Chirst is Born! Glorify Him!

Troparion of the Feast

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shined upon the world the light of knowledge; for thereby, they that worshipped the stars were taught by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, glory to Thee.

Kontakion of the Feast

Today the Virgin giveth birth to Him Who is transcendent in essence; and the earth offereth a cave to Him Who is unapproachable. Angels with shepherds give glory; with a star the Magi do journey; for our sake a young Child is born, Who is pre-eternal God.

Merry Christmas everyone! - Bill (Nectarios)

Glorious Apostle to an Age of Coldness and Unbelief

I was looking at this picture of St. John Maximovitch (+ 1966), which was taken in the New York Cathedral in 1964, and the following scripture came to mind:

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. - I Corinthians 15:54

St. John was a bishop in the Holy Orthodox Church, but he was no "ordinary" bishop. The combination of his haggard body, worn-out from his asceticism, clothed in the beautiful vestments of an Orthodox Bishop seems the perfect "icon" of the scripture quoted above. Actually, all of 1 Corinthians 15 speaks about this. Some also consider St. John a "Fool for Christ." From the above picture, you can see why. Remember, this was 1964. I can scarcely imagine the reception he must have gotten in some "proper church circles".

I have met two people who were healed fairly recently through St. John's heavenly intercessions. One man, whose legs were to be amputated due to massive infections stemming from a motorcycle accident, was healed overnight. St. John came into his room at night and smiling at him, blessed him and made the sign of the cross over his bed, and left. This happened in the mid-80's, some 20 years after saint John's repose. The man with the infection wasn't Orthodox at the time, and the whole time that St. John was blessing him he was screaming and yelling at the saint to, "get the hell out of my room!", thinking that some homeless person had wandered in there. Again, looking at the picture above, one can understand the man's concern. Needless to say, he is now Orthodox and took St. John as his patron. Another person, a little girl who was born deaf, was healed in an instant after being anointed with oil from the vigil lamp that hangs over St. John's relics. These two people are the closest I've ever been to the miraculous. . .unless you count turning a completely self-serving wretch (me) into a slightly-less-than-completely-self-serving-wretch, a miracle. (Actually, I do. Probably a greater one.)

Here's St. John's troparian (i.e. Orthodox theme song)

Glorious apostle to an age of coldness and unbelief,
Invested with the grace-filled power of the saints of old,
Divinely illumed seer of heavenly mysteries,
Feeder of orphans, hope of the hopeless,
Thou dids't enkindle on earth a fire of love for Christ,
Upon the dark eve of the day of judgement,
O holy hierarch John,
Pray now that this sacred flame may also arise in our hearts.

The Struggle With God

Yowie Zowie!! This looks fascinating. Props to Karl for sharing his find with us.

After making a quick scan of the table of contents and jumping around a little (my non-scholarly, caffeine-induced mode of study), my eyes landed on many things worthy of quoting. . .but I chose this:

The biological rhythm of rural civilizations regulated by the sun gives way to the technical rhythm of invading and massive urbanization. Life in a world of factories and laboratories is no longer organic; it is organized. Its reinforced concrete very rapidly kills the sense of living nature. Even the simplest materials used in the administration of the sacraments--water, bread, wax, fire--are disappearing from natural use in homes, or are so falsified as to be no longer the familiar and known representation of the cosmos. Thus liturgical symbolism is not appreciated; the ritual no longer says anything spontaneously. It requires a very laborious initiation. The coming generations are more and more strangers to sacred symbols.

Modern symbolism takes refuge in insignia and groups of capital letters. Words are dehydrated and the most familiar objects seem to have lost their first meaning. We see in modem churches candles surmounted by an electric bulb, a hybrid which we do not know how to name.

Nevertheless, it is this world that is the object of God's care. (my emphasis) He calls on Christian thought to make a creative effort and he asks it to translate into modern terms the immense heritage of the past, the precious experience of the great spiritual men of former times, all put in perfect harmony with the most venturesome life, thought and art.

For some reason, reading this reminded me of an interview of my friend Mike Roe that I read yesterday. In it he is quoted as saying,

"I had a therapist tell me that I was one of the only true neurotics he’d ever met," Roe says. "He defined it as someone trying to live in two worlds simultaneously. But that’s the classic Christian condition."

When I first read it I chuckled, thinking he was talking about the strain caused by trying to serve two (very different) masters simultaneously. But this begs the question. . .why would anyone attempt such a silly thing? I mean, be one thing or the other for crying out loud! Be a chanter in Church or a singer/songwriter. . .but don't try to pull those two disparate worlds together in your soul. You will end up with a staring role in a neurotic Frankensteinian nightmare! Hmmmm. How did this get so damn personal all of a sudden?

God Made Heaven and Earth

In this morning's reading from The Prologue of Ochrid, St. Nikolai pointed out that to consider things just from a "earthly" point of view is to ignore half of creation since God made ". . .the heavens and the earth." This struck me as a simple, yet profound defense against the argument that to seek heavenly things is "unrealistic" or "pie in the sky" or some such thing. I've often shied away from devotion to God because of external (and internal) voices warning me against becoming "too religious" or "too heavenly-minded." In reality, becoming "too heavenly-minded" is the least of my worries. I'm a lover of pleasure and would succumb to hedonism with all my heart if God failed to continually and patiently encourage me to struggle against this. One of the greatest benefits of struggling to live a traditional Orthodox life is the development of an appreciation for asceticism. This is perhaps most vividly demonstrated by the lives of monastics, whose witness is a constant source of inspiration and "salt" for those of us who have the responsibilities of families, jobs, natural talents, etc. Things like fasting used to seem inconsequential to me. But I was wrong. We recently were given a copy of "A Spiritual Testament Regarding Fasting and Preparation for Confession" written by a pious Russian priest in 1942 to his spiritual children. He wrote in part: "Think of how easy and inconsequential the fast imposed upon Adam and Eve was. They could eat of every tree in Paradise with the exception of one. And yet look at the consequences of their disobedience." God made the heavens and the earth. Since I am so naturally attached to the earth, it takes great effort to attach myself in the least little bit to heaven. This, to me, is the essence of an ascetic life.

Between Heaven and Earth

I've been suspended between heaven and earth for the last few days. Our sister church, The Church of the Annunciation, held a Nativity Retreat last weekend which featured a man by the name of Constantine Zalalas. Constantine doesn't talk much about himself, but he came to America from Greece as a fourteen year-old with his family in the early 70s (I think). He didn't speak a word of English, and became familiar with being a "stranger in a strange land." It seems that experience instilled some compassion in him for those of us who have converted to Orthodoxy, but who can't access any Orthodox material in it's native tongue (Greek and Russian) because we only know English. Constantine has mastered the English language, but still speaks with a pronounced accent, and he spends much of his time translating spiritual books, pamphlets, taped interviews, radio shows, etc. from Greek to English. I've been listening all week to his translation of a Greek radio program in which Neophytos, Metropolitan (Bishop) of Morphos was interviewed about his relationship with his Geronda (spiritual father), Elder Iakovos Tsalikis, as well as other recently reposed Greek elders. This Bishop's recounting of his encounters with these recent holy men has been remarkable to me. I've been listening to them over and over, overcome with the sweetness and the gifts of grace that God has given His Church through holy elders such as these. I'm very grateful for Mr. Zalalas' tireless work.

Holiness, when viewed up close like this - through the eyes of a disciple of a holy elder - is nothing like I used to imagine. It has nothing to do with just being "ethical". It is so much more. . .there is such a realness or perhaps true humanity to these men as Bishop Neophytos recounts his various experiences with them. One gets the idea that this is what living is really all about - selfless devotion to God and to one's neighbor. They are spiritual doctors, who through their ascetic struggles have become pure vessels of the Holy Spirit. Truly, God is glorified in His saints. But I can't even begin to explain the contents of these tapes. . .it's like trying to describe a fragrance. So. . .since, none of these recordings are copyrighted. . .Constantine Zalalas simply wants to get this stuff out. . .I've provided a link on the right-hand-side of my blog (dark green background) under "free downloads". The first two are mainly about Bishop Neophytos' spiritual father, Elder Iakovos. These are big files (~30MB) so I can only provide a couple at time. I'll be updating this as time goes on, so if you're interested check back on about a weekly basis for the next installment. Be forewarned. . .not only are these big files, but the material itself may be a big stretch for some of us. (Note: For those of you who are not Orthodox, don't be surprised by the "Middle-Eastern" sounding music at the beginning of this mp3. . .it's Greek chant - Church music. Mr. Zalalas always begins his tapes with selections of various Greek chant. . .I only wish I knew what it meant - it's the one thing he doesn't translate.)

Also, I believe these and more are available for purchase (every cheap) at St. Nikodemos Publicatiions. It appears their order form is out of date. . .i.e. I believe there is much more available than is offered on the website. . .so you may have to call them to get the latest listing.

Isaac Died and was Buried

An Orthodox friend of mine, Isaac Nash, died at 11:45pm, the eve of Thanksgiving day. He lived and worked in San Francisco at a women's shelter called Raphael House. I only knew him because he was married to Maria, the daughter of our priest, Fr. Nicholas Letten, which meant he and Maria visited our parish every so often. He was a man with a big laugh and very little guile. . .at least that was my impression of him. Fr. Nicholas went to San Francisco a couple of days before Isaac died to be with him as he died. This past Sunday, Fr. Nicholas recounted for us Isaac's passing from this life to the next and all the things surrounding it. I think the experience of an Orthodox death and burial is so different from what many of us associate with death, that I wanted to write about it. It is quite beautiful, oddly enough.

Months before Isaac died, he and Maria had ordered a casket, which was hand-carved by the monks at St. John the wonderworker monastery in Pt. Reyes, Ca. They had also researched something called a "green" burial. . .i.e. a burial that completely avoids the "mortuary industry". This is important for Orthodox Christians, because we do not embalm or cremate. So, you have to have your ducks lined up to avoid things happening (refrigeration of the body, embalming, etc.) because of legal requirements, etc.

About a day before his death, Fr. Nicholas served the Office of the Parting of the Soul from the Body. Together with the priest, prayers are sung asking God to mercifully let His servant depart in peace. Within minutes of the separation of Isaac's soul from his body, his body was washed by his close friend Bob Harrison, and Isaac's son. They clothed Isaac in the baptismal gown he wore when he became Orthodox and placed his body into the coffin -with dry ice under his vital organs to delay decomposition. The coffin was then placed in the church with his feet facing the altar, that is, towards the east which liturgically is the direction of Christ's return. For two days, 24/7, Psalms were read (chanted) over his body as people took turns keeping vigil. This culminated in Fr. Jonah (abbot of St. John the Wonderworker Monastery) serving the Office of the Burial of the Dead (i.e. funeral ). Essentially, this is the Matins service, with the canon and other hymns closely resembling those of Great Saturday Matins - Christ's burial. Some other beautiful elements of this service are: The coffin is opened and an icon of Christ or the patron Saint is placed in the hands of the departed. . .in Isaac's case, St. Isaac of Syria. A wreath with the Trisagion ("Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us") printed on it was placed on his head and a hand-cross was placed in the coffin near Isaac's head. Candles were distributed to the worshipers who, receiving the light from the priest, held them lit throughout the service until near the end. After the Dismissal and "Memory Eternal," friends come to say a last good-bye to the departed. They kissed either the hand-cross which is set on the side of the coffin or the icon placed in the hands of the departed. Then the coffin was closed and carried out from the church while the choir sang the Trisagion Prayer as a funeral dirge. . .once again reflecting what we do on Great Friday (Matins and Lamentaions) when we take Christ's body (icon) from the cross and process around the Church with it while singing the Trisagion Prayers. Isaac's body was then taken to St. Herman of Alaska Monastery, in Platina, CA (where Fr. Seraphim Rose is buried), and Fr. Gerasim (abbott of that monastery) served a graveside Pannikhida in which more prayers are sung. The same men who washed Isaac's body, are the ones who had driven up beforehand to dig the grave, and the same ones who lowered him into the earth and covered him up. . .feet once again facing east. . .waiting for the resurrection from the dead. For 40 days, prayers are said in church (our parish as well as the one in San Francisco, and probably a couple Monasteries as well) at specific intervals, which according to Church tradition is a great help to the soul of the departed. One of the monks at St. Herman of Alaska Monastery also has been given the obedience to keep a vigil lamp lit over Isaac's grave for these 40 days.

This may come across as a little too morbid for some folks. . .but to me it is the most beautiful way to die I have ever heard of. The care with which the Orthodox Church bids farewell to her children is breathtaking. It is a living tradition that does not succumb to mercenariness but rather extends her warm embrace even into the shadow of death. . .where we await the resurrection of our bodies.

Suffering and Beauty

Sometimes we are overcome by suffering. It is inevitable in a fallen world. The demons rejoice and we bleed tears. But sometimes things backfire for them. I'm certain things would be different if Christ had not "trampled down death by (His) death". Without that event, all would be futile and cosmically frustrating.

This is on my mind this morning because as I drove into work I listened to a CD that my brother sent yesterday. It is called Fun With Sound and is the latest creative outlet of my brother Mark Harmon and Mike Roe. Because Mark and Mike are such close friends of mine, I am intimately aware of some of the particular sufferings that are distilled on this CD. It is some of the most beautiful, mature, subtle, artful, soulful, work I've ever heard - both sonically and lyrically. I recommend it with all my heart.

And to Mike and Mark. . .congratulations. But please guard your hearts. You've made some enemies in Hades with this CD. From one refugee to another, both of you could use the protection offered in the Ark of the Holy Orthodox Church.

P.S. That last statement may sound a bit uppity. . .but it is really just my way of saying that "all the components" are present in the Orthodox Church to provide substantial healing and protection. Of course, nothing is automatic. Any given parish may be so screwed up that you would hardly recognize the components. . .but the nice thing I've discovered about Orthodoxy is that when a parish makes even a paltry attempt to be true to what it has been given (that's the key - nothing has to be "invented"). .it is therapy par excellence.