Prayer...It Isn't the Least...

 

This card features a picture of the stained glass of Assumption Cathedral in Denver, CO.  The colorless sketched glass allows natural light in without discoloring the gorgeous iconography.

 

What inspired this card?  I was tired of hearing people refer to prayer as the least they can do, as if prayer were a last resort.  "We can't be there so we will pray."  Prayer isn't the least.  It's the first and most important thing. 

There are time that we will need to do things for someone or even ourselves.  It is during those times we should first pray for God's will to be done.  We should pray for discernment, that we do the task correctly.  We should pray for strength do complete the task before us, to finish the job well.  And then we should do what needs to be done.

But there are also times when there is nothing we can do,  when it is out of our control.  We will know someone who has an addiction or is unforgiving; someone with an illness we can't cure. Then we pray for mercy, forgiveness, grace, intercession.

Below is one of my (most) favorite prayers...It is attributed to St. Philaret, of Moscow (1867) who is commemorated on November 19.

O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace. Help me in all things to rely upon Your holy will. In every hour of the day reveal Your will to me. Bless my dealings with all who surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul, and with the firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings. In unforseen events let me not forget that all are sent by You. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering or embarrassing others. Give me strength to bear the fatigue of this coming day with all that it will bring. Direct my will, teach me to pray, pray You Yourself in me. Amen. -

 

I Believe, I Confess, I Look for...

 

 

 

We all have to stop a few times in our lives when we have to regroup and ask ourselves... "What in the world am I doing?"  It's the time we have to stop and look at the foundation we've established which sometimes needs repair.  Did we get too materialistic?  Are we too vain?  Have we redefined God to our own parameters? 

 

During every Liturgy, Orthodox Christians recite the Nicene Creed (325 AD) to remind us what we believe, confess and are waiting for.  When was the last time you recited the Nicene Creed while paying attention to every line?  There are times when we recite it during Liturgy that I kind of space out a bit before it's over.  It's so frustrating.  I've noticed that when I break it down in my head into an outline, I stay attentive. 

 

THE NICENE CREED

I BELIEVE

Ø  In one God

§  Father Almighty

·       Creator of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible

§  And in one Lord Jesus Christ

·         Son of God

¨      the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages

¨      Light of Light

¨      true God of true God

¨      begotten, not created

¨      of one essence with the Father through Whom all things were made

·         came down from heaven (for us men and for our salvation)

·         and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

·         and became man

·         crucified for us under Pontius Pilate

·         suffered

·         and was buried

·         And He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures

·         He ascended into heaven

·         and is seated at the right hand of the Father

·         And He will come again with glory to judge the living and dead

·         His kingdom shall have no end

§  And in the Holy Spirit

·         the Lord

·         the Creator of life

·         Who proceeds from the Father

·         Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified

·         Who spoke through the prophets

Ø  In one Church

§  holy

§  catholic

§  and apostolic

I confess

Ø  one baptism for the forgiveness of sins

I look

Ø  for the resurrection of the dead

Ø  and the life of the age to come

Amen.

 

A Message of Good Tidings

 

 

I think blessings are grace filled and later I will have to blog

about the widow on the bus in NYC who blessed me with

"all your heart desires"...  the four words that changed my life.

When I was ten years old our parish women's organization, the Hellenic Mother's Club, gifted each fourth grader with a Bible of their own.  I loved that it wasn't a kid's Bible.  I loved that the priest signed it.  I loved that it was my very own. 

 

Although I didn't read the Bible all the time, I did read it.   I found it to be very comforting and challenging.  I would read it as if Jesus were talking directly to me.   I was the one in danger of being a goat and not a sheep (Mtt 25:31-46.)  I was one of the workers who were few in a harvest that was plentiful. (Mtt 9:37.)  And I was the branch who feared pruning (John 15:2.)  Since then I've acquired several other publications and translations of the Bible and have filled their margins with notes and deep thoughts but my first Bible has always been dear to me.

 

Last night, I opened my fourth grade Bible and read the inscription again.

 

"May the reading of this

Holy Bible open the eyes

of your mind to always

perceive the message of

good tidings." 

 

Father Constantine N Mitsos

 

 

 

To be honest I didn't understand this message when I was ten nor last night, at first.  I actually was surprised he didn't write some thing like "...open your heart..." or "...guide your life..."  But because I knew Fr. Mitsos to be a wise and prayerful man, I thought about it a bit more.

What did he mean by "eyes of your mind"?

What did he mean by "always perceive"?

What did he mean by "message of good tidings"?

Maybe he didn't mean for this blessing to be analyzed so deeply.  :)

He was very good at asking us questions that really made us think things through.  He wanted us to take ownership of our beliefs.  I really appreciated that as a kid.  And since he opened our minds to inquire, this is what I came up with. 
 

 I think he was tying to prepare us for a complicated world- a world where things don't always make sense on the surface - a world where there aren't happy endings outside of the knowledge of Christ and His Saving Grace.  I think he wanted us to be careful not to misquote the Bible, to use it in a way that would hurt people or manipulate a situation with fear.  I think he wanted us to be able to control our thoughts and not let our imagination get the better of us, especially if/when we feel hopeless or we despair.  And I think he wanted us to know that our faith isn't only an emotional reality but one that our whole being (mind, body and soul) participates in. 

Thank you Fr. Mitsos for all that you have taught us and for your blessing so many years ago.  May you find rest among the saints where there is no pain, no sorrow nor suffering, but life everlasting.

 

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How many times have you paused in the evenings to watch the sunset, to see God's glory?

May your good works cause people to pause for a moment to give God glory.  

 

 

 

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