Tag: Orthodoxy

It’s Easter for Some and Palm Sunday for Others

On By dotluvs2writeIn Beauty, blogging, Christmas and other Holidays, Cultural and Political, humanity, Musings, Past Life Activities, ReligiousLeave a comment

daffodils 3

This Great Lent has been the most difficult one since I became a practicing Orthodox Christian in 1996. The routine of fasting, almsgiving, attending church services, and prayer were and have been incredibly disrupted for my family and me.

I don’t think any of us was prepared for this pandemic and what strict steps would be taken to keep us all as healthy and safe as we could be.

As each week passed by, with more and more distancing from my church and problems with keeping the fast, it has caused my faith and practices to be shaken, and feelings of sadness and anger visited me too often.

Fellow Christians understand the need to gather together to worship God, but I believe, as one of the priests in my church said in one of his homilies, the liturgy is to be lived, and we are to participate in the service and unite with Christ, who gives us life, forgives or sins, and grants us strength through His Holy Body and Blood. But these encounters were not and cannot be accomplished this Paschal year.

And well… without having this Life-Giving Mystery for so many weeks, I’ve struggled with keeping focused during Lent, even with reading spiritual books, watching my church’s livestream services, and keeping up with nightly prayers and prayers before meals.

My spiritual father always told me throughout the years that during Lent, just add one small discipline to my daily Orthodox Christian practice. So, I did continue to do this for this year’s Great Lent. I made sure to do my morning prayers and tried to remember to have a sip of holy water afterwards. I’ve managed to do pretty well with this so far.

Therefore, I suppose I’ve made some effort. Although I feel crushed and beaten by the enemy this lenten season, I know God only asks for us to make an effort. He’s so merciful.

Today is Palm Sunday for us Orthodox Christians, while it is Easter for my fellow Christians.

I wish my friends a Happy Easter. While we’re all confined to our homes at the most holy time of the year, I pray your day is full of joy and God’s blessings.

To my Orthodox Christian brethren, I wish you a blessed Holy Week, where we can somehow join Christ’s grueling journey to Golgotha and witness His Crucifixion and Resurrection with palpable sorrow and joy.  God be with you all.

 

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The Best Gift at My Door

On By dotluvs2writeIn blogging, Fiction Writing, humanity, InspirationalLeave a comment

Me with my book Passage of Promise April 1 2020

 

While eating dinner, there was a knock on our front door. Troy, my husband, opened the door, stepped outside then came back inside with a box. A box that looked like it was holding a book. MY Book. And sure enough, it was!

My print copy for me to inspect came this evening. And with all the hard work and struggles I went through today with a website for authors that led me to discouragement and tears of frustration, this totally made up for it! I can’t believe it’s my book, and the thickness of it. Man, I really wrote a lot! Ha ha! Celebrating time. Publication date is May 4, for those interested. 🙂

Me showing the back of my book PofP April 1 2020
My book Passage of Promise arrive evening April 1 2020
Back cover of Passage of Promise print copy April 1 2020
the many pages of Passage of Proimise April 1 2020
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An Encounter With St. Andrew

On By dotluvs2writeIn Religious, TravelLeave a comment

St. Andrew the first called

 

As my family and I stepped inside the Church of St. Andrew in the town of Patras, Greece, we immediately observed its huge interior with frescos and mosaics in brilliant colors encompassing the walls and ceiling. The large space was cool, and our feet shuffling on the marble floors echoed through it. Straight ahead was the narthex, or foyer of the church, and further in, the nave. There were chairs on either side of the aisle leading up to where the marble-laden icon screen stood, beautifully ornamented with the altar in the center.   Large crystal chandeliers hung down from the lofty ceiling, where in the center, the Pantocrator (Christ – ruler of all), painted in the dome, gazed down and blessed us.

Eventually, my sons and I, along with my mother, came to the white tomb where St. Andrew’s head lay under a silver and glass enclosure. Vases with beautiful flowers were on either side of it. I kneeled on the step before the tomb and bent my head, saying nothing at first. A glorious, mystical fragrance permeated the air around me. At first, I thought it was the flowers next to me on my left and right, but I leaned over and inhaled their scent, and none of them had this wondrous aroma. The smell closely resembled flowers. Gardenias, perhaps, but it wasn’t. It was emanating from the relic below the silver and glass box covering it. Moved to tears, I struggled to swallow the lump that had formed in my throat. Just then, St. Andrew’s life and ministry flashed through my mind like a motion picture.  His pain at his crucifixion swept through me, and I caught my breath. I asked St. Andrew to pray for us , kissed the glass dome, and crossed myself.

Housed in wood and glass next to the marble sarcophagus were the original pieces of the cross on which St. Andrew was martyred. As I had done a moment ago at St. Andrew’s tomb where his head lay, I kissed the glass encasing the remnants of the wooden cross. My faith was affirmed and strengthened that day.

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This is a piece written for my Introduction to Creative Writing Class back in early 2015.  This is a true encounter I had with St. Andrew at the Cathedral named after him in Patras, Greece.  Below is a picture of my husband, sons, and I in 2010 standing in front of St. Andrew’s Cathedral on our trip to Greece in May 2010.

family in Patras, Greece May 2010

(Inside the nave of St. Andrew’s Cathedral)

St. Andrew's Cathedral

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Have you ever had encounters with Saints or the heavenly hosts?