the day spring from the east

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Exapostaliarion of the Nativity

This is a favorite hymn from the Nativity services – especially this setting.

The time of Nativity sets the tone for our understanding of God’s Love for us… and that tells us deeply of our relationship with Him… that He pursues us; He is jealous for us, He is a Mighty Warrior, Defender and Healer of our souls.

My encouragement to all is that during these twelve days of time of the Nativity : hold the mystery of the Incarnation in the palm of your heart : swaddle and meditate that God is born humbly… coming as a stranger, as a child. “calling back to heaven those who were estranged from Paradise” (Cantcle One : Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ). Through the hush of a holy birth… the flame of Paschal Mystery in Hades is already ablaze. Adam is not only recalled from darkness, but he is filled with joy, he rejoices and is renewed at the Saviors birth. We who fall down and get up again over and over throughout our lives, we are Adam.

Throughout the hymns in the days leading up to the Nativity we actually sang of Adam rejoicing. Talking about this left my Sunday School class last year awestruck.

I have always loved teaching Sunday School because Sunday School also always teaches me – it challenges me to have an honest answer. (If you are a Sunday School teacher, then you know what I mean.) Those moments when the flame of faith sparks in their souls and they can barely contain themselves.

One of my students, a 6th grade boy asked, “Why are we singing about Adam anyhow? Isn’t it Christmas?” So we talked about why that is… all the way back to Genesis, Adam and Eve, the fall, the Prophets, the world in waiting for the promised Messiah… to the birth of Christ.

That same boy in my class stopped everything that he was doing during that lesson, and just looked at me and said, “honestly, that just blows my mind, how much God loves us.” Those are amazing moments to pause, savor and to be very attentive…. the simplicity of faith of a child. He got it.

“Emmanuel” – God with us. He has become flesh of our flesh and comes to find His friend Adam and if He has come to find His friend Adam, then there is nothing he won’t do to find you and each and everyone one of us.

That should blow our minds, and settle within us an amazing peace, comfort and joy. This is not some abstract remote far removed event. God with us is God with YOU.

The cave of Bethlehem is no further than your own heart. The joy announced by the angels to the shepherds is the joy announced to you. The star that lights and guides the Magi, illumines our paths as well. And though the Nativity comes to us all collectively, it is also deeply deeply personal to each and every soul. Eukharistia.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that (insert your name here) who believes in Him should not persish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, that that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

O Come Emmanuel

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The time of the Nativity approaches…

and the greatest present awaits us all

The gift of His Love : free-ly offered

Placed beneath the tinseled tree of the Cross

Rooted deeply in the soil of our hearts

A gift ever unwrapping

New each year…. yet Begotten before the ages

The Star of the Nativity rests over the manger in the cave of your heart. O Come Let us Adore Him.

Our finest gifts we bring… the Gold of broken hearts (Psalm 50) the Myrrh of repentance (turning to God : seeking His Face) the Frankincense of Prayer

For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, so that (insert your name here) who believes in Him shall not perish but have life everlasting.

Blessed Nativity to all. May it be bright.

all who love Nickolaus the Holy

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All who love Nickolas the Holy • the Wonderworker and Bishop of Myra • one of the most well known Saints in the world • ⠀
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He is a most beloved Saint • a hero of social justice • he walked the walk and gave of his own resources • helping those in need • we think often of the three sacks gold coins secretly thrown into the home a man who in his poverty and destitution was going to sell his three daughters into slavery. • Saint Nickolas generosity saves these three women ⠀
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• kids the world over put their shoes out last night • hoping that their shoes too will be filled with chocolate gold coins or other goodies. • ⠀
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• He is a patron Saint of sailors • on land and ocean. In Greece there are some of the most beautiful Orthodox churches built right on the shores of the sea dedicated to Saint Nickolas. ⠀
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Humble of heart • warrior of Christ and faith • generous of spirit • he is known in all corners of the world • ⠀
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• May Saint Nickolas bless all of us • May our hearts overflow with the gold coins of Love • Hope • Faith • Joy • Thanksgiving • Forbearance • Kindness • Gentleness • Self Control • ⠀
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• May he kindle the flame of Gods love in your heart • and for those who know him only as Santa Claus • May his prayers awaken your heart to Christ’s Love in this time of awaiting his sweet Nativity and ignite the flame of Faith • and the knowledge that God is jealous for you and awaiting your whole heart. ⠀
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• blessed Feast of Saint Nickolas • ⠀

to stand as you are before Christ {repentance}

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from the altar of our homes to the Church

In this beginning of the Winter Fast :: we are the bread being yeasted :: salted :: fermented :: kneaded : risen :: punched down :: shaped formed fashioned and stamped with Grace : warmed :: Divine Love :: during this Winter Lent :: be leavened with Grace, Hope, Forgiveness, Goodness. :: Love :: this “change of mind and heart” turning to God and relying on Him for all in this life – that is the Gift :: that ís the Blessing :: Repentance :: standing fully silently absolutely as you are before Christ

reflections in Christ :: victoria

“With its kneading begins the preparation
of the Divine Liturgy”
PROSPHORO and ARTOS
Communion and Blessed Bread
“From the Prosphoro will be cut the
Lamb-Body of Christ”
PROSPHORO and ARTOS
Communion and Blessed Bread

the feast of the fast

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the light of Christ illumines

Today is the first day of the Nativity Fast!!! ⠀

More than a time of withdrawing certain foods from our diet – it is a time of Vigil⠀

God doesn’t need our fasting but we do – amidst the hustle bustle advertising of the season – we do –  and this season is such an expectant joyous one but it can get lost and overshadowed – and so Christians keep the hidden quiet Vigil of the world  awaiting the birth of Christ.  A vigil evident outwardly on our plates – but more so than that – it is the inner prayer vigil of millions of souls awaiting the Birth of Christ .⠀

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The hidden candle of the heart – the Paschal flame of Hope and life in Christ. ⠀

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🕯 be blessed and be filled with grace • be givers, humble, grateful and thankful • for that is a feast in the midst of the Fast 🕯

Blessed Feast of the Nativity

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This Nativity night bestowed peace on the whole world; So let no one threaten;

This is the night of the Most Gentle One  – Let no one be cruel;

This is the night of the Humble One  -Let no one be proud.

Now is the day of joy – Let us not revenge;

Now is the day of Good Will -Let us not be mean.

In this Day of Peace – Let us not be conquered by anger.

Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake; So, rich one, invite the poor to your table.

Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask; So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us.

This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers; Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness.

Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of our humanity, In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of DIVINITY

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Saint Isaac Syrian, Nativity Sermon

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believe {the gift}

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Blessed Happy Enduring Wondrous Feast of Saint Nikolaus – the true Santa Claus. My daughter Kate wrote this icon I’m holding in the picture – we scraped every penny we had so she could take the lessons. If you want to hear a story about the hope and eyes of truth and love of a child it’s about our youngest daughter . It’s not a story about theology but it might be – because it’s out of the mouths of babes and unless ye become like children … we never spoke of Santa Claus with our oldest but of Saint Niklaus – though in truth we made no distinction. It’s possible that we left cookies of which we took a bite and left as evidence and of which she found. And in sixth grade every kid in that elementary school class made fun of her and said Santa Claus is a fake and your parents are liars – you are so sheltered. She came home crying. Angry. Heartbroken – of course – we are her parents. Did we do something wrong.??? I don’t know. But for her youngest sister we learned our lesson and – said there is not a Santa Claus. Or so we thought. Yes there is a Saint Nikolaus but not a Santa Claus. We would not again have a daughter so ruthlessly hurt. And then ( and this is no lie )- our youngest daughter took a Santa Claus sized bite out of each of the cookies one year (and she was young – too young to do it )- and left them for us to find – in my heart it’s always been God inspired – because she left the cookies for me – and specifically said Santa Claus took a bite out of these mom. She was – like in kindergarten. She did that just like she left the quarter under her own pillow from the tooth fairy that I wasn’t going to trick her into believing – to show us in the morning. Each one of our children has taught us so very very much – the heart of Faith in their child love touching the waning needful Faith in us. This story is true about a child wanting to embrace wonder and goodness. And it is offered to you On this Feastal Day of Saint Nichoolas my wish for you is to believe and keep your wonder alive.

a call to hope

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It seems that each day brings something from the world intruding on my sense of peace – political differences, senseless violence, wildfires – even just driving across town there are so many homeless people at the stop lights and street corners on the journey.  The news thrives on highlighting division and discord, sometimes people do too.    All of that stresses people out, adds to their burden.  When one adds to that the struggles in our very own families – emotions can weigh a person down.   Many people experience deep anxieties, stress, sickness, loss and sorrow especially as we approach the holidays.

Christians are not immune it, and that’s okay.  We would not be human if life’s circumstances did not pull on our hearts.  But as we walk in faith these days leading us to Nativity Season – our evergreen Winter Pascha – I pray for all of us that we will kindle our joy and rouse our hope.   To kindle is to ignite, awaken and set aflame.   One of the best ways to stoke the embers of smoldering hope is just to make ten minutes in your day to read the Scriptures – especially the Gospels because those are the very words of Hope because they are the words spoken to us by Christ Himself.

Hope is not so much optimism but peaceful grace & steadfast perseverance through tribulations.  Peaceful Grace wrought in and through Christ – inner hope – found not always in outward circumstance – is the never waning flame of Pascha – strengthening warming & soothing the hearts of believers.  Hope is prayer, with and for others – so let’s pray together.   Hope is gratitude and forgiveness, so lets be grateful for one another, speaking to one another is psalms and hymns and spiritual songs & be slow to anger and quick to forgive.  Hope is “glorying in tribulation” forging kindness and patience – the Greeks call that makrothymia – and it is a fruit of the spirit – a quality of God – a long suffering gentle endurant love.

Hope can be an effort.  The effort to lay aside our earthly cares at each Liturgy, partaking of the Sacramental Mysteries of the Church, receiving the True Light, the Eucharist – Christ Himself.   As Christians we boast in the hope of the glory of God – so this coming Nativity let’s bless one another, lift and bear one another, encourage and see the good in one another for surely we all desire the same.

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“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.†” (Romans 5:3-5)