Sunday at Saint Joseph Orthodox Church
I am aware that a large number of Orthodox Christians have found my accounts of visiting the Orthodox Church. The Internet is mysterious. Sometimes a posting or article "makes the rounds," as they say. I want to thank the Orthodox brothers and sisters who came by and said hello.
Update 11 June: Father Early has posted a picture of us at Saint Joseph Orthodox Church last Sunday.
Last Sunday Jeanene and I continued our sabbatical Sundays at Saint Joseph Orthodox Church in Houston. They are a part of the Antiochian tradition of the Orthodox Church. Someone in the church mentioned a connection with Antioch of Syria, which is the place where the term "Christian" first came to be used. I've been told that a great many Arab Christians are a part of this ancient tradition.
The people at Saint Joseph were very friendly. A man came up to us when we entered and politely explained a few things. We arrived for the pre-service prayers. I highly recommend you going early to an Orthodox Church, because much goes on before the Divine Liturgy. Jeanene and I sat at the back. A man next to me struck up a conversation before the service. He was also very friendly and helpful. Later, when the Antidoron was passed around (Blessed but not consecrated bread that is shared with visitors), he made sure that Jeanene and I got some. As always, I'm touched by people who can turn some of their energy toward hospitality and making outsiders feel welcome.
Usually that's my job. When the service is over, my first move is to find those visiting and say hello. These last weeks the tables have been turned. I know it is a unique burden and calling to keep watch for visitors. Perhaps that is why is means so much to me when I am made welcome in this way.
I noticed a couple of distinctive things at SJOC. There were chairs, though they mostly went unused. There were times in the service where it was clearly common to sit down - during the sermon for example. That was nice, though I will say that it is a sacrifice to the aesthetic of the interior to include chairs. I would guess that is a tension Saint Joseph Orthodox Church must live with. If you make beauty and the perfect execution of your symbolic worship your highest goal, you run the risk of setting the Sabbath above humanity, which Christ taught us not to do. On the other hand, if you allow your church to become so user-friendly and comfortable that anyone feels at home, you have lost the distinctive nature of the Church.
I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to this, as long as the Church is asking the question and living in that tension.
I was also moved by something that happened at the beginning of the service. As the priest walked down the aisle toward the Iconostas, people reached out and touched the hem of his garment. I was told this is common only to the Antiochian Orthodox Church. This is the sort of thing that many Protestants would misunderstand and perhaps be suspicious of. We are historically wary of priests and elevating them too greatly. Remember that the Orthodox Church embraces mystery. So if you are visiting, it is best to be humble and always think the best of what you see. I likened this act to touching the mantle of the Torah as it is carried in Jewish worship to its honored place. The great mysteries of God and the collected prayers of the people are symbolically carried by the priest. Touching his robe is a way, I think, of connecting yourself humbly to such a large mystery. I found myself thinking of the woman who wanted only to touch the hem of the robe of Jesus.
I do not know why the people touch the priests robe. I offer only my impression of what I saw. That was the "mystical" experience I took from it anyway.
After the service I told someone that I was a Baptist minister from San Antonio on sabbatical. Believe it or not, some of the people in that church had been reading the stories of my worshipping at Orthodox churches. Someone told one of the priests that I was there - Father James Early - and he came over and said hello. We had a very nice chat. As always, it is a little strange to run into people who read my blog. They look at me as though they know me, which of course they do - parts of me anyway. And yet I don't know them. I always feel a little sad about that. Others have tried so hard to know me but I can't possibly return the honor.
Thank you Father Early and the saints of Saint Joseph Orthodox Church. You made us feel at home.
So now what should I do? Sunday is coming. Where should I go?
At this point I have no idea. There are not enough Sundays left for me to visit every kind of church. So I'm not thinking in that way. I'll see if some church seems to draw me by Friday. Perhaps the Spirit of God will be kind enough to lead his imperfect servant to some place where there is a lesson to be learned.
I will say this. I miss my friends at Covenant Baptist Church. You know, they're really the only friends we have that we see regularly - week in and week out. And now I'm not seeing them at all. It's nice to miss them. It's a good reminder of how important they are to me.
Visiting other churches has been a reminder of how large the Church is. As an ecumenical person, I believe that all Christians are brothers and sisters in the faith. Rather than argue theological points or debate the details of our Christology, I prefer to enter into worship with them, find what distinctive things they have to offer, and drink them up like fine wine. I feel deeply satisfied to know that the Orthodox Church is out there, worshipping with such careful observance of symbol and beauty. As one very small human being, I can't carry much of the burden of representing Christ in our world. So it's nice to know that the Church is bigger and deeper and wider than any one Christian can know or understand.
rlp
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Ecumenism
Submitted by Jared Cramer on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 14:39.As one very small human being, I can't carry much of the burden of representing Christ in our world. So it's nice to know that the Church is bigger and deeper and wider than any one Christian can know or understand.
This is so fundamental to the nature of the Christian church. The evangelical truth is that we cannot save ourselves. The catholic truth is that the broader church is a part of our salvation. Each truth helps the other make a bit more sense and, taken together, are not boards with which errant Christians are smacked but are grace-filled concepts that free us from the burden of accomplishing our own redemption.
Thanks, RLP.
=================
"We are told by the Holy Fathers that we are supposed to see in everything something for our salvation. If you can do this, you can be saved." Father Seraphim Rose, His Life and Works
http://www.jaredcramer.com
Another wonderful reflection...
Submitted by Mary Louise (not verified) on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 16:08.Glory to Jesus Christ!
Dear RLP Pastor Gordon- Thank you for these four reflections! As you've seen they have traveled far in the Orthodox (and the Eastern Catholic) world and have been much appreciated. I am a Roman Catholic in the US who spends much time in a Byzantine Catholic parish, what His Holiness John Paul II called "the other lung" of the Catholic church. On the occasions when my tiny BCC parish does not have Vigil services before Feasts I go to an Orthodox church for the Vigil, where they graciously welcome me, as these two beautiful communities welcomed you. They is a great blessing in my life.
You didn't mention that was Pentecost Sunday. When you travel East it's often traveling to a different calendar, too :-) Did you not prostrate on your knees? Two hours standing can seem long, but 2 minutes, repeated and repeated, on your knees on a wooden floor can seem like 2 hours :-)
Your warm and insightful descriptions of the worship and the communities you visited are a great boon for ecumenism. Thank you for taking the time to share them. The Holy Spirit has blessed you and all of us! You've brought the church closer together. May this also bring you closer to the plight of many of these earliest churches which are often suffering under great hardship today in their native lands or in the lands where they are refugees.
God bless!
Kneeling Prayers
Submitted by Kathy (not verified) on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 17:33.The first day to allow any kneeling in an Orthodox Church after Pascha is the Monday of the Holy Spirit, or in the west, Whitmonday. (Kneeling is only allowed on one Sunday during the entire year--the Sunday after the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross in September.) So there are lo-o-ong "kneeling prayers" at the Vespers service on Sunday PM, the liturgical beginning of the new day. Since very few churches actually do the Vespers service, it has become a custom in many of the OCA churches to incorporate these prayers at the end of Liturgy on Pentecost morning. I think we kneel for about 20 minutes to complete the whole set of special prayers. They are beautiful prayers, like all the vast repertoire of Orthodox traditions. Knee pads would be wonderful. God bless you as you serve God and seek His will.
Kneeling Prayers Vespers
Submitted by Mary Louise (not verified) on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 22:48.Thank you, Kathy for this bit of catechesis. I'm glad to know this. Ours was more like 10 minutes, not 20. I can temper the relative sadness of leaving Pascha behind by knowing that we may be down on all fours again, which I do love. The Orthodox Church I sometimes go to has a rug and it does make a difference :-)
I wanted to be a part of the
Submitted by rlp on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 20:45.I wanted to be a part of the kneeling service, but it was after the morning service, and we didn't have time to stay.
Dialogue of the devout
Submitted by rbarenblat on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 19:30.Rather than argue theological points or debate the details of our Christology, I prefer to enter into worship with them, find what distinctive things they have to offer, and drink them up like fine wine.
This is how my teacher Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi teaches, as well. He's written about entering into a dialogue of the devout, about the importance of talking with God together instead of talking at one another about God. When we enter into prayer together, whatever we may understand that to mean, we open ourselves to the possibility of new and deeper understandings.
I'm glad your sabbatical has been such a blessing for you in this way.
http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/
RE dialogue of the devout
Submitted by Carrie (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 07:16.The sentence you noted in rlp's blog was my favorite as well. Thanks for quoting Reb Schatchter-Shalomi about "the importance of talking with God together instead of talking at one another about God."
Amen, brother. This is what our world needs desperately today.
Carrie
RE dialogue of the devout
Submitted by Carrie (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 07:16.The sentence you noted in rlp's blog was my favorite as well. Thanks for quoting Reb Schatchter-Shalomi about "the importance of talking with God together instead of talking at one another about God."
Amen. This is what our world needs desperately today.
Carrie
INVITATION TO ATONEMENT
Submitted by Gil Garza on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 19:39.You should come and see the beautiful Anglican music and liturgy in full communion with Rome at Our Lady of the Atonement Church in San Antonio (http://www.atonementonline.com). Many folks at Atonement have made the journey that you are making including the pastor, Christopher Phillips and his wife. I would be happy if you and your wife were my guest next Sunday.
You'll also be interested to know that there are 22 autonomous Eastern Churches in full communion with Rome. These Churches maintain their own Liturgical and cultural traditions, music and Canon Law. The Roman Church is but one of 23 autonomous Churches that comprise the Catholic Church.
The best online resource that gives a fair historical overview of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches is: Eastern Christian Churches, A Brief Survey; by Ronald Roberson (http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=3 click on the table of contents at the left to navigate the book).
There are 5 Eastern Churches of Antiochian origin that are in full communion with Rome. They are the Maronite Catholic Church (which has always been in communion with Rome); The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church; The Syrian Catholic Church; The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church; and the Melkite Catholic Church. St. George Maronite Catholic Church is in San Antonio (http://www.stgeorgesa.org/). You can worship in Aramaic there in the ancient Antiochian way, just like the 1st Christians did!
Touching the hem
Submitted by tmatt (not verified) on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 23:12.You say they touched the hem of his vestments AT THE BEGINNING of the service?
Normally, this is done when the priest processes through the congregation carrying the bread and wine during the great entrance. He is carrying Christ's body to the altar. The reference is for the priest in that role, in that holy procession.
Was the priest carrying anything when you saw this happen?
I don't know when it was. I
Submitted by rlp on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 23:45.I don't know when it was. I thought it was at the beginning. Probably just remembering wrong. It's not like I was all that clear about when the stuff that was going on before stopped and the service proper began.
Touching the Hem
Submitted by Hilary Chala (not verified) on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 08:11.A rich blessing to have RLP come to our Church!
Yes Matt, the garments were touhed during what is called The Great Entrance when the gifts of bread and wine are transferred from the area of preperation to the Altar.
I do attend St. Joseph's Orthodox Church in Houston and we do commonly reach out and touch the priest or deacon's vestments. This tradition does come back from the woman with the issue of blood who was healed just by touching the hem of the garment of Christ.
Someone asked, if the gifts are not yet consecrated, what are we as Orthodox Christians doing and why? We understand the divinity of Christ, in its totality is such that if Christ touches something, then I can touch Christ by touching that same garment. We know the veracity of this from both the Old Testament (the mantle of Elija) and the New (both the miracles of Christ and we remember the letters of Paul recounting the same) and in our own generations (St. Nektarios of Aegina (1919+) is the first to come to mind who, at his death, while the nuns were changing his garments in the hospital, they laid them on the bed behind and the patient in that bed, upon touching St. Nektarios' clothing was immediately healed). In other words, I am not trying to touch the vestments of Fr. Matthew or Fr. James, or Deacon Mel, I am trying to touch Christ. The reason being is that we understand Christ to be the Physician of our Souls and Bodies and in the eyes of the Church we are all ill, either spiritually, physically or both. By touching something that has touched Christ, I am asking Him: "Lord, I do not even know the ways that I am ill, neither in my soul nor in my body; please heal that in me which is in need of healing. Nevertheless Your will, not mine."
This is an example of physical prayer we use in the Orthodox Church.
Also, I am both of Middle Eastern, Slavonic, and Greek background, this tradition is not limited to the Antiochian Orthodox Church, although this particular parish, which is mostly American, has fallen in love with the tradition and people, especially children, do line the aisle at the Great entrance and reach out and touch even the hem of the garment of the priest or deacon.
I have a vivid memory of an aged friend who died of cancer, he was from Jerusalem and every time the Great Entrance happened, he would kneel before the priest, who would then make the sign of the Cross over his head with the chalice, my friend would kiss the chalice and the Entrance would continue. It was always very moving for me to see that, and reminds me, teaches me, that all healing comes from God and true healing is the perfection of our souls.
I do hope this helps. Please feel free to ask any questions at all. Many of my friends have been following RLP's journey. Thank you again and God bless!
This Explains the Role of the Priest, and Honor to the Role
Submitted by Kathy (not verified) on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 18:30.Excerpted from a blog by Fr. John Memorich
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Today is the 20th anniversary of my ordination to the Holy Priest by Metropolitan Theodosius. This provides me with an excellent opportunity to pause and reflect upon the priesthood itself, as well as my own priestly ministry within this community.
If the Holy Priesthood is indeed the greatest of all earthly professions, perhaps we had best review exactly what it is that a priest is.
As a delegate of the local bishop, an Orthodox priest is the sacramental presence of Jesus Christ within a given parish community. He is to be an icon of the One, True High Priest in the midst of God's people and, as its spiritual leader, must emulate the Good Shepherd who not only tends to the flock's needs, but one who is ready to lay down his life for his flock as well. In the words of my beloved professor Fr. Alexander Schmemann,
"[The priest] is in the liturgy the visible icon of Christ –Christ who as Man stands before God uniting and representing in Himself all of us, and who as God gives us the divine gifts of forgiveness, grace of the Holy Spirit, and food of immortality... There can be therefore no liturgy, no worship of the Church without the priest for it is precisely his duty to 'change' the earthly and human congregation into the Church of God by perpetuating in it the mediating ministry of Christ."
In essence this reminds us of the priest's own unique tri-fold role within the Church as: pastor of the community, member of the community, and servant of the community. Yet perhaps the best example of what the priest is comes to us in the following story.
During World War II, King George VI of England was on the radio making an important speech concerning the war. In the middle of his speech an electric wire broke, preventing his voice from being carried to those who were listening. Realizing that there was no time to fix anything, an alert workman in the studio took the two wire ends in his hands and thus, became himself a part of the circuitry, allowing the king’s speech to continue. What that workman did for the king, every priest is called to do for Christ. He becomes part of the living circuit to bring the voice and presence of Christ to each of us today.
Many Church Fathers such as St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory the Theologian, describe the priest as an extraordinary "link" to God by referring to him as a "bridge between heaven and earth," and as a "ladder leading upward." The priest's task then is to keep the world of God and the world of man connected at all times.
One of Christ's first and greatest priests, St. Paul, reaffirms this as he describes all priests when he writes, "We are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us" (II Corinthians 5:20).
However, in the end, the greatest attribute of any priest is that he follows his Master's own example as a lover of mankind. Not a preacher, not a theologian, not an administrator, not a counselor, but as one who incarnates the very love of Jesus Christ to His people. That example, above all, manifested by the priest to his parishioners, will be the ultimate preacher, teacher, theologian, administrator and counselor!
Please continue to pray for me in my unworthiness,
Very Rev. Fr. John Memorich
Your Visits to the East
Submitted by Neil Foley (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 01:55.Reverend Atkinson,
Thank you very much for sharing the experience of your visits to the two Orthodox parishes. I'm a moderator at a forum populated chiefly by Eastern & Oriental Catholic and Orthodox Christians, which also numbers among its members others with an interest in and love for the East (Mary Louise, who posted above, is a member there as well). An Eastern Catholic deacon happened across your first entry and brought it to the attention of our members; since then, we've been closely following as you recount your experiences and I have to say how much we've enjoyed doing so.
As I posted on our forum
Lillian was the first to go down. After half an hour of standing, she was done. Jeanene took her over to a pew on the side wall. She slumped against Jeanene’s shoulder and stared at me with this stunned, rather betrayed look on her face.
“How could you have brought us to this insane place?”
Your openness to experiencing our way of worship and the respect with which you've approached it has been very much appreciated. I am confident that many in the Eastern & Oriental Christian communities, Catholic and Orthodox, would join with me in our traditional prayer, asking of God that He grant many years in health and happiness to you and your beloved family - Eis polla aeti, Despota.
Many years,
Neil
Thank you Neal, It has been
Submitted by rlp on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 07:03.Thank you Neal,
It has been a wonderful time for us. Eye and mind opening experiences. I was raised as a Southern Baptist here in Texas. I had never even heard of the Orthodox church until I got to seminary. And even then it was just a part of church history. In my part of the world, the Orthodox church is very much in the minority. I doubt if many people here would have any idea about how Orthodox churches differ from Roman Catholic churches, if indeed they even know of your existence.
So it has been nice. I have a feeling that I'll take opportunities to worship with you as I can in the years to come.
His Garmet
Submitted by a mother (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 07:32.''I was also moved by something that happened at the beginning of the service. As the priest walked down the aisle toward the Iconostas, people reached out and touched the hem of his garment. ''
As far as I know at that moment of the Liturgy the priest represent Iisus Hristos and the people that touched Him are 'that woman'.He hope to heal aour souls and body as she did:
"As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. [43] And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. [44] She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
[45] "Who touched me?" Jesus asked." Luke 8:42-49
The same think you will find uf you ever enter a orthodox romanian church.
Thank you for your lovely heart.
God bless!
Not only the various
Submitted by textjunkie (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 07:53.Not only the various Orthodox branches are reading this, Gordon--some of us die-hard Protestants are drinking these stories in as well. :) And enjoying them greatly!
I had visited a Syrian Orthodox church in Hungary a few years ago, but not during the service, just to see the church; and my friend who was serving as tour guide told me about the 2 hour services with no seats. Seats were for the old and sick! Boggled my mind, though I was reminded of some part of the OT where the people of Israel stood for hours listening to the scripture readings (was it before the rebuilding of the temple?).
Give me the Episcopalian aerobics every Sunday (sit; kneel; stand; sit; stand; kneel; sit...).
Not only the various
Submitted by textjunkie (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 07:54.Not only the various Orthodox branches are reading this, Gordon--some of us die-hard Protestants are drinking these stories in as well. :) And enjoying them greatly!
I had visited a Syrian Orthodox church in Hungary a few years ago, but not during the service, just to see the church; and my friend who was serving as tour guide told me about the 2 hour services with no seats. Seats were for the old and sick! Boggled my mind, though I was reminded of some part of the OT where the people of Israel stood for hours listening to the scripture readings (was it before the rebuilding of the temple?).
Give me the Episcopalian aerobics every Sunday (sit; kneel; stand; sit; stand; kneel; sit...).
New convert to Eastern Orthodoxy
Submitted by Juliana (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 12:01.What a wonderful description of your visit to an Eastern Orthodox parish. I am a recent convert to Orthodoxy, having converted on June 7, the same day you visited St Joseph's parish. My parish is also of the Antiochian tradition. The almost constant standing in the Orthodox Church is one of my favorite aspects of worship. We are in the presence of Christ our King, and when in the presence of royalty we do not sit. We stand; we bow; we kiss; we prostrate. All of these ancient practices add action to worship, taking us away from our thoughts and our emotions and back to where we are, back to why we are there - to worship God.
I am so delighted that you attended Divine Liturgy on Pentecost, the birth of the Church. May God continue to reveal Himself to you. "O, taste and see that the Lord is good."
Hello! My name is Magdalen,
Submitted by Magdalen (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 12:54.Hello! My name is Magdalen, and I'm one of those Orthodox that was directed to your blog, and have enjoyed your observations immensely. I was raised Orthodox (my father being a priest in the OCA) and so it is always interesting to see the impression we have on outside observers.
I thought I would offer some explanation of the "touching of the garment" that you noted at your recent experience.
This tradition actually originated, often in Romanian culture, from the faithful reaching out to the priest as he passed by with the Gifts, to ask him for his prayers as he offered up the Eucharist (which, if it occurs in the correct point in the service, he is about to do). Eventually, so many people did this that it became the liturgical practice for the priest to turn and bless all the people with the Gifts (rather than remembering each one individually and quite significantly lengthening this portion of the Liturgy), intoning: "You and all Orthodox Christians, may the Lord God remember in His kingdom, always now and ever and unto ages of ages."
However, as is often the case with cultural tradition, the original reason for reaching out to touch the priest's garment was forgotten, and is now mistakenly seen mostly as a symbolic expression of respect for the priest, or re-enactment of the woman touch Christ's garment.
Hope this offers some clarity.
Thank you again for your eloquent posts and for sharing your experiences. They are a pleasure to read.
"So if you are visiting, it
Submitted by Mary (not verified) on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 18:25."So if you are visiting, it is best to be humble and always think the best of what you see."
This statement alone says so very much about you. Thank you for your humble and open heart as you visited our parishes. May God continue to bless you.
WONDERFUL!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/27/2009 - 06:28.RLP,
I hope Father James Early comes to your congregation for a few services and prays there with you too!
That would be a truly open hearted dialogue.
A Truth Seeker-Tester