O Word, turn me not away,
but give me Thy feet to hold, to kiss,
and to anoint bodily with a stream of tears
as with a precious ointment.
Wash me with my tears, O Word,
and cleanse me with them!
Remit my transgressions
and grant me forgiveness.
Thou knowest the multitude of my evil;
Thou knowest also my wounds!
Thou seest my scars;
Thou knowest also my faith!
Thou seest my intentions
and hearest my sighs.
Nothing is hidden from Thee,
my God, my Maker, my Redeemer,
not even a teardrop,
or part of that drop.
Thine eyes have seen
that which I have not yet done.
Thou hast inscribed in Thy book
things yet to happen.
See my humility!
See each of my labors
and all of my sins!
Forgive me, O God of all,
that with a pure heart,
trembling thoughts, and a contrite soul
I may partake of Thine undefiled
and most Heavenly Mysteries
which enliven and deify
all who partake of them with a pure heart.
Thou hast said, O Master:
“Whoever eateth My Body
and drinketh My Blood
abideth in Me and I in him!”
True is every word
of my Master and God!
When I partake of Thy divine and deifying grace,
I am no longer alone —
I am with Thee, my Christ,
the Light of the Triple Sun
— Which enlighteneth the world.
May I not remain alone,
without Thee, O Lifegiver, my Breath,
my Life, and my Joy,
the Salvation of the world.
I approach Thee, therefore, with tears,
as Thou seest,
— and a contrite soul.
I beg to receive
deliverance from my sins.
May I partake uncondemned
of Thy life-giving and spotless Mysteries,
that Thou mayest abide,
as Thou hast said,
— with me, the thrice-wretched.
May the tempter not find me
with Thy grace
and seize me deceitfully
and lead me, deceived,
— from Thy deifying words.
Therefore, I shall fall down before Thee
and fervently cry:
“As Thou didst receive the prodigal
and the harlot who came to Thee,
O Gracious One,
receive me, prodigal and defiled.”
With a contrite soul I approach Thee now:
I know, O Savior,
that no one hath sinned against Thee
as I have,
— nor done the deeds that I have done.
But I also know
that neither the greatness of my transgressions
nor the multitude of my sins
surpasseth the great patience of my God
— and His extreme love for man.
Through Thy merciful compassion
Thou dost cleanse and brighten
those who repent with fervor,
making them partakers of Light
— and full communicants of Thy Divinity.
To the astonishment of angels
and human minds,
Thou dost converse with them often
as with Thy true friends.
This maketh me bold, my Christ;
this giveth me wings!
Emboldened by the wealth
of Thy generosity towards us,
with both joy and trepidation,
I who am grass partake of fire.
O strange wonder!
I am sprinkled with dew
and am not burned,
as the bush burned of old
— without being consumed.
With grateful thoughts
and a grateful heart,
with my grateful members,
my soul and my body,
I now fall down
and worship and glorify Thee, my God,
for blessed art Thou,
now and for ever.

— St Simeon the New Theologian, Sixth Prayer before receiving the Immaculate Mysteries. Taken from “Daily Prayer for Orthodox Christians,” St Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church, Norcross, Georgia, 1995.

Image Source

O Most Merciful Master, we sing and magnify Thee, the sinless God, Who hast willingly suffered and accepted passion in the flesh for our sakes. For when the glorious Disciples were made bright at the supper and the washing of feet, then the evil Judas, afflicted with greed, was darkened; and taking the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him that was appraised, he betrayed Thee the Righteous Judge to the most lawless high priests and scribes. For having received his fill of many good things, and being made a disciple, he conceived the thought of betrayal and handed Thee, the immortal King and Lord of Glory, to the lawless wolves; being committed to strangulation, and having dipped his hand into the dish, with a false kiss, he said to the high priests: Him that I shall kiss, that is He, seize Him. For the way of greed, O most lawless Judas, hath put a halter upon thee, which thou didst bear as the righteous judgment of God. But we, the faithful, if we in love communicate of the most pure and life-creating Body and Blood, in love and fear adore also the Saviour, in His sufferings on the Cross, in His burial and Resurrection: our Lord and God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

For Thine is the Kingdom ….

Thanks to Fr John Shaw.