They are not my words, but they are my prayer. May God bless the land where Orthodoxy first came to North America.
O God of earth and altar, bow down and hear our cry,
Our earthly rulers falter, our people drift and die;
The walls of gold entomb us, the swords of scorn divide;
Take not Thy thunder from us, but take away our pride.
From all that terror teaches, from lies of tongue and pen,
From all the easy speeches that comfort cruel men;
From sale and profanation of honor and the sword;
From sleep and from damnation, deliver us, good Lord!
Tie in a living tether, the prince and priest and thrall;
Bind all our lives together, smite us and save us all;
In ire and exultation aflame with faith and free,
Lift up a living nation, a single prayer to Thee.
--G.K. Chesterton
Lord, have mercy!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Fasting (it's still Lent for the Orthodox)
I snagged this from one of the new Orthodox links at the right: the blog of Fr. Joseph Huneycutt, Orthodixie.
It's from the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew.
Together with prayer, fasting is a critical form of ascetic discipline in the spiritual life. Physical practices of abstinence assist in breaking forceful habits that accrue within and harden the heart over years and even over generations. However, like the phenomenon of monasticism ... the aim of fasting is not to denigrate or destroy the body, which is always respected as "a temple of God" (1 Cor. 3:16). Rather, it is to refine the whole person, to render the faculties more subtle and sensitive to the outside world as well as to "the inner kingdom."
Fasting is another way of rejecting the split between heaven and earth.
Fasting implies a sense of freedom. Fasting is a way of not wanting, or wanting less, and of recognizing the wants of others. By abstaining from certain foods, we are not punishing ourselves but instead able to preserve proper value for all foods. Moreover, fasting implies alertness. By paying close attention to what we do, to the intake of food and the quantity of our possessions, we better appreciate the reality of suffering and the value of sharing.
Fasting begins as a form of detachment; however, when we learn what to let go of, we recognize what we should hold on to.
It's from the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew.
Together with prayer, fasting is a critical form of ascetic discipline in the spiritual life. Physical practices of abstinence assist in breaking forceful habits that accrue within and harden the heart over years and even over generations. However, like the phenomenon of monasticism ... the aim of fasting is not to denigrate or destroy the body, which is always respected as "a temple of God" (1 Cor. 3:16). Rather, it is to refine the whole person, to render the faculties more subtle and sensitive to the outside world as well as to "the inner kingdom."
Fasting is another way of rejecting the split between heaven and earth.
Fasting implies a sense of freedom. Fasting is a way of not wanting, or wanting less, and of recognizing the wants of others. By abstaining from certain foods, we are not punishing ourselves but instead able to preserve proper value for all foods. Moreover, fasting implies alertness. By paying close attention to what we do, to the intake of food and the quantity of our possessions, we better appreciate the reality of suffering and the value of sharing.
Fasting begins as a form of detachment; however, when we learn what to let go of, we recognize what we should hold on to.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Blow, blow, thou winter wind
I sang this one in the district choral festival in Kenosha, Wisconsin...in 1978!
Never saw it again either as a score or in a recording. But here it is on YouTube.
The "embed" command was disabled, but I've put the link to the page where you can listen.
Gorgeous piece, great Shakespere text, a real weeper.
Of all the recordings of this on YT (yeah, there are a bunch, and I had to suffer without the song for 30 years!!! :) this has the cleanest singing and the best tempo.
Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Never saw it again either as a score or in a recording. But here it is on YouTube.
The "embed" command was disabled, but I've put the link to the page where you can listen.
Gorgeous piece, great Shakespere text, a real weeper.
Of all the recordings of this on YT (yeah, there are a bunch, and I had to suffer without the song for 30 years!!! :) this has the cleanest singing and the best tempo.
Blow, blow, thou winter wind
March Rain
Rodney Hart doesn't like March rain. Thinks it's "bleah".
Rain in February or November is incomparably worse than March rain.
In February it brings thoughts of "Oh crap, it's still winter and this month was already devised to challenge even a saint's faith!"
In November it brings thoughts of "Winter is almost here and it's gonna be cold and ugly and this month was already devised to challenge even a saint's faith!"
But in March...
"Spring is so close I can feel it and even if it gets cold or yucky, I see the trees getting ready to burst forth and the sun is moving north and after all, it's the month that gives hope even to the vilest sinner!"
So Rodney's wrong. :)
Rain in February or November is incomparably worse than March rain.
In February it brings thoughts of "Oh crap, it's still winter and this month was already devised to challenge even a saint's faith!"
In November it brings thoughts of "Winter is almost here and it's gonna be cold and ugly and this month was already devised to challenge even a saint's faith!"
But in March...
"Spring is so close I can feel it and even if it gets cold or yucky, I see the trees getting ready to burst forth and the sun is moving north and after all, it's the month that gives hope even to the vilest sinner!"
So Rodney's wrong. :)
The Bishop by Anton Chekov
Here's a link to an interesting story by Chekov.
The Bishop
Thanks to St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Dallas for its voluminous website!
The Bishop
Thanks to St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Dallas for its voluminous website!
How the Pilgrim has wasted his morning
It's not been a total waste, of course. I took my walk, I mopped the kitchen and bathroom, and I marked the cuts in the opera score for Muddy River Opera Company rehearsal tonight.
But after that...
But after that...
It's Microsoft Train Simulator, using a route that follows the old Chicago Great Western Railroad from Chicago out to Oelwein, Iowa.
I rather went over the speed limit.
Oh yeah, I spent some time this afternoon updating the blog, changing the template, and making a simple header graphic...time wasted or not? You decide. :)
I rather went over the speed limit.
Oh yeah, I spent some time this afternoon updating the blog, changing the template, and making a simple header graphic...time wasted or not? You decide. :)
Cold, rainy, and yet...
I've been trying to get out and walk more lately.
It's problematic because I have chronic gout and it almost always goes to my feet. I do take medication and drink lots of water, but from time to time I'll have a lingering attack that, while not as painful as a full-blown assault, still makes walking distances quite the chore.
And yet...
Went out this morning determined to go at least around the block, perhaps as far as Washington Park (which is just three blocks away after all), and back. Good for the circulation, good for me period. One of my Lenten disciplines this year. (Remember, Pascha/Easter for the Orthodox isn't until April 27th.)
It was cool and it rained lightly. That's usually enough to turn me off but today it was different.
It had rained enough overnight to make the air smell really fresh--cold, but fresh. It was bracing, as they say.
At the park, rain dripped off the trees and while there was no sunlight per se, it still kind of sparkled and made everything look new and pretty. Even the new restroom construction didn't look so bad. :)
It was fairly quiet too, at 8 a.m. Most of the traffic was off on 4th Street and I stayed on the 5th Street side.
I headed back and stopped for a moment in front of St. Raphael Church (right next to the Busy Bistro) and looked at the ikons in the window. I have a key and thought about going in for a few minutes but decided in or out I was in the temple of the Lord and that was good enough for today.
Walked on...and my feet didn't hurt anymore and haven't since. Granted it's only a handful of hours, but not having aching dawgs is very much a blessing.
Combined with the fresh air, the lovely rain, the coolness, the beauty of ikons, and a day off, this has been and will continue to be a wonderful day.
Hope yours is too.
KNP
It's problematic because I have chronic gout and it almost always goes to my feet. I do take medication and drink lots of water, but from time to time I'll have a lingering attack that, while not as painful as a full-blown assault, still makes walking distances quite the chore.
And yet...
Went out this morning determined to go at least around the block, perhaps as far as Washington Park (which is just three blocks away after all), and back. Good for the circulation, good for me period. One of my Lenten disciplines this year. (Remember, Pascha/Easter for the Orthodox isn't until April 27th.)
It was cool and it rained lightly. That's usually enough to turn me off but today it was different.
It had rained enough overnight to make the air smell really fresh--cold, but fresh. It was bracing, as they say.
At the park, rain dripped off the trees and while there was no sunlight per se, it still kind of sparkled and made everything look new and pretty. Even the new restroom construction didn't look so bad. :)
It was fairly quiet too, at 8 a.m. Most of the traffic was off on 4th Street and I stayed on the 5th Street side.
I headed back and stopped for a moment in front of St. Raphael Church (right next to the Busy Bistro) and looked at the ikons in the window. I have a key and thought about going in for a few minutes but decided in or out I was in the temple of the Lord and that was good enough for today.
Walked on...and my feet didn't hurt anymore and haven't since. Granted it's only a handful of hours, but not having aching dawgs is very much a blessing.
Combined with the fresh air, the lovely rain, the coolness, the beauty of ikons, and a day off, this has been and will continue to be a wonderful day.
Hope yours is too.
KNP
Friday, March 14, 2008
Happy Pi-Day!
Yet more lack-of-seriosity on the Pilgrim.
I s'pose I should buckle down and make some comment on Quincy at some point.
Shout-out to Tookie whom I saw at a big event on Thursday.
Back to work.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Tell me it ain't so!
Mary Ann caught with weed?!
Alas, I am devastated.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080311/ap_on_en_tv/people_dawn_wells
Alas, I am devastated.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080311/ap_on_en_tv/people_dawn_wells
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Okay, okay I admit it!
The artist in my soul (music, iconography, poetry) was the one who turned me on to Orthodoxy.
But listen to this and tell me you wouldn't like to hear this around the throne of God.
http://
And yes, there are LOTS of people I'd like to hear making music around the throne of God, but this just transports me there, NOW.
I don't think I'm getting into the proper Lenten spirit though. Hoever this does move me to lift up my hands in praise and to weep tears of joy.
s'nami Bog!
But listen to this and tell me you wouldn't like to hear this around the throne of God.
http://
And yes, there are LOTS of people I'd like to hear making music around the throne of God, but this just transports me there, NOW.
I don't think I'm getting into the proper Lenten spirit though. Hoever this does move me to lift up my hands in praise and to weep tears of joy.
s'nami Bog!
Gospodi pomiloye!
Absolutely stunning performance of a Russian Orthodox piece. Don't ask me what the text is because it's written in Cyrillic and I can't read it. A comment says it's by Chesnokov (late 19th, early 20th c.) and translates to "Advice Most Eternal" but I haven't been able to figure out which piece it is in "standard" church practice.
But dear God it is so gorgeous it HURTS.
http://
But dear God it is so gorgeous it HURTS.
http://
I don't understand...
Father Thaddeus and Matushka Sally just got back from a mission trip to the Hogar Rafael Ayou orphanage in Guatemala. It's run by a group of Orthodox nuns. It sits in a rough part of Guatemala City.
When they took it over about 10 years ago it was stuffed with sick, diseased kids being "cared for" by the government. The beds (now used as rabbit hutches) were infested with cockroaches. Food was barely fit for animals.
Now it's cleam, well run, the kids are being educated, they're being loved and cared for, everything is beautiful...
Except that UNICEF is urging the government to take over all orphanages and ban private ones. Their methodology is basically blackmail: "you do what we want or we won't give you anymore monetary support." So the kids could end up back in the kind of hellhole the nuns lifted them out of a decade ago, and the nuns could be out on their ear.
Sorry UNICEF, but who the heck died and made YOU "king of the world"?
I thought you were about the kids, but clearly you're about something else.
What a pity.
(There's a link to the orphanage on the St. Raphael Church website in the list at the right).
When they took it over about 10 years ago it was stuffed with sick, diseased kids being "cared for" by the government. The beds (now used as rabbit hutches) were infested with cockroaches. Food was barely fit for animals.
Now it's cleam, well run, the kids are being educated, they're being loved and cared for, everything is beautiful...
Except that UNICEF is urging the government to take over all orphanages and ban private ones. Their methodology is basically blackmail: "you do what we want or we won't give you anymore monetary support." So the kids could end up back in the kind of hellhole the nuns lifted them out of a decade ago, and the nuns could be out on their ear.
Sorry UNICEF, but who the heck died and made YOU "king of the world"?
I thought you were about the kids, but clearly you're about something else.
What a pity.
(There's a link to the orphanage on the St. Raphael Church website in the list at the right).
Ahhh...Rachmaninov!
Been away a while--lots of stuff going on.
Sometime today (Sunday) I hope to update my list of links so if I haven't had you on the list, that should be fixed soon.
Some bright person left his cell phone in the newsroom at WTAD yesterday and so missed calls from family that they had a ticket to last night's Quincy Symphony Chorus concert. Grrrrumble. I'm told it was very good. My sister's little bit was lovely, an unbiased reviewer told me this morning (thanks Mary!)
And today is the Sunday of the Last Judgement in the Orthodox Church, Lent for us begins a week from tomorrow (Monday, March 10). So I was poking around listening to music that would get me in the proper mood and found Rachmaninov's All-Night Vigil, which then led me to some of his piano music.
Like this, the well-known G-minor prelude, played by Rachmaninov himself.
http://
Mmmmmm, very nice.
Then this one too, with Emil Gilels playing the C minor prelude.
http://
Unfortunately that got me all het up again, so I'll have to start over. :)
Sometime today (Sunday) I hope to update my list of links so if I haven't had you on the list, that should be fixed soon.
Some bright person left his cell phone in the newsroom at WTAD yesterday and so missed calls from family that they had a ticket to last night's Quincy Symphony Chorus concert. Grrrrumble. I'm told it was very good. My sister's little bit was lovely, an unbiased reviewer told me this morning (thanks Mary!)
And today is the Sunday of the Last Judgement in the Orthodox Church, Lent for us begins a week from tomorrow (Monday, March 10). So I was poking around listening to music that would get me in the proper mood and found Rachmaninov's All-Night Vigil, which then led me to some of his piano music.
Like this, the well-known G-minor prelude, played by Rachmaninov himself.
http://
Mmmmmm, very nice.
Then this one too, with Emil Gilels playing the C minor prelude.
http://
Unfortunately that got me all het up again, so I'll have to start over. :)
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