The Blessing of Fruit

Source: uncutmountainsupply.com

"Bless, O Lord, this new fruit of the vine ..." 

(Prayer at the Blessing of Grapes on the Transfiguration)

Blessing of Fruit - We bless grapes (mentioned prominently in the prayers) and all different kinds of fruit on the Feast of Transfiguration. I noticed that I did not specifically mention that in yesterday's "In the Life of the Parish." So, if you plan on being here on Thursday morning for the festal Liturgy, you may bring a basket of fruit and place it on the table in front prepared for that purpose. At the end of the Liturgy, all fruit baskets will be blessed through prayer and Holy Water. As Met. Kallistos Ware writes about the Feast:

"The Feast of the Transfiguration ... is not simply the commemoration of a past event in the life of Christ. Possessing an 'eschatological' dimension, it is turned towards the future - towards the 'splendor of the Resurrection at the Last Day,' towards the 'beauty of the divine Kingdom' which all Christians hope eventually to enjoy."

From The Festal Menaion: On the day of the feast, fish, wine and oil are allowed, but meat and animal products are not eaten, because it is within the fast before the Dormition of the Theotokos.

Dormition Fast Meditation

Source: archangelsbooks.com

Behold the Virgin, the daughter of Adam and Mother of God: because of Adam she commits her body to the earth, but because of her Son she gives her body to the heavenly tabernacle above. Let the holy city be blessed! Let it enjoy blessing upon blessing forever!

Let the angels go before the holy tent as it passes on; let them prepare her tomb carefully! Let the radiance of the Spirit beautify it! Let perfume be made ready, to anoint that wholly spotless, wholly fragrant body. Let a pure wave come and bathe it in blessings from the pure spring of blessing. “Let the earth rejoice” (Ps. 96.11), as her body is laid to rest; let the air leap as her spirit ascends! 

Let the breezes blow, filled with grace as soft as dew! Let all creation celebrate the ascent of the Mother of God!

—St. John of Damascus, A Discourse on the Dormition of Our Lady, the Mother of God, Homily III

Dormition Fast Meditation -- Procession of the Honorable Wood of the Lifegiving Cross of the Lord

Source: antiochpatriarchate.org

Longsuffering is a marvelous thing. It places the soul as in a quiet harbor, freeing it from tossings and evil spirits. And this is everywhere Christ has taught us, but especially now, when He is judged and dragged, and led about … But why was it that Pilate did not make the inquiry in their presence, but apart, having gone into the judgment hall? He suspected something great respecting Him. …

Concerning that of which Pilate must have desired to hear, namely, His Kingdom, He answered, saying, “My kingdom is not of this world.” That is, “I am indeed a King, yet not such an one as you suspect, but far more glorious” … But they cried out, “We have no king but Caesar.”

Of their own will they subjected themselves to punishment. Therefore also God gave them up, because they were the first to cast themselves out from His providence and superintendence … And why did they strive to kill Him in this manner? It was a shameful death.

Fearing therefore lest there should afterward be any remembrance of Him, they desired to bring Him to the accursed punishment, not knowing that truth is exalted by hindrances.

—St. John Chrysostom, Homilies LXXXV, 1, 2, 3, on John XIX

Reflection By An Inquirer

 

Source: ancientfaith.com

I received this from one of our more recent inquirers following the Liturgy on Sunday and the Gospel reading of the Multiplication of the Loaves (Matt. 14:14-22). I appreciate the honesty and openness of what is written, and asked permission to share it with the rest of the parish. Any given Liturgy and any given Gospel passage, can open us up to deep self-reflection, if we in turn arrive with an open mind and an open heart.

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Hello Father Steven,

I just wanted to expand on my feelings today during Liturgy. I spoke with you briefly, however, there was no way for me to convey everything that at once ran through me in an explosion of clarity. Writing also often helps me gather my thoughts to make more sense of them.

I have often wondered how, in the scriptures, so many directly saw the miracles of Christ and still did not believe. When reading I often try to place myself in the text to understand better. How could our Lord heal the blind and sick and still be doubted? How could He calm the seas and still be doubted? How could He run out demons from the people and still be doubted? I thought to myself that I would not have been among those that doubted. Can I, however, say that with confidence?

It is so easy to think you know something and yet still not fully understand. I have been to eleven Divine Liturgies now at Christ the Savior Church including the one held today. I knew what the Eucharist represented. And yet, for ten of those liturgies, I did not fully understand the miracle I was witnessing. I can now see that I was one in the multitudes that you described, unaware of a miracle happening right in front of me.

I now reflect that I was even resistant to the idea that simple wine and bread could be transformed into the body and blood of Christ. I have always prided myself for my scientific mind, and learning to have real faith in things I cannot logically comprehend is something I struggle with, though I wrestle with myself to change. When you said today that we may see miracles every day and not believe it due to attributing them to something else, those words rang so true to me. You described something I battle every day. How often have I been skeptical and even resistant? My mind is often closed to the truth and instead insists, “I will believe it when I see it.”

And yet I had “seen” for ten weeks, but only with an unopened mind incapable of true seeing. My “logical” mind took the Eucharist for purely a tradition passed down in honor of Christ. Today, at your words, something finally clicked and took my breath from me as I finally saw the truth that I had missed week after week. My Lord and my God was in front of me and yet I had not recognized Him, just as those who travelled on the road with Him after His resurrection.

It is deeply humbling to suddenly recognize your own blindness that stems from a misguided pride in the "logical" mind. Then I recognized the accompanying unbelief that my pride had led me to. While I felt in the moment that I was silly for the tears that then came to me, who would not weep?

The words of Mark 9:24 come to me now. “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

There is still so much for me to learn and I pray that my eyes continue to be opened to the truth. For now I will trust in our Lord that He will help my unbelief, if I but stretch out my hands and ask with a sincere and humble heart.

Deep Theology in Shallow Waters

Source: uncutmountainsupply.com

A warm anecdote that I asked the Harkins to share with the parish. 

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This is a small conversation Mae had with a young boy named Brightman she met playing in the waves at Fernandina Beach; he enthusiastically introduced himself, as Mae relayed to me later, and it struck Rhett and I how much the reality of the Trinity is expressed in our faith and naturally absorbed!

Brightman: “Hello! My name is Brightman…I believe in God. Do you believe in God?”

Mae: “Like Jesus Christ? You know, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?”

Brightman: “Yea!”

Mae: “So, you’re a Christian?”

Brightman: “Oh yea, I’m a BIG Christian.”

Mae: “Me too.”

Haha it was so sweet to me that that was the most natural first conversation for these kids, no agenda, just genuine interest; and that Mae immediately clarified exactly which “God” with the Holy Trinity!

In Christ,

Jenny