Celebrating the Saints: Three Summer Sundays After the Feast of Feasts, the Church makes a special effort

to celebrate what our Lords eath and !esurrection made possible: the return of "is people to their Creator # sal$ation% Throughout the &aschal season and afterfeast of &entecost, the Church sets aside se$eral Sundays to remember the saints' The Sunday of the (od)*earing Fathers of the First +cumenical Council Celebrated on the se$enth Sunday of &ascha After our Lord ,esus Christ took flesh and fulfilled "is ineffable dispensation for us, "e returned to the throne of the Father' -t was the desire of the saints to show that the Son of (od had truly become man, that "e had ascended as perfect .an and perfect (od into hea$en and is seated at the right of the glory on high' This council of "oly Fathers proclaimed and confessed that the Son is of the same essence and honor as the Father' Therefore, following the feast of the glorious Ascension, this present feast, celebrated on the se$enth Sunday of &ascha, has been set forth in order to add to the already large number of Fathers who preached that "e /ho has ascended in the flesh is both perfect (od and perfect .an in the flesh' This council took place during the twentieth year of the reign of St' Constantine the (reat, following a period in which the Christians were persecuted by the pagans' At first, St' Constantine ruled 0the !oman +mpire1 from !ome, but in 223 A , he built the beautiful city that bears his name' -t was also at this time that the situation regarding Arius arose' Arius was originally from Libya, but came to Ale4andria and was ordained to the diaconate by the "ieromartyr &eter 5commemorated 6o$ember 78th9' "owe$er, in 2:8 A , Arius began to blaspheme against the Son of (od, loudly $ilifying "im and saying that "e is a creature, born out of none4istence, and distant from the honor of the (odhead' "e claimed that is was wrong to call "im the /isdom and the /ord of (od, thinking that he was thus opposing the lawless Sabellius, who claimed that the (odhead is one single person and essence, /ho is at times the Father, at times the Son, and at times the "oly Spirit' The great &eter had a $ision in which he beheld Christ at the "oly Sacrifice as an -nfant dressed in a torn garment that, Christ told him, had been rent by Arius' After this, &eter remo$ed Arius from the ranks of the clergy because of his blasphemy' /hen Achilas succeeded &eter as archbishop of Ale4andria, he granted forgi$eness to Arius when the latter promised to correct his false teaching' -n addition, he then ordained him to the priesthood and appointed him to the school of Ale4andria' Following the death of Achilas, the ne4t archbishop of Ale4andria, Ale4ander, found that Arius was spreading the same blasphemy, and that in fact he had made the blasphemy e$en worse; then the archbishop summoned a council, which deposed Arius from the Church in 27: A ' -t is recorded that Arius drew many astray with his lawless teaching<' /ith the Church in a state of turbulence and with no one showing the care and lo$e to resol$e the problem, the great St' Constantine used state means of transport and in 278 A , gathered the Fathers of whom we speak from all parts of the world to 6icaea, to which place he himself also =ourneyed' Thus, when all the Fathers had come together, the emperor also took his place, not on an imperial throne, but on a chair, which was beneath the honor due to an emperor' The Fathers spoke in regard to Arius and anathemati>ed not only him, but all those who were in agreement with him' The "oly Fathers confessed that the /ord of (od is of the same essence and honor with the father, and co)unoriginate with the Father' They then formulated the Symbol of Faith 0which we say at e$ery i$ine Liturgy, and call ?the 6icene Creed@1 as far as the article, ?And - belie$e in the "oly Spirit<@; for the rest of the Creed was completed at the Second +cumenical Council' < St' Constantine sealed the final $ersion of the holy Symbol of Faith with his own signature in red ink' Af the Fathers who attended the First +cumenical Council, 727 were hierarchs, while BC were priests, deacons, and monks, thus bringing the total present to 2:B' The Sunday of All Saints Celebrated the first Sunday after &entecost An this day, the first Sunday after &entecost, we commemorate the feast of All Saints from all times and throughout the world: Asia, Libya, +urope, from the 6orth and from the South' Aur godly Father established this feast after the descent of the "oly Spirit first and foremost to show that "is coming worked enormous deeds through the Apostles, sanctifying and bestowing wisdom upon those who were like us, and setting these saints in the place of those angels who had fallen, leading them, through ,esus Christ, to (od' Some D the martyrs D came through blood, while other were led through their $irtuous way of life, but all were perfected through the "oly Spirit in an ineffable manner' -n celebrating this feast, we also commemorate many others who, although pleasing to (od through their perfection of $irtues, ha$e, for unknown reasons or due to circumstances that e4isted in the world at the time, remained unknown to all e4cept (od "imself'% -t was necessary, as well, to set aside a single day to commemorate all the saints who are commemorated separately throughout the year, too, so that we remember that they struggled for one single Christ and that all walked the same path toward sal$ation as ser$ants of the one single (od' Together, they form the Church Triumphant% The Sunday of the "oly Fathers and the Sunday of All Saints are e4cerpted from the Syna4arion of the Lenten Triodion and &entecostarion, " . &ress, !i$es ,unction, .i', :EEE, pp' 77:)778 and 7F8)7FB' Translated from !omanian' The Sunday of All Saints of 6orth America

An the second Sunday after &entecost, the Church commemorates the particular saints who brought the True Faith across the seas to 6orth America, enlightening the 6ati$e Americans in Alaska and planting the Church firmly in the ?6ew /orld@' Those remembered include St' "erman of Alaska, the /onder)worker; St' Tikhon; St' -nnocent, Apostle to America; St' &eter the Aleut 5who was a young teen when martyred9; St' Ale4is of /ilkes)*arre and .inneapolis; and the newly)canoni>ed St' !aphael of *rooklyn' Some Things To o .ake memori>ing the 6icene Creed a family pro=ect this summer, following the ad$ice of St' Cyril, Archbishop of ,erusalem 5d' 2BC A 9: ?-n learning and professing the Faith, you must accept and retain only the Churchs present Tradition, confirmed as it is by the Scriptures' < 0/1e ha$e gathered together the whole of the Faith in a few concise articles < 0so 1 listen to the simple words of the Creed and memori>e them; at some suitable time you can find the proof of each article in the Scriptures'@ Theres no better time than a long, la>y summer% Study a ?new@ saint for the summer, either on your own or as a family' Start by reading about his or her life in The &rologue from Achrid, then try to find more detailed biographies and original sermons or writing of the saint, and learn to sing his or her troparion' 5/onderful biographies of St' !aphael, glorified o$er .emorial ay weekend, are a$ailable on both www'oca'org and www'antiochian'org; brief biographies of se$eral other 6orth American saints are also a$ailable on the ACA web site'9 by 6ichola T' Grause H 7333 by Arthodo4 Family Life and the original author5s9' I!L: http:JJwww'theologic'comJoflweb' This web site is donated and maintained by TheoLogic Systems, which pro$ides software and information tools for Arthodo4 Christians and parishes world wide' )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Talking To Children when *ad Things "appen by !e$' eacon 6icholas ,annakos /hy is there e$il in the world that (od createdK /hy do bad things happen, e$en to innocent peopleK /hen first asked to write an article to address such Luestions when they come from children, my first thought was that - am in no way the person to address such Luestions, which ha$e plagued some of the highest intellects in the history of mankind, and reLuired deep theological answers from the great saints of our Church' - dont ha$e the academic Lualifications or credentials to e$en pretend to address them, yet alone to comment on answers gi$en by the saints' Ardination to the "oly iaconate does not gi$e one the grace to preach and to teach, but to ?wait on tables,@ which is of great spiritual benefit to me' Then the thought came to mind, ?/hat would - say if my grandchildren asked me such LuestionsK@ That produced a different response within me' - know - would ha$e to answer them, e$en if only to the best of my knowledge and ability' To e$ade these Luestions might produce in their minds doubts that would influence their thinking for the rest of their li$es, and that - could not let happen' Since - ha$e no seminary education, my answers could only come from my personal study, unstructured and untutored' So - proposed to the editors of this (od)lo$ed publication that, if they wanted me to write this article, - could only do so in the form of a letter to my grandchildren based on my limited ability' The result follows' - pray that it may be of some $alue or help to parents when they are confronted 5as they most assuredly will be9 with such Luestions from their children' /hen that time comes, they may want to consider reading it to their children and adding their own e4planations as they go along' A Letter to .y (randchildren (reat Lent, 7333 earest (randchildren: (lory be to ,esus Christ% (lory be fore$er% *ecause of all the bad things now seen on TM, reported in the news, and talked about at your schools 5such as wars, school shootings, ethnic cleansing, killer tornadoes and earthLuakes, etc'9, you ha$e written to ask me, ?/hy do bad things happenK@ ? oes (od cause bad things to happenK@ ?-f (od is as good as you say, why does "e allow bad things to happen to people and animals, e$en innocent onesK@ *elo$ed ones, these are $ery important and difficult Luestions for anyone to answer, because to answer them correctly, a person has to study long and hard to understand the "oly *ible and the teachings of our "oly Arthodo4 Church, and also be able to understand the hearts and minds of young people' And - dont know if - Lualify for all that' *ut Arthodo4 Christian grandparents cannot e$ade such Luestions when asked by their grandchildren' -t is one of the most important responsibilities we ha$e at our age' -m sure that you ha$e already asked these Luestions of your parents, and maybe want a second opinion from someone else who lo$es you and has only your best interest at heart' So, - will answer them as truthfully and as best as - can' *ut - must be $ery careful how - answer them so that - dont gi$e you a wrong idea about (ods personality' As you grow up and increase in learning and understanding of our "oly Arthodo4 Faith, you can

fill in all the details for yourself' First of all, (od has created each and e$ery human being with the ability and $ocation to grow spiritually and become like "im, and so be able to li$e together with "im fore$er in "is eternal kingdom of peace and happiness' This is still (ods desire for each and e$ery human being, no matter who or what they are, or where they come from' And, deep down in their hearts, this is what e$eryone really wants most of all, whether or not they know it or can e4plain it' At this point you may ask, ?/hat is (od likeK@ /ell, the Ane True (od can not be described by human imagination or ideas' All that we know and can e$er know about (od is what "e "imself tells us and shows us about "imself' /hat we know about "im is what is written in "oly Scripture 5especially the 6ew Testament9, the writings of "is saints, and the worship books of our Church' That is what is taught to you in your parish Church school' See how important your parish Church school is% -t is the most important school you will e$er attend' So if you want to know what (od is like so that you can become like "im 5your true destiny9, you must attend you Church school without fail% As - wrote one of you in a pre$ious letter, the knowledge of the things of this world is $ery important, but it passes away' /hat we learn from and about (od in "is "oly Arthodo4 Church keeps on growing throughout our earthly life and all eternity' As Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharo$, of blessed memory, said, ?There is no end to that learning'@ So, in the beginning, when (od created our first parents Adam and +$e, "e made a $ery special place for them in the world to li$e where there was no possibility of anything bad happening, e$en death' That place is called the (arden of +den 5or sometimes, N&aradise9' -n order for Adam and +$e, and all their descendants, to be able to truly become like "im, (od had to gi$e them the ability to ha$e and to use personal freedom D the personal freedom to obey "im 5which is "is desire for us and what is best for us9, or to ignore and disobey "im' The more we obey "im, the closer we come to "im and the more we become like "im' The more we ignore and disobey "im, the farther away we go from "im and the more we become unlike "im' The ability to ha$e and to use personal freedom is what is called an ?image of (od@ in human beings' Anly human beings are gi$en this personal freedom' All other of (ods creatures are go$erned by the peculiarities of the species to which they belong' -n the (arden of +den, (od allowed Adam and +$e to be influenced by the e$il one 5also named Nthe de$il or Nsatan9 to see how they would use their personal freedom' /ell, Adam and +$e made the choice to ignore and disobey "is instruction to fast from the fruit of one special tree that grew in the center of the (arden of +den' 5Adam and +$es ability to decide one way or the other in their encounter with satans thought)suggestions is a clear indication of the personal freedom gi$en by (od to "is human creatures'9 Their decision to ignore and disobey (od had disastrous results, not only for them, but also for all their descendants, and e$en for the whole earth' /ith their bad decision 5called Nthe original sin9 something $ery strange happened deep down in the hearts of human beings, something like a contagious genetic spiritual sickness that only (od fully understands and can cure' And because of their disobedience, Adam and +$e could no longer li$e in the (arden of +den, and so they and their descendents became sub=ect to a way of life which (od did not want for them D a way of life filled with e$il, suffering, catastrophes, and finally, death' *ecause of the spiritual sickness of disobedience to (od, human beings then gradually changed from the best of (ods creatures to the most destructi$e and disrupti$e' .any e$en became what an Arthodo4 bishop from Serbia last year described as ?the meanest of animals'@ 5Ane of the first signs of this was the murder of Abel by his brother Cain'9 +$ery e$il, and e$ery natural disaster that has happened throughout history, is the result of the human ignorance or disobedience to (ods teachings' This may surprise us, and be hard for some of us to understand' *ut there is a spiritual connection between human sins and the natural order of the world' Science can not show or e4plain this connection' "owe$er, the science of ecology does indicate the destructi$e results on nature caused by selfish human decisions' Some people ask, ?/hy doesnt (od =ust take away human freedom and force us to li$e by "is teachings, and therefore stop all the e$ilK@ -f "e did, human beings would become =ust another species of animal 5maybe something like talking chimpan>ees without fur9, and that is not what (od wanted when "e created us' "uman disobedience to (od increased as time went by, and it became harder and harder for people to e$en know the difference between good and e$il' eath became the earthly destiny of e$ery human being, and e$ery day became a struggle to control the fear of death, since our strongest desire is to li$e fore$er' "uman beings became trapped in an e$il situation, and could not by themsel$es escape no matter what or how hard they tried' The more they ignored (od, the more they forgot about "is teachings' The more they forgot about "is teachings, the more disobedient they became' And the more disobedient they became, the more bad things happened' 6ow - want to tell you a little story that - heard a long time ago' - dont remember where - heard it, but - ha$e ne$er forgotten this story, and it has a special meaning for us' - dont remember it all, but it goes something like this: There once was a farmer who had a new barn on his farm' Ane day a big flock of birds, apparently flying south for the winter, all landed in his barnyard' -t was e$ening and a big storm was blowing in' -t got so bad that the flock of birds was in great danger' The farmer became concerned about the welfare of the birds and he went out and opened the barn doors and then tried to shoo the flock of birds into his barn where they would be safe' *ut the birds would not go in' They were frightened of him as well as the storm, and so would =ust scatter around the barnyard and become more and more in danger' After many tries at shooing the birds in, the farmer became so concerned that he prayed to (od: ?A "ea$enly Father, please turn me into one of those birds and make me their leader so that - can lead them into my barn where they will be safe from all harm'@

The meaning of the story is that ?becoming one of those@ is =ust what our Lord ,esus Christ, the Son of (od, did to sa$e us from the terrible conditions of disobedience and death' /hen the right time in human history came, ,esus agreed to be born of the Theotokos, the Mirgin .ary, and to grow and li$e as a real human being on earth, while still being (od at the same time' "e agreed to do this because of "is great lo$e for us, and because of "is total obedience to "is and our "ea$enly Father' *y "is appearance on earth, human beings could now, by following "is teachings in their e$eryday li$es, become like "im, and so be able to li$e fore$er together with "im in "is eternal kingdom of peace and happiness' /hen ,esus was born into this world he became completely sub=ect to its real human condition' "e suffered and endured e$ery e$il that any human being has e$er suffered, but without complaining or committing any sin whatsoe$er' "e was completely obedient to "is and our "ea$enly (od and Father' And because of "is passion, crucifi4ion, resurrection, and ascension into hea$en as a human being, "e was able to bestow e$en greater blessings on the human race and all creation than e4isted in the (arden of +den' Ten days after "is return to the right hand of (od the Father, on the great and holy day of &entecost, "e sent (od the "oly Spirit from "is Father into "is apostles who then started "is Arthodo4 Church' Through -ts holy .ysteries, e$ery human being, family, work, and society can be sanctified' Through -ts blessings all of the natural and man)made world can also be sanctified' -n the i$ine Liturgy we e4perience a foretaste of the hea$enly kingdom' +$en time itself is redeemed and sanctified by its daily, weekly, and yearly liturgical cycles of worship' And because of our "oly Tradition 5the continuing life of (od the "oly Spirit within the Church preser$ing "er as ?the pillar and ground of the truth@9, the Arthodo4 Church will always be ?the faith which was once and for all deli$ered to the saints'@ *ut e$en after all that ,esus did, and still does for human beings through "is "oly Church, people still ha$e the personal freedom to ignore and disobey "is teachings, in spite of all the bad conseLuences for themsel$es, others, and nature' And this situation will continue until "e comes again' Intil then, human beings, including Arthodo4 Christians D maybe e$en especially Arthodo4 Christians D will continue to suffer from wars, murders, shootings, ethnic cleansing, natural disasters, sickness, and death' *ut the ?(ood 6ews@ for us in all of this is that ,esus has conLuered death, and that true faith in "is resurrection can o$ercome our fear of death' *y ,esus death, "e transformed death for Arthodo4 Christians from a horrible tragedy into a new and indescribable birth into the eternal life that e$eryone longs for, with all creation and creatures at peace' -n the meantime, we should try to li$e a life of faithfulness to ,esus and "is promises' /e should learn to lo$e (od first of all, and our neighbors D e$en our enemies D as oursel$es' Aur saints tell us that if we lo$e our enemies, then we will not ha$e any enemies; e$eryone, good and bad, will be our neighbor' They also tell us that the lo$e of enemies is the greatest sign of the lo$e of (od: ?Father, forgi$e them, for they know not what they do'@ +$en so, ?the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak'@ This means that, because of the cooperation of our wayward desires with ?the world, the flesh, and the de$il,@ we will constantly fail in our spiritual efforts' "uman disobedience to (od will trick us, simply because we are surrounded by it on all sides, and still ha$e its seed in our hearts' And we will find oursel$es recaptured again and again by the ways, glamour, and demands of the sinful, ignorant, and disobedient world in which we li$e' That is why e$ery springtime, when nature begins to come back to life and renew itself, during the period we call the (reat Fast, our "oly Arthodo4 Church calls us to regain our spiritual perspecti$e, senses, and commitment through increased prayer and fasting' -t is also the time when we are to compare our thoughts and actions with the earthly life and teachings of our Lord, (od and Sa$ior, ,esus Christ' This teaches us true and sincere repentance, which is ?the gate to &aradise'@ 6ow repentance is not an apology to (od for breaking some rule or law with a promise to do better ne4t time, as little children do when they meet ?Santa Claus@ in the shopping malls before Christmas' Arthodo4 Christian repentance is a clear understanding that we are ?missing the mark@ of growing in the image and likeness of (od, which is the only reason that (od created us in the first place' 5-t could be called a ?paradigm shift@, as some $ery intelligent people in todays world would say'9 True repentance is a blessing from our all)good (od who lo$es mankind, because it opens our hearts and minds to the healing power and the grace of (od the "oly Spirit' -t is the cure for the terrible human sin of pride, ?which cannot bear to be sub=ect to anyone'@ *ut here again personal freedom comes into play: people ha$e to want to be cured' And so, dearest ones, at e$ery moment during the coming (reat Fast, let us rise up together and pray: ?A (od, grant me to make a new beginning, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the "oly Spirit,@ and to always remind oursel$es: ?From this day forth, from this hour, from this minute, let us lo$e (od abo$e all, and do "is holy will'@ Oour de$oted (randfather, eacon 6icholas P Fr' cn' 6icholas ,annakos ser$es at St' "erman Arthodo4 Christian Church in Littleton, Colorado' H 7333 by Arthodo4 Family Life and the original author5s9' I!L: http:JJwww'theologic'comJoflweb' This web site is donated and maintained by TheoLogic Systems, which pro$ides software and information tools for Arthodo4 Christians and parishes world wide' )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) &raying through *ad Times

.ost of the prayers found in Arthodo4 prayer books are taken from the ser$ice books the Church uses for public worship, so that e$en when a Christian is praying alone, he is praying with the Church' According to Fr' (eorge Floro$sky, ?&ersonal prayer is possible only in the conte4t of the community' 6obody is a Christian by himself, but only as a member of the *ody 0of Christ1' +$en in solitude, Nin the chamber, a Christian prays as a member of the redeemed community, of the Church'@ 5*ishop Gallistos /are, The Arthodo4 Church, p' 2329 *elow are some personal prayers that are especially good for ?praying through@ bad times D during illness, crisis, stress, or doubt' Oou may want to add them to your morning and e$ening prayers when needed' A &rayer for the Sick A Christ, Oou alone are prompt to defend us; Luickly $isit Oour suffering ser$ant, 5name9, and through the prayers of the Theotokos, deli$er 5him, her9 from sickness and bitter pain' "eal 5him, her9 so that 5he, she9 may sing to Oou and always praise Oou D for Oou alone lo$e mankind' A &rayer in Times of espair A Lord, it is so easy to walk with Oou when things go well and nothing seems wrong' Oet, now - feel as &eter must ha$e felt as he saw Oou walk toward him on the open sea' "e tried to come to Oou and then lost hope and began to sink' /hen - am down, come to me as you came to &eter' "elp me, e$en though my faith seems weak' &rayers for an -ncrease of Faith "elp me, A Lord, to hear the words Oou spoke to ,arius, whose daughter was cured: ? o not be afraid; only ha$e faith'@ "elp me to hear them, to understand them, to belie$e them, e$en though - say with the father of the possessed boy, ?- do not ha$e faith% "elp me where my faith falls short%@ "elp me, A Lord, to belie$e that Oour promise is true, that Oour words, unlike so many of mine, are not empty' Oou ha$e said, ?Let there be light,@ and there was light' Oou also said, ?+$eryone who looks upon the Son and belie$es in "im shall ha$e eternal life'@ "elp me, A Lord, to belie$e and to abide in your presence right now, that in the moments ahead - may dwell in your house fore$er' Amen' P See .ark 8:2C, .ark E:7F, and ,ohn C:F3 for the scriptural passages cited in the prayers abo$e' Taken from the Come To .e prayer book, ,ohnstown, &a': Christ the Sa$iour Seminary &ress, :EBC' H 7333 by Arthodo4 Family Life and the original author5s9' I!L: http:JJwww'theologic'comJoflweb' This web site is donated and maintained by TheoLogic Systems, which pro$ides software and information tools for Arthodo4 Christians and parishes world wide' )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Silent Spaces, Silent Times by Albert !ossi, &h' ' - am trying something new with my thirteen)year)old son, Tim' /hene$er were riding together in the car, he gets the radio half the time, and - get it the other half' "e chooses music for his time, which is usually the first half of the ride' Then coming back, after listening to a few minutes of news, - choose silence' (etting half the radio time was an act of courage for me, ha$ing frittered away my rights some time ago' - had allowed Tim to ha$e the radio rights, while - tried to ignore his music' Tim and - ha$e discussed silence and ha$e agreed that we can both be perfectly comfortable riding for long distances without talking' That takes the edge off needing incessant noise to compensate for the fact that we dont ha$e much to say right now' Silence is okay for us' /hen - was a boy, my father would sometimes ask me to ?sit@ on the porch swing with him' Sitting with my father meant swinging in total silence for ten or fifteen minutes' "e would then say, ?Thanks,@ and - was free to go' -t was a dadJson time, =ust him and me' And although - sometimes found it awkward, - must admit that - en=oyed the peace and forced intimacy' Time stood still' - would not ha$e offered or freely chosen such silence; yet - was glad he suggested it in a way couldnt easily refuse' As we parents age, hopefully we choose silence more' Choosing silence means being attenti$e to the still place within our hearts' /e can choose this still place when we shower in the morning, while dri$ing the car, or when we ha$e a few moments in the e$ening' -t is good for our children to see us silent' .y children sometimes find me Luietly meditating' At first, it was embarrassing for me and for them' 6ow they shrug it off as, ? ad doing his thing'@ Silence allows us to be present to (od through the prayer of the heart' For me, this means saying the ,esus &rayer, ?Lord ,esus Christ, Son of (od,@ as - inhale and, ?ha$e mercy on me a sinner,@ as - e4hale' Throughout the prayer, - am attenti$e to my breathing and the beating of my heart' Through the ages, great saints ha$e found the ,esus &rayer to be a powerful e4perience within the silence' /hen my wife was ali$e, she once said to me, ?"ow can you write articles on silence when your teenage daughter, whose stereo is always on, has a sign on her wall that says, N+$eryone is entitled to my opinionK@ This was a $alid point' &erhaps we all need to be more conscious of the role of silence in our li$es and stri$e to include more Luiet and prayerful spaces' Ane place for us to begin is to discuss the role of silence in our family' - kiddingly refer to my nineteen)year)old daughter as a ?telephone addict@ and to my thirteen)year)old son as a ?music addict'@ This gi$es us a starting point for further con$ersations about silence in out li$es'

/e Americans generally admire e4tro$erted personalities' -t might e$en be said that we idoli>e e4tro$ersion' /e are easily drawn to the persuasi$e speaker, the entertaining gossiper, the charming con$ersationalist, apart from what he or she might be saying' /e place high priority on the skill of assertion and easily admire those who ?take a backseat to no one'@ *ut the idoli>ation of e4tro$ersion and asserti$eness by adults is, - belie$e, the foundation for tolerating and encouraging promiscuous beha$ior in children' -n our family, we are adding a moment of silence to our common prayer before supper' /e are also trying, with mi4ed results, not to answer the phone during supper' At Christmas and &ascha, we gather in the li$ing room before the e$ening meal and e4tend the Luiet time to half and hour' Afterward, we discuss what the feast means to us at this point in our li$es' &erhaps what we need to do most is to pray< and pray< and pray' /e need to pray to be gi$en new and creati$e ways to recapture silent spaces and silent times within our family life' -t may $ery well be that the Luality of the life of the "oly Spirit in our family life depends upon our desire and skill to find ways to face "im, as a family, in silence as well as in dialogue; in Luiet times as well as in acti$ity' P Ariginally published in Ligourian maga>ines ?&arent to &arent@ column, ec' :EEF, and reprinted with permission from Ligourian, Ane Ligouri ri$e, Ligouri, .A' H 7333 by Arthodo4 Family Life and the original author5s9' I!L: http:JJwww'theologic'comJoflweb' This web site is donated and maintained by TheoLogic Systems, which pro$ides software and information tools for Arthodo4 Christians and parishes world wide' )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Fi$e &aths of !epentance ?/ould you like me to list also the paths of repentanceK They are numerous and Luite $aried, and all lead to hea$en' ?The first path of repentance is the condemnation of your own sins: N*e the first to admit your sins and you will be =ustified' For this reason, too, the prophet wrote: N- said, - will accuse myself of my sins to the Lord, and Oou forga$e the wickedness of my heart' Therefore, you too should condemn your own sins; that will be enough reason for the Lord to forgi$e you, for a man who condemns his own sins is slower to commit them again' !ouse you conscience to accuse yourself within your own house, lest it become your accuser before the =udgment seat of the Lord' ?That, then is one $ery good path of repentance' Another and no less $aluable one is to put out of our minds the harm done us be our enemies, in order to master our anger, and to forgi$e our fellow ser$ants sins against us' Then our own sins against the Lord will be forgi$en us' Thus you ha$e another way to atone for sin: NFor if you forgi$e your debtors, your hea$enly Father will forgi$e you' ? o you want to know of a third pathK -s consists of prayer that is fer$ent and careful and comes from the heart' ?-f you want to hear of a fourth, - will mention almsgi$ing, whose power is great and far)reaching' ?-f, moreo$er, a man li$es a modest, humble life, that, no less than the other things - ha$e mentioned, takes sin away' &roof of this is in the ta4)collector who had no good deeds to mention, but offered his humility instead and was relie$ed of the hea$y burden of sins' ?Thus - ha$e shown you fi$e paths of repentance: condemnation of your own sins, forgi$eness of our neighbors sins against us, prayer, almsgi$ing, and humility'@ D St' ,ohn Chrysostom, &atriarch of Constantinople 5QF3R A 9 Abstain from Sin, too% ?-nitially, men are made new by the rebirth of *aptism' Oet there is still reLuired a daily renewal to repair the shortcomings of our mortal nature, and whate$er degree of progress has been made, there is no one who should not be more ad$anced' All must therefore stri$e to ensure that on the day of redemption no one may be found in the sins of his former life' ?A special note of the 0upcoming1 &aschal feast it this: the whole Church re=oices in the forgi$eness of sins' -t re=oices in the forgi$eness not only of those who are reborn in "oly *aptism, but also those who are already numbered among (ods adopted children' ?/ith the return of that season marked out in a special way by the mystery of our redemption, and of the days that lead up to the &aschal feast, we are summoned more urgently to prepare oursel$es by a purification of spirit' ? ear friends, what the Christian should be doing at all times should be done now with greater care and de$otion, so that the (reat Fast en=oined by the Apostles may be fulfilled, not simply by abstinence from food but abo$e all by the renunciation of sin'@ D St' Leo the (reat, *ishop of !ome 5QFC: A 9 *eginning the (reat Fast by Angela "ays St' Leos statement reminds me of how often - do fail' - fail at both fasting from food as well as sin' - ha$e such a long way to go' The nice thing about the Ad$ent fast is that it is a good warm)up for the (reat Fast' - can see what areas of my fasting life need work and - can correct them in the ?off season@ between fasts' For instance, - disco$ered this past Ad$ent that restaurants are a ma=or pitfall for me while fasting' -ts easier to a$oid meat and dairy at home when theres only beans

and rice in the house' *ut, going out to eat with friends is another matter' For the upcoming (reat Fast, -$e set)up the following game plan: "a$e a meal cooking at home in the crock pot if possible' -m less likely to be tempted to stop for something to eat while -m out, if - know - already ha$e something good waiting at home' Gnow which restaurants ha$e fast)friendly food' - need to be prepared to suggest the restaurant first when -m with people who want to go out' Cafeterias, .e4ican, -talian, and -ndian restaurants usually ha$e something thats ?safe@' ecide what -m going to eat before - walk in the door' - dont let the smell of steak o$ertake my resol$e to order the $egetable plate' The struggle to o$ercome our fleshly desires is at the heart of fasting' /hether its fasting from food or sin, the struggle is still the same' P H 7333 by Arthodo4 Family Life and the original author5s9' I!L: http:JJwww'theologic'comJoflweb' This web site is donated and maintained by TheoLogic Systems, which pro$ides software and information tools for Arthodo4 Christians and parishes world wide' )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Teaching Oour Children about .oney S (od Aur families are bombarded on a daily basis with tele$ision commercials and newspaper ads that tell us to want and buy more and more things that we really dont need< As a nation, we are up to our eyeballs in credit)card debt and second mortgages, and ?financial an4iety@ is a ma=or factor in stress)related health problems' Since money is the most common means of e4changing goods and ser$ices in modern society 5debit cards notwithstanding9, we ha$e to teach our children from the earliest possible age how an Arthodo4 Christian approaches money' The ?lo$e of money is the root of all e$il@, according to - Timothy C::3, and while the actual money itself is neutral, the way we make it, sa$e it, and spend it can be either ?good@ or ?e$il@ and affect our =ourney toward sal$ation' 5,udas -scariot co$eted sil$er, and look what happened to him%9 /hat is money to an Arthodo4 ChristianK -n the 6icene Creed, the First and Second +cumenical Councils summari>ed the basics of the Arthodo4 Christian Faith, including the belief that (od the Father created the ?$isible and in$isible@ D the world we know and see, and the world of the angels, that we cant see D and that "e created e$erything from nothing 5see (enesis ::2:9' "e created the earth' "e created the plants and animals' "e created us' And "e created in us e$ery ability we possess: the ability to think, to reason, to make the decision to lo$e "im or re=ect "im' "e created in each of us uniLue talents and skills, so that we could act as caretakers for the rest of creation and ?mediate@ between "im and the world D offering part of it back to "im with praise and thanksgi$ing, and using the rest to sustain oursel$es' -n the Ald Testament, the ?offerings@ made to (od by "is followers were the most perfect birds, cal$es, lambs, and bulls, taken to the Temple to be killed and burned by the priests' (od was gi$en the ?first, choicest@ of what was raised by man' After the Sacrifice of Christ, the Church also offers the fruits of mans labor to (od D bread 5made from the wheat (od created9 and wine 5made from "is grapes9 D only to ha$e them returned to us, transformed, for our sal$ation' /e also understand stewardship D the gi$ing of our lo$e, talent, time, and the fruits of our labor D as our personal ?offering@ to "im through the Church' -n our society, we apply our talents and skills ?on the =ob@ or in a profession' The result of our labor cant usually be seen and Luantified easily D there arent :3 full bushels of wheat in the warehouse at the end of the day' -nstead, we recei$e a paycheck 5or a direct deposit notice9, which is the worlds measure of the ?$alue@ of our labors' For us, money is what we ha$e at the end of the day when we use the skills and talents (od has gi$en us in "is creation' .oney is the ?fruit@ we are able to offer back to (od D and the most significant in our cultural conte4t because money is our standard for all types of e4change' Ance we ha$e earned it and offered some back to (od, money is a tool we can use to do (ods work 5e'g', pro$ide for the homeless and hungry, spread the (ospel9 and pro$ide the necessities for our familys own life: food, clothing, shelter, education, sa$ings for emergencies and retirement' "ow can you teach that to childrenK The ACA epartment of Stewardship pamphlet ?(i$ing Children the Apportunity to (i$e@ recommends a fi$e)step approach to teaching children an Arthodo4 attitude toward money and financially supporting the Church' Let your children see you gi$e and let them gi$e' The first thing parents can do is make sure their children see them putting their en$elope in the offering basket e$ery time it is passed around' Children are ?copy)cats@ and will want to do the same' Toddlers can hold the familys en$elope and place it in the basket' The babas 5baba means ?(randmother@, not necessarily your own%9 custom of slipping each young child around them a Luarter to put in the basket is a good one: it allows them to participate in gi$ing, e$en if the money isnt actually ?their@ money' 5Aur Gatie started asking at the age of four, ?/heres my en$elopeK@ and didnt like gi$ing ?naked baby Luarters@'9 Teach your children about sharing' As children get older, much to the chagrin and subseLuent =oy of parents, they learn two things: that they can own things 5?my@ toys, ?my@ clothes, ?my@ fa$orite blanket9, and that other people also can own things' As this second reali>ation

hits, youre able to teach children about respecting others property and why we ?take care of things@, and you can teach them how to share' Children at this phase should be told, in simple terms, that (od ?owns@ e$erything 5since "e made it9 and that e$erything we ha$e is a ?gift@ from (od' "e shares with us, and we should be ready to share, too' +ncourage children to share any gifts of money they get for birthdays, namesdays, the 6ati$ity, or &ascha D to ?thank (od@ for the gift they recei$ed from a family member by gi$ing some of it back to "im at Church' 5-f (od ga$e us a delicious cake with frosting and sprinkles, wed want to cut it and gi$e "im a piece, rightK9 Teach them to gi$e part of the money they earn themsel$es' A child will e$entually begin to earn money on his own, whether in the form of an allowance gi$en for chores done in the home, or earnings from a paper route, babysitting, or a lawn)cutting business' This is the ne4t step: +4plain that people are able to work and earn money because (od has made them healthy, and gi$en them the talents, skills and raw materials they use in their work' They are now earning their own money, too' They are ?in charge@ of their money, and will decide how it is spent, but they need to remember to gi$e some back to (od e$ery week, =ust like .om5my9 and ad5dy9' This is why its so important for parents to set the e4ample of regular gi$ing right from the beginning% .ost parents sit down with their children when they first start earning their own money and teach them how to ?di$ide@ it for sa$ings 5e'g', for college or a car9 and spending 5mad money9' -ts $ery easy to include ?(od@ and ?the Church@ as one of the regular di$isions' &arents should not force children to gi$e part of their earnings' Children should make their offering on their own, howe$er small or large' Ance they start making an offering, they should be encouraged to ?keep at it,@ and gi$e consistently' There are two more ?lessons@ once a child understands and is comfortable with gi$ing from his own earnings: (ods part should be gi$en ?from the top@' -n the Ald Testament, the animals selected to be taken to the Temple for sacrifice to (od were always the $ery best from the herd, or the ?cream of the crop@' Anything less was not a fitting offering to (od' /ith money, you can start the idea in simple terms: young children can select the ?shiniest@ coins to go into the offering basket; older kids can take the bills or coins from the top of the stacks after theyre done counting' Later, you can e4plain and reinforce the idea of the first portion, and that to know what is the best 5fitting for tribute to (od9, you ha$e to look at e$erything and separate out the part that will be offered to (od before you do anything else' (i$ing to (od comes first D before the part de$oted to a new bike or computer game D because without "im we would ha$e nothing at all% (ods part should be significant' -n addition to being gi$en consistently and ?from the top@, our offerings should be a significant part of our earnings D a set percentage that is maintained as earnings rise and fall' The Ald Testament guideline for gi$ing was the ?tithe@, or :3T of total income 5see (enesis 7B:779' This is still the goal' -n our family, we started at a percentage we could struggle for and meet 58T9, and increased the percentage each year' The actual amount gi$en by young people is not important, but if they decide to gi$e :3T of what they earn from a paper route and follow through, they are more likely to tithe when they are through college and ha$e established a home and family of their own' Finally, it is important that children are taught that worldly wealth is not a sign of (ods blessings: the richest are not the most fa$ored, =ust as the poor are not the least D scorned' /e are cautioned against ?laying up treasures on earth@ and told in the (ospels to concentrate on spiritual treasure D coming to know (od D instead 5see .atthew C::E)739, and to use what we are allowed to ha$e wisely' ,oseph of Arimathea was a man of $ast wealth, but also a man of faith and great lo$e for (od' "e used his money to buy the pure linen to wrap Christs *ody, and the tomb that held "im briefly' A poor widow was praised by Christ for gi$ing the only two copper coins 5mites9 she had to help those less fortunate than herself, when others ga$e much more in amount 5see .ark :7:F:)FF9' P *ased on a si4)part series compiled by Fr' T' Stephen Gopestonsky for the parish bulletin of St' 6icholas Arthodo4 Church, .ogadore, Ahio' The series was published in :EE2 when ?Gids en$elopes@ were first made a$ailable through the Church school' by 6ichola Toda Grause H 7333 by Arthodo4 Family Life and the original author5s9' I!L: http:JJwww'theologic'comJoflweb' This web site is donated and maintained by TheoLogic Systems, which pro$ides software and information tools for Arthodo4 Christians and parishes world wide' ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) "elping Oour Sons Ser$e in the Altar by Subdeacon Sam Slimak /hat should parents of altar ser$ers e4pect when their sons ser$eK /hen your son ser$es for the first time, you should e4pect him to be ner$ous, apprehensi$e, e4cited, and perhaps e$en a little dismayed' The boys are learning many new things' Isually if a boy is dismayed, it is because he has been gi$en directions he was unprepared to recei$e, or he didnt get to do e$erything he wanted to do' This is normal' -f a parent has

any concerns, the rector 5priest in charge9 should be made aware' - ha$e seen a reluctance on the part of altar ser$ers and parents to ask the priest Luestions' !emember, there are no dumb Luestions' Aften directions are gi$en to altar ser$ers in a non)$erbal manner' A tug on the robe, a nudge to mo$e or stand, a hand signal, and direction gi$en through eye contact may be used in place of $erbal direction' Larger parishes use may microphones' - mention microphones because priests with microphones cannot gi$e a lot of $erbal direction, without those directions being heard by the whole assembly' The most difficult thing for some boys to ad=ust to is that hierarchical authority is the norm' Ser$ing is not go$erned by ?bottom up@ organi>ation, but rather, top down: bishop, priest, deacon, subdeacon, and finally the acolyte 5altar boy9' Oou should e4pect your sons to make mistakes' !est assured, the nature of the mistake may $ary from child to child and parish to parish, but one thing is certain: they will make mistakes' The error might be something as simple as going the wrong way or standing in the wrong spot for the younger ones' -n the case of misbeha$ior, the correcti$e action will depend on the priest and the type of misbeha$ior' -f you feel somewhat embarrassed as a parent, remember that somewhere in history, the same thing has occurred' &rayer in the Arthodo4 Church is physical' The word Nworship means to bend ones whole being to the will of (od' Aur whole being is made up of our bodies 5the physical9 and our souls 5the spiritual9' Therefore, we use our bodies when we worship' /e make the sign of the Cross, we bow both shallowly 5metania9 and deeply 5full metania9, we prostrate, and of course we stand' /orship is not a spectator sport' The standing is difficult for young and old alike' /hen boys stand at attention in their robes for e4tended periods without sLuirming or fidgeting, they can become sick to their stomachs or e$en di>>y and light)headed, especially if they hold a candle too close and focus their eyes on the flame' &lease keep in mind that children are encouraged to participate in many physical sports today' /hile worship is not a ?sport@, it should be prepared for in a similar manner' 6o responsible coach would send a player out onto the field if the player was not properly conditioned' This is always important, but especially so during (reat Lent' FreLuent attendance at all the ser$ices throughout Lent prepares the boys for the rigorous demands of &ascha' The Arthodo4 Church is a school for saints and sinners, and sometimes the acolytes are saints and sinners' /hat can parents do to helpK &arents should be prepared to ser$e' "ow can parents ser$eK &arents can ser$e by preparing their son to ser$e' .ost of the things that help a boy prepare to ser$e are things that all Arthodo4 Christians are encouraged to do' A li$ing, breathing e4ample is always best' That is one reason why (od ga$e us parents' !emember, the altar ser$er D along with all of us D is called to the $ery same le$el of Christian life as the bishop' The following represent a goal that we stri$e for in preparing for ser$ice: &repare to recei$e Communion' Aid younger children by helping them to abstain' 5This is for those who are of age for "oly Confession'9U Say the prayers in preparation for Communion with your children 5at least one, and ideally all the ones in your prayer book9' !ead the Scriptures D at least the +pistle and (ospel D for the Liturgy that morning' Aften the boys are occupied during the readings and may be somewhat distracted if they are younger' !eading the Scripture passages beforehand helps them retain their focus' (o to Mespers if possible' -n a $ery practical way, Mespers prepares children 5both boys and girls9 for the Liturgy' - ha$e long noted the positi$e difference in the childrens beha$ior when they attend Liturgy if they ha$e attended Mespers the night before' -f you dont belie$e me, try it yourself% Can an a boy ser$e if these things arent doneK Oes, he can' id - do all these things when - was youngerK 6o, but - ha$e found the abo$e to be $ery helpful and de$elopmental, and - highly recommend them' As Arthodo4 Christians we are called to do the good things that a priestJbishop does to prepare for Liturgy' All the things the priest or bishop does to prepare are nothing more than what we are all called to do' &rayer, fasting, almsgi$ing, etc' The standard for the altar ser$ers is no different' The difference for the boys is that now they are engaged in a task that is an obligation, a pri$ilege and a responsibility clearly delineated in the eyes of the young men for the ser$ice of (od' This is the boys first e4posure to a ?ministry@ presented in a hands)on fashion' This is an opportunity for the young men to learn by doing' /hat they are learning are the basic functions of being a bishop 5or his representati$e, the priest9 in the Arthodo4 Church parish' -f your parish has subdeacons or responsible older altar ser$ers, then a measure of discipline will always be present for the altar ser$ers' iscipline is always in force, but one priest and a large group of altar ser$ers may be a bit of a challenge' Some young boys can be $ery impetuous when they first start to ser$e' (enerally they know what they want to do and when they want to do it' This may be the first place they learn about serious order and discipline within the Church apart from their parents' Sometimes tasks need to be performed by someone more e4perienced or ha$e already been assigned' This presents a problem for those boys who insist on doing certain tasks' These young men D while often $ery capable D need to learn patience' - ha$e heard of altar ser$ers being asked not to ser$e, howe$er - ha$e ne$er seen that happen e$en from the ?worst misbeha$ior@' - belie$e that this is in recognition that (od is merciful and is Luick to forgi$e' Allowing those with the greatest difficulties to continue to ser$e may bring them to a better understanding of (ods grace' The forgi$eness that comes with repentance (od makes a$ailable to us all' The teen years present a uniLue challenge for parents and altar ser$ers' For some parents the teens may be acting inappropriately at home in some way, and the first notion might be to limit Communion or ser$ing' !emember, ser$ing is

an obligation, a responsibility, and a pri$ilege all at once, and if you ha$e doubts the parish priest should be consulted' !emember, the discipline of the Church would then dictate that the priests ad$ice be followed' (enerally, e$en the teen boys who are willing to ser$e ha$e a needJdesire to e4press displeasure or show a lackadaisical attitude towards ser$ing' This is the age that they may stop ser$ing, start standing in the back of the Church, and disappear during the (ospel and homily' A good parental e4ample, especially in a boys younger years, is especially important in pre$enting this separation' /hy do - mention the teen yearsK *ecause - belie$e this is the point at which the rele$ance of the Arthodo4 Church worship is being challenged and usually these young men may fail to see the worship of the Church as rele$ant to them' know - did' /hile this period of life is uniLue for each teenager, - would suggest that parents continue as best they can to encourage their teens to ser$e' -f children took Communion regularly when younger, they may discontinue regular Communion during their teen years e$en though they are in Church for Liturgy' Af course the early Arthodo4 Christian Church found infreLuent Communion an aberration, as witnessed by the writings of the earliest Church Fathers' Communion is the means by which our relationship with (od is strengthened and deepened' The reality of the +ucharist is the $ery reality ,esus Christ promised and the most needful thing during the teen years' The solution to the teen years becomes the problem of the teen years 5i'e', coming to the +ucharist9' The only comment ha$e is you should prepare yoursel$es for the teen years by teaching your children the rele$ance of the Liturgy early on by being a li$ing, breathing e4ample of participation in the Arthodo4 Christian life' There is one last thing e$ery parent will probably e4perience when their son begins ser$ing: surprise% Surprise that they can stand so long without sLuirming% Surprise that they can beha$e so well% The altar ser$er of today may be the bishop of tomorrow% U +ditors 6ote: This custom of abstaining after first Confession is seen mostly in the Sla$ic tradition' Ather traditions recommend much earlier pre)Communion abstinence for children, e'g', as soon as they are able' P Subdeacon Sam Slimak, a graduate of the ACA Cle$eland eanery Late Mocations program, ser$es, leads a weeknight adult study class, and shepherds young altar boys at St' 6icholas Arthodo4 Church, .ogadore, Ahio' "e and his wife, *onnie li$e in Canton, Ahio, with their three daughters' H 7333 by Arthodo4 Family Life and the original author5s9' I!L: http:JJwww'theologic'comJoflweb' This web site is donated and maintained by TheoLogic Systems, which pro$ides software and information tools for Arthodo4 Christians and parishes world wide' ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) The "oly .yrrhbearers Commemorated on the Third Sunday of &ascha .atins (ospel: .ark :C:E)73 +pistle: Acts C::)R (ospel: .ark :8:F2#:C:B An the second Sunday after the !esurrection, the Church celebrates the first witnesses of the Lords !esurrection D the women who came to anoint "is body with fragrant oils, the ?.yrrhbearers@ D and the men who buried "im, St' ,oseph of Arimathea S St' 6icodemus' ,esus Christ was crucified on Friday D the day before the Sabbath 5Saturday9 and the day before the Ald Testament &asso$er feast' /hen "e died, it was imperati$e that "e be buried before the Sabbath, because it was against the Law to work on the Sabbath' SS' ,oseph S 6icodemus took "is *ody down from the cross, hastily anointed the Lord with aloe and myrrh, and wrapped "im is a sheer strip of linen' They placed "im the newly)completed tomb D dug out of solid rock% D that was intended for the wealthy St' ,oseph when he died, and sealed the tomb with a massi$e stone' /hile St' &eter and the other male disciples slept, the women disciples of the Lord bought more e4pensi$e, fragrant oils and myrrh' They went to the tomb as soon as the Sabbath)day ended D in the middle of the night D to anoint "is body properly' As they walked, they discussed how they could e$en get into the tomb, sealed by the huge stone that was too big for them to mo$e' /hen they arri$ed, the tomb was open, and "e was gone% They made se$eral trips back and forth to ,erusalem, telling the disciples the good news, leading them back to the tomb, and searching for "is *ody to confirm the !esurrection the angels proclaimed' The faithful women who $isited the tomb of ,esus Christ on the morning of the !esurrection included: .ary .agdalene, from whom the Lord cast out se$en de$ils D she was the first witness to the !esurrection the Theotokos, referred to as ?.ary the mother of ,oses@ 5,oses was one of the sons of St' ,oseph the *ethrothed by his first wife; .ary was his step)mother9 ,oanna, the wife of Chou>a, the stewardJadministrator of Ging "erod Antipas Salome, a daughter of St' ,oseph the *etrothed by his first wife, who was also the wife of Vebedee and the mother of the Apostles ,ames and ,ohn After the !esurrection, St' .ary .agdalene went to !ome' Tradition teaches that when .ary first met the !oman emperor, Tiberius Caesar, she held a plain egg in her hand and greeted him with the words, ?Christ is risen%@ Tiberius

e4claimed: ?"ow can someone rise from the deadK This is hard to belie$e' -t is =ust as likely that Christ rose from the dead as it is that the egg you are holding will turn red'@ +$en as he spoke, the egg turned a brilliant red% She then preached the good news of ,esus Christ to the emperor and the imperial household' .ary .agdalene told Tiberius all that &ontius &ilate and the leaders of the ,ews had done to the Sa$ior' "er testimony was enough to condemn them to death' St' .ary .agdalene left !ome for the city of +phesus, where she died and was buried by the *ishop there, the Apostle ,ohn 5the Theologian9% +mperor Leo the /ise later mo$ed her relics to Constantinople' &araphrased from the Syna4arion of the Lenten Triodion and &enetcostarion, pp' :BF):BR' The feast of the "oly .yrrhbearer and +Lual)to)the)Apostles, .ary .agdalene, is ,uly 77nd 5August 2rd9' Gontakion for St' .ary .agdalene 5Tone 29 /ith others standing before the Sa$iorWs Cross, weeping and suffering with the .other of (od, glorious .ary .agdalene offered praises saying: /hat is this strange wonderK "e chooses to suffer /ho upholds the whole creation% (lory to Oour &ower, A Lord% Some Things To o ye some hard)boiled eggs bright red for &ascha' .any parishes dye enough eggs to bless and pass out to e$eryone at the end of the &aschal i$ine Liturgy; offer your familys help during "oly /eek to do this' iscuss why the egg is an ideal symbol for the !esurrection 56ew life emerges from an egg' +ggs look solid and ?dead@ before they hatch'9 !ead ,ohn 73:::):B together as a family' iscuss why .ary didnt recogni>e the Lord at first, mistaking him for a gardener 5She was weeping and looking for "is body, which she thought stolen or mo$ed by the groundskeepers' "e was radiant, and ali$e'9, and "e sent her away 5"e needed for her to spread the news to "is apostles Luickly, before "is ascension'9' P by 6ichola Toda Grause H 7333 by Arthodo4 Family Life and the original author5s9' I!L: http:JJwww'theologic'comJoflweb' This web site is donated and maintained by TheoLogic Systems, which pro$ides software and information tools for Arthodo4 Christians and parishes world wide' ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) *asic !ules for Acolytes /hen you are trained to ser$e as an acolyte, your priest will gi$e you precise instructions on how to $est, where to stand, when and how to hand o$er a needed item to the priest or deacon, etc' Oou will learn where to walk, how fast to walk, how to bow, and many other things' These instructions $ary among Arthodo4 =urisdictions D Antiochian, (reek, !omanian, Serbian, Sla$ic, etc' D and e$en from parish to parish depending on local practice, but there are some basic guidelines that are uni$ersal for ser$ers: The Sanctuary is holy, and access to it is restricted to a $ery few men' o not abuse the pri$ilege you ha$e been gi$en to enter the sanctuary for ser$ice by being disrespectful or entering the holy place unnecessarily' Arri$e early for ser$ices, according to the instruction of the priest in charge, so you ha$e time to prepare and $est without rushing' Late entries may distract the priest from his dutiesJprayers 5e'g', preparing the "oly (ifts at the Table of Ablation during proskomedia9' &repare for ser$ice with fasting, prayer, and freLuent "oly Confession' Abstain and plan to partake in "oly Communion at e$ery Liturgy' 5+$en if you are not scheduled to ser$e, prepare as if you were' Oou may be asked to replace a ser$er who is ill or absent'9 Follow the dietary rules for /ednesdays, Fridays, and the four fasting seasons seriously' ress properly for ser$ing (od' Shorts, =eans, T)shirts, tennis shoes, and other casual clothing are not appropriate, e$en when ?hidden@ by a robe' 5.ost priests reLuire that ser$ers wear dark)colored dress pants, button)down shirts, and black or brown leather street shoes'9 .ind your personal appearance' Come to ser$e with clean hands and face, and neatly combed hair cut in a conser$ati$e style' Lea$e distracting =ewelry D including earrings D at home' *e alert for hand signals and other instructions gi$en by the priest, deacon, or senior altar ser$ers' /hen an instruction is gi$en, follow it e4actly and immediately' o not talk or whisper in the sanctuary or while in procession in the 6a$e, unless it is to ask an important Luestion about your duties' (iggling, laughing, and fidgeting are not appropriate' /hen you are not performing a specific task, stand to the side and follow the ser$ice in your ser$ice book' Sing the responses, and read the prayers silently along with the priest' 6e$er walk in front of the "oly Altar 5i'e', between the Altar Table and the !oyal oors9' Anly the bishop, priest, and deacon may stand in front of the Altar while ser$ing' Take care of your robe 5e'g', folding it neatly after ser$ices, letting the priest know if a button is loose, etc'9' Clean up the sanctuary following ser$ices according to your priests instructions; this may include replacing candles or filling oil lamps, cleaning and polishing the censer and other brass items, or $acuuming' *e sure to tidy up the area where the antidoron is cut'

Adapted from A .anual for Altar Ser$ers, produced by the ACA iocese of the .idwestJCle$eland by 6ichola Toda Grause

eanery' P

H 7333 by Arthodo4 Family Life and the original author5s9' I!L: http:JJwww'theologic'comJoflweb' This web site is donated and maintained by TheoLogic Systems, which pro$ides software and information tools for Arthodo4 Christians and parishes world wide' )))))))))))))))))