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ORIGINAL: Heavendweller

I was received into the Holy Orthodox Church this past Lazarus Saturday.

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ORIGINAL: Heavendweller

A Blessed Holy Week to All!

I was received into the Holy Orthodox Church this past Lazarus Saturday. My daughter came because as she said, "If you want me to be there, I will come." It was her first time in an Orthodox Church.

I look forward to peaceful fellowship with all of you here. It has been a looong journey for me from Protestant Evangelicalism to the ancient faith of Orthodoxy. Many tears have been shed, and many prayers offered up, and now I anticipate life in Christ in the Church and partaking of the Holy Mysteries.

May His Peace rest upon each of you this Pascha Season.

Heavendweller (Darlene Nonna)

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ORIGINAL: kielbasa

Cool! More people!

Maria, I think a good captions for your (extremely adorable) avatar would be "incense?!"

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ORIGINAL: kielbasa

Oooh--another question for our Orthodox brethren (I just like the word brethren ):

I have only been to services in the nearest Orthodox Church, which is Greek. Most of the service was in Greek (and my Greek really stinks!) Do Russian Orthodox Churches have services in Russian, and American Orthodox have services in English, etc?

Sorry if that is a dumb question--I *can* be even dumber--when I was younger I thought all Orthodox were Greek Orthodox . But that was only because every Orthodox church I had ever been in was a GO church

But I would like to go to an American Orthodox service, if it were in English.

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This past Palm Sunday, as I approached to receive our Lord Jesus in this Holy Mystery, I could not keep from weeping. Afterward, I was filled with fear and trembling, but not in a distressing sort of way. Rather, not unlike Isaiah when upon seeing God he exclaimed, "I am a man of unclean lips." When we are in God's very presence, participating in the Life of the Creator, is it not an awesome yet wonderful place to be? "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. All the prophets knew this. We should know this as well when approaching Him in the Holy Mysteries. When we confess our sins, do we not confess to the Savior of our soul? He is immediately present as we pour out our hearts to the Living God. The Lord humbled me in a most profound way during my first confession. Again, at various times I could not contain my weeping.

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ORIGINAL: kielbasa

Sure, Peter, you can chat with us.

Just remember this is a friendly haven for us, and if there is something you want to discuss other than that, you need to do it in a different thread.

Why don't you tell us what your church is doing for Holy Week?

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ORIGINAL: Heavendweller

Thanks everyone, for the welcome. My heart has truly found a resting place in the Orthodox faith.

I have found such comfort in the Holy Mysteries. I consider it a privelege to partake of the Eucharist. What a sobering yet joyful thought that as we approach the chalice, we are anticipating partaking of the very Body of our Lord Jesus and the very Blood of our Lord Jesus. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"

This past Palm Sunday, as I approached to receive our Lord Jesus in this Holy Mystery, I could not keep from weeping. Afterward, I was filled with fear and trembling, but not in a distressing sort of way. Rather, not unlike Isaiah when upon seeing God he exclaimed, "I am a man of unclean lips." When we are in God's very presence, participating in the Life of the Creator, is it not an awesome yet wonderful place to be? "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. All the prophets knew this. We should know this as well when approaching Him in the Holy Mysteries. When we confess our sins, do we not confess to the Savior of our soul? He is immediately present as we pour out our hearts to the Living God. The Lord humbled me in a most profound way during my first confession. Again, at various times I could not contain my weeping.

As we near the day of our Lord's Passion, may we examine ourselves and worship Him in heartfelt contrition and praise.

Glory to our God now and always and unto the ages of ages!

Darlene Nonna

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ORIGINAL: Dred

The Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom:

If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in nowise be deprived therefor. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honor, will accept the last even as the first; he gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour.

And he shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one he gives, and upon the other he bestows gifts. And he both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering. Wherefore, enter you all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.

Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior's death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.

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ORIGINAL: JesKlu


I love St John Chrysostom! He's my favorite early church father.

Jessica