That pole is in the way

Last Sunday during Orthros, I looked across the nave of our small mission from the chanter’s stand while someone else was chanting for a moment.  My gaze rested on an icon of Christ, which was annoyingly partially obstructed by one of two metal poles in the middle of our mission which holds up the building.

I took the name Thomas, after the Apostle, at my baptism into Orthodoxy, because I really understood  Thomas’ hesitancy to believe unless he could have the Resurrection proven to him.  I often struggle with doubts, though with time, my faith is growing stronger and more resilient (as Thomas’s also did).

As I looked at the obstructed icon, it just reminded me of how often something gets in the way of my “view” of God.  I felt a bit of annoyed frustration that morning, a bit irritated that doubts arise, that various things make it difficult to believe, or to thrive, in ones relationship with God.

It was then, only a few seconds after I first noticed the pole, that I realized what the icon was.  It was the icon of the Bridegroom, an icon that has always called us to repentance as we enter into Holy Week, reminding us of the extreme humility of Jesus Christ.   It was then that it dawned on me that the biggest obstacles to my relationship with God are not “things out there,” but “sin in here.”   The “poles” that block my view of a clear image of God, in other words, are not located geographically halfway between God and myself; they are almost always between us, but within my own heart and mind.

We often want more “proof” of God’s existence or of the truth of the Gospels.   What I understand as I live longer, is that sin is far more powerful than proof.   “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Three Giants

In Writings from the Philokalia: on Prayer of the Heart, a story is recounted of Abba Mark in which he instructed his spiritual son, Nicholas, on how to overcome the passions.    There are “three giants” in the heart, according to Abba Mark, which must be conquered:

1. forgetfulness
2. laziness
3. ignorance

On first glance, they appear somewhat wooden, obvious..   After just a few minutes of deeper reflection, it became apparent to me that they are the pattern of any life which feels itself to be coming up short.

The opposite, said Abba Mark, was a way of life which (1) learned the knowledge of God (the “word of God”), (2) remember it constantly, and (3) harmonizes our will and life.     The opposite of ignorance is knowing the word of God.  The opposite of forgetfulness is constant remembrance.  The opposite of laziness is the actual putting into practice of what we know to be true.

These three  “giants” are not incredibly complex.  They are rather obvious.

What must be done is what the above book describes as tearing ourselves away “from the whirl of the world with its multitudinous vain cares” and instead “striving constantly to keep attention on the kingdom of heaven which is within us.”

I find, the more days I live, that the real problem with “the world” is not that it is so terribly wicked.    The problem is that it is so terribly distracting.   The constant question with which I live is this:  “How do I maintain my fixation on the kingdom of God, on what is real?”    How do I avoid the all too prevalent tendency to become commandeered by the world’s expectations?

Knowledge.  Remembrance.  Action.   Simple steps, but which require resolve, fortitude, grit.

Christos se rodi!

Christos se rodi!  Vaistinu se rodi!

A merry Christmas to all our Serbian brethren, many of whom we have had the pleasure of meeting and communing with here in southern Kentucky!

Science and Love

The following story reported on CNN.com was, well, flabbergasting.  I know, I know, it shouldn’t surprise me.  But sometimes, the inanity of the modern mind’s “scientific” hubris (or possibly the inanity of the journalist writing the story) can still be enough to overcome a jaw so inured by the same as to rarely drop…

“Scientists:  True Love can last a lifetime.”

• Scientists have discovered that people can have a love that lasts a lifetime.
• About 10 percent of people appear to feel young love’s first blush permanently.
• Research has suggested first stages of romantic love fade within 15 months.

“Love’s first blush fading? Lost that loving feeling? Love is not all around?

Sick of cliches?

Take heart, scientists have discovered that people can have a love that lasts a lifetime.

Using brain scans, researchers at Stony Brook University in New York have discovered a small number of couples respond with as much passion after 20 years together as most people only do during the early throes of romance, Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper reported.

The researchers scanned the brains of couples together for 20 years and compared them with results from new lovers, the Sunday Times said.

About 10 percent of the mature couples had the same chemical reactions when shown photographs of their loved ones as those just starting out.” (from CNN.com)

I won’t comment — I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep this short — except to say that, after ten years (almost) of wonderful marriage, my wife and I got quite a chuckle out of the equation of that “first blush” with a “love that lasts a lifetime.”

Sheesh.  And I thought Christians were accused of the ones who don’t get out much.  Where do these people come from?

Picture of our iconostasis at Holy Nativity

We acquired an old space of 2800 square feet at the beginning of November.  It had been used by a religious group before, but was not designed with an Orthodox Church in mind at all.  Here is a picture of the old “sanctuary” used by the previous group before we did anything with it:

We tore out almost all the walls, re-hung the suspended ceiling, replaced flourescent lighting strips with recessed and globe incandescents, ripped out old gray carpet and replaced with new deep red carpet, painted the walls, built an iconostasis, and built a narthex, all in about 6 weeks!…. thanks to the hard work by many in our Mission community.

Here is a picture of the iconostasis as it was being built.   Catechumen James Miller oversaw all the work with his incredible know-how for a 26 year old!  By the way, he is now the newly chrismated Basil.  Many years, Basil!

We just got our new icons in from www.orthodoximages.com (I highly recommend Ben’s work…. these icons look hand painted and have real 23k gold leafing in the halos…. quite large, close to 4 feet tall, printed on canvas and mounted beautifully on high quality wood, for a VERY reasonable price… Ben even translated the Greek wording in to English for us!).   We are still awaiting our two other icons of St. Michael and St. Gabriel the Archangels for the north and south doors.

If you know of any larger churches that would like to donate any liturgical items to us, we would greatly appreciate the help.  We just received a tabernacle and a Font for Theophany.  We need some altar server robes for a couple of boys, and some cassocks for men.  We also could use some icons for the Sanctuary, especially a Panagia for behind the altar and the four Evangelists for the Royal Doors.

Feel free to share any ideas about further beautifying of our small chapel!  And pray for us, as we are growing rapidly and working toward bringing a priest here to shepherd our growing flock!

With all that said, here are a few of our latest pictures of our new little chapel.  We can fit about 100 – 115 people in it, we think, which gives us a few years (???) of growing room before we move.  Although, it already feels like home, and I think will be hard to leave… (never thought I’d say that when we were tearing out walls).

Christ is born!  Glorify Him!

My absence

Dear friends,

I’ve given up blogging before, only to return later.  My recent decline in postings, however, has been due to the formation of our new Orthodox Mission in Bowling Green, KY.   Holy Apostles Orthodox Mission was begun by His Grace, Bishop MARK of Toledo (Antiochian North American Archdiocese) a few months ago, and we have been a whirlwind of activity since then.  We found an old but affordable 3000 square foot space near campus which we have rented and renovated for our church.  I’ll post pictures when I have time.  For now, we are trying to get everything finished up by the end of the year so that we can begin 2009 fully devoted to evangelism and growth in Orthodoxy.  We’re tired of painting and building and tearing out walls and ….. etc.  !!!

Pray for us in our new mission!   Through the prayers of our Holy Apostles,

Rdr. Thomas (Kevin)

Real Hope, Orthodox Style

Saw this over at Paradosis.   Gave me a nice chuckle this evening.

“Change we can REALLY hope in.” Indeed, axios to the new Metropolitan JONAH!  Many years!

Of debates and knights errant

I watched a bit of the first debate held tonight in Oxford, MS.  Honestly, I struggled between granting my limited attention span after a long day at work alternatingly to Miguel de Cervantes and Jim Lehrer.  Granted, both senators addressed by said narrator themelves addressed matters of uncontrovertibly momentous importance, but, hey, our knight errant Don Quixote was also cogitating matters of chivalric gravity while lying beaten on a meager mattress — AND — while addressing his squire, Sancho Panza (who is at least as capable as Sarah Palin).

So…..

What did I think of the debate?

I thought, on first reflection, that Senator Obama was wiser on Iraq while Senator John McCain was wiser on the economy.  How is that for a “skew-whiffed” perspective (to quote our Don Quixote)?  Actually, I’m not so sure McCain was wiser on the economy, but I am fairly certain I agreed more with the approach taken by Senator Obama on Iraq. The problem seems to be that the two senators talked past each other half the time.

Truth be told, after listening to a debate like this…..   “Senator Obama, just look at the facts… it’s right there….. it’s just the facts…..”   and  “….That’s just not true….. Senator McCain is just incorrect….just look at the facts….”   I am left scratching my head about as vigorously as Sancho when his master charged the giants windmills.

After watching the closing moments of the debate, I watched the CNN talking heads debating whether John McCain should have — and I quote — “looked more” at Senator Obama.  And also whether — and again I quote — Senator Obama “looked natural” when he looked at the camera.  For the love of all that is holy, is this what politics in this country has been reduced to?  Sadly, I wonder how many Americans take just such a superficial approach.  The problem is, in such an environment, it becomes difficult for the average Joe, like me, to sift through the gibberish in search of the gems.  I am left, after the bedlam has calmed, feeling much like our thoughtful vice president squire, Sancho Panza:

“How am I supposed to sleep, damn it, when anyone would think all the devils in hell have been messing with me?”  (Don Quixote, Part 1, ch. xvii)

And on that note, I’m on to the next chapter.  No, I still have not decided for whom I shall vote.  I’m still disappointed that Ron Paul was not in Oxford.  Rocinante must have fallen.

Book Recommendation: on Calvinism

I want to recommend a couple of books that I have read… one recently, one a year or so ago, both by the same author, Dr. Robert Shank.  Dr. Shank was, as I understand it, formerly a Baptist, but entered the First Christian Church later in life after being castigated by much of the Reformed-leaning “Baptist world.”

He wrote two books:  Life in the Son, and then later Elect in the Son.  The first deals with the Reformed doctrine of “perseverance of the saints,” while the later addresses election and predestination.  I have read a fair number of essays and several books on these issues (including a couple of books written from a Calvinist perspective), and I have found these very astute, quite biblically based, and very convincing.

As Dr. Shank was and remained a Protestant, he takes a few views of the atonement and substitutionary theory that appear to conflict a bit with Orthodoxy (though I have heard a few Orthodox voices that seem to have gone too far in the other direction in their blanket dismissal of “atonement”), but the books address their primary issues with superb clarity.

“Election” and “predestination” have always been difficult issues for me.  I sensed with reasonable certainty that the Scriptures did NOT present a “once saved always saved” position, nor a position that said only certain people were chosen by God and hence only they had a chance to be saved.  However, the latter doctrine, what many call “predestination,” was difficult for me to grasp, seeing that the Scriptures obviously speak of it and the connected idea of “divine election.”  Dr. Shank’s explanation is first biblical, and then very well argued and convincing.

I think his position matches very well on this with what Orthodox would hold to, from what I have gathered during my short time in Orthodoxy.

Anyway, if you have ever looked for a thorough and biblical examination of these two related ideas, I would highly recommend these two books.  I imagine I will return to them often in years ahead, living as I do in an area in which “Reformed theology” has a fair number of adherents.

Two beds, two people, two risings: today’s Gospel

Today’s Gospel, Mark 1:29-35:

At that time, Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered together about the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.

As I read this with my family at morning prayers, several things stood out.  Of lesser importance, what I noticed first was the extended family living arrangement of the house.  Two brothers, a mother-in-law, and who knows how many others.  In those days, mother-in-laws were the norm in the house. Today, they are normally the brunt of jokes.  I imagine an extended reflection on ancient extended families would do us great good in grasping the sanctity of the idea of “family” and all that it entails.  Also the phrase, “…and immediately they told Him of her…”.  When a person was sick, the first order of business was to tell Jesus.  The implications of this for both prayer and evangelism is almost limitless; you can reflect on that without my thoughts well enough.

What I spoke to my children about, though, was the fact that in this text, two people get out of bed when we would not have expected them to do so.  The first was Peter’s mother-in-law; the second was Jesus.  The latter lifted himself for prayer when most of us prefer to sleep; the former was lifted from her bed when she felt most like staying put by the one who lifted himself early for communion with His Father.

We are so like Peter’s mother-in-law, aren’t we?  Sick with a fever, lying in our beds, unable to “get up and get going…”   The way we feel with a fever is typically the way we feel with our flaws.  How often do our sins and emotions and concerns drag us down into a spiritual lethargy and malaise?  Thus, we pray each morning:

…thou wast not wroth with me, slothful and sinful as I am; neither has thou destroyed me in my transgressions…

The times in my own life where I have been rendered nearly incapacitated by my own sins and sloth are too numerous to count.  The only “way out” of those times is the same path afforded to Peter’s mother-in-law:  “…He came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up, and the fever left her…“.   I don’t know if the sequence here is vital or not, but Orthodoxy has taught me to see beauty in little things, and I see it here.  When I am burdened and worn down by my infirmities and transgressions, in his “love toward mankind…hast raised us up”…. He has picked me up.  The picking up can be painful.  But if we allow ourselves to be lifted from our beds of despair and self-pity, we also find our ailment to be a thing of the past.  He doesn’t heal us first; rather, he asks us to take his hand and trust that he will heal us.   And the end result, like that of St. Peter’s mother-in-law after being healed by Christ, is the only appropriate one:  ..and she served…

As we pray each morning, God hath raised us up, as we lay in despair, “that we may glorify thy Majesty.”  From the “heavy sleep of indolence,” our mouths are opened so that we may unceasingly sing and confess the All Holy Trinity.  Exulting in the Trinity means living in the Trinity, and living in the Trinity means living in love, for God, our families, our neighbors.

And, as my family and I noticed, may we never fail to see that this is all possible because Jesus himself arose early, long before it was dawn, to go into a quiet place to pray.  He healed the sick because He was one with His Father.  If we are ever to even begin to emulate Him, if the Church is ever to help people like ourselves to be raised and healed of our many sicknesses and demons that afflict us, we simply must learn the ascetical dependence upon prayer exhibited by Jesus.  May God help all of us to “put aside all earthly cares” (including excessive sleep and entertainment) so that we may spend more time in prayer, as did our Master.