Month: May 2005

  • I have Joachim and Anna on my mind. I  turned 15 weeks pregnant yesterday (Tuesday) . The  boys and I had a nice day yesterday.  I have several best friends and we all got together with our children for lunch at my friend’s house .  Between the four of us we have 11 dc with one on the way  I have been so sick these last 4 months that I have not been able to get together with my friends at all. Today was beautiful and all the children had so much  had fun. Anyway getting back to Joachim and Anna. If we have a boy we will name him Joachim. I just found out that a dear web friend of mine who lost her baby  last month  has given the baby the name Anna. I am so sad for my friend as we were having fun going through our pregnancies together and I am so sad for her loss. Please keep Lisa and Tommy in your prayers, they have been through so much.


    Here is one of my favorite icons of Sts. Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Mother of God.




    Saints Joachim and Anna


    September 22


    St. Joachim was of the tribe of Judah, and a descendant of King David. Anna was the daughter of Matthan the priest, of the tribe of Levi as was Aaron the High Priest. Matthan had three daughters: Mary, Zoia and Anna. Mary was married in Bethlehem and bore Salome; Zoia was also married in Bethlehem and bore Elisabeth, the mother of St. John the Forerunner; and Anna was married in Nazareth to Joachim, and in old age gave birth to Mary, the most holy Mother of God. Joachim and Anna had been married for fifty years, and were barren. They lived devoutly and quietly, using only a third of their income for themselves and giving a third to the poor and a third to the Temple, and they were well provided for. Once, when they were already old and were in Jerusalem to offer sacrifice to God, the High Priest, Issachar, upbraided Joachim, “You are not worthy to offer sacrifice with those childless hands.” Others who had children jostled Joachim, thrusting him back as unworthy. This caused great grief to the two aged souls, and they went home with very heavy hearts. Then the two of them gave themselves to prayer to God that He would work in them the wonder that He had worked in Abraham and Sarah, and give them a child to comfort their old age. God sent them His angel, who gave them tidings of the birth of “a daughter most blessed, by whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed, and through whom will come the salvation of the world.” Anna conceived at once, and in the ninth month gave birth to the holy Virgin Mary. St. Joachim lived for eighty years and Anna for seventy-nine, and they both entered into the kingdom of God.



    Troparion, Tone 5: Let us sing praises to Joachim and Anna,/ the couple honored by God/ (and they are His kinsmen)./ They have borne for us the Maiden/ who in a manner beyond understanding/ gave birth to Him Who though fleshless,/ became the incarnate to save the world./ With her they intercede for our souls.



    Kontakion, Tone 2: Anna rejoices, released from her barrenness,/ and nurses her most pure child./ She calls all people to glorify Him/ Who gave the Virgin Mother to mankind from her womb. 

  • For Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day :


    Beatitudes for Parents



    Blessed are the parents who refuse to compare their children with others.

    Blessed are the Fathers and Mothers who have learned to laugh, for it is the music of the child’s world.

    Blessed are those parents who accept the awkwardness of their growing children, letting each child grow at their own speed.

    Blessed are the parents who can say “No” without anger.

    Blessed are the parents who take their children to church, for it gladdens their hearts.

    Blessed are the parents who are teachable, for understanding brings love.

    Blessed are the parents who love their children in the midst of a hostile world, for love is the Greatest Gift of all.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Mothers in God’s Service



    Whether we are aware of it or not, we are all called to serve God. Whatever talents He has given us, we should choose to use in the service of His glorification. One such talent is the ability of a woman to care for the children she bears. She takes care of their physical needs and also tries to promote what she herself perceives as a need to know God. To women, God has given the wonderful mission of raising children, of building little temples for Him, raising another generation inspired to praise God.


    Orthodox Christians understand just how exalted motherhood is. Has God not willed to be incarnate of a woman – Mary, the blessed offspring of aged Joachim and Anna? She was found worthy to take part in the mystery of the incarnation, having perfected in her soul purity, humility, obedience, silence, simplicity and a gentle disposition. She knew that such is precious in the sight of God (I Pet. 3:4). And in the environment of her purity of mind and speech, as well as her quiet comportment, she raised her holy Son with gentle love and care. While she is unique in her holiness, she is absolutely beautiful in her humanity. Perhaps every woman cherishes the wish in her heart to have the special grace that renders the Mother of God the saint of saints and the model of purity and silence.


    To all who are called by God to motherhood, may it be granted not only to be worthy servants of His chosen flock, but also to take part in raising that God-glorifying generation. While God entrusts the leading to spiritual growth and development of virtues to many people, including priests and godparents, He chooses women to serve Him in motherhood, and we ought to understand that it is a holy calling. A woman worthy of being called “mother” is also worthy of being deemed “martyr” because raising children is a great sacrifice of self. Do not underestimate the serious and holy service you render when you accept from God to raise the little ones He gives you.


    Happy Mother’s Day! Reprinted with permission from Life Transfigured: A Journal of Orthodox Nuns, Vol. 21, No. 2, Summer 1989, p.10. Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Ellwood City, PA.

    © 1998 by Orthodox Family Life and the original author(s).
    URL: http://www.theologic.com/oflweb.

  • You know something? Only Moms get it! I am so sick and my mom gets it she just gets it!! Just like when I was going through my cancer. Granted this is a much more joyous reason to feel lousy!  Today Nicholas had little program at Kinders. I haven’t left my house in months but I was determined to get there! I took  some cold medicine (on top of the 4 months of queasiness I now have an horrific head cold and I have lost my voice) that is safe for pregnancy,   put on a jaunty new maternity outfit and headed out the door. I was so grateful my mom came up and drove Jonah and me.  The program was cute!!!! After the program,  in a burst of energy, due to the sunshine perhaps, I decided to take the boys for badly needed haircuts.  They are always so cute at the hairdressers, those ladies have known them since they were babies and the boys sit so still and adorable, they crack me up.  Then Fr. met us and took them to the park. My mom and I went for pedicures. My treat for Mother’s day. I was feeling so hopeful and full of life that I called Connie and said maybe , just maybe I will be able to join them for our monthly girl’s night out dinner. I have missed at least the last 3.   Well……………  I was ready to pass out by the time I walked out the door of the nail place…..And my mom just gets it! Thank God! Yesterday she  appeared at my bedroom door with homemade soup! I did not have my contacts in or my glasses on , I thought I was DREAMING!!!! My mom is an ANGEL on EARTH! Thank you Mom!


    ~  Happy Early Mother’s Day!   ~

  • Christ is Risen! He has Risen Indeed!


    “Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and to those in the tombs bestowing life!”







    Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!




    Description of Great and Holy Pascha


    Mary Magdalene, and the other women who were present at the burial of our Saviour on Friday evening, returned from Golgotha to the city and prepared fragrant spices and myrrh, so that they might anoint the body of Jesus. On the morrow, because of the law which forbids work on the day of the Sabbath, they rested for the whole day. But at early dawn on the Sunday that followed, almost thirty-six hours since the death of the Life-giving Redeemer, they came to the sepulchre with the spices to anoint His body. While they were considering the difficulty of rolling away the stone from the door of the sepulchre, there was a fearful earthquake; and an Angel, whose countenance shone like lightning and whose garment was white as snow, rolled away the stone and sat upon it. The guards that were there became as dead from fear and took to flight. The women, however, went into the sepulchre, but did not find the Lord’s body. Instead, they saw two other Angels in the form of youths clothed in white, who told them that the Saviour was risen, and they sent forth the women, who ran to proclaim to the disciples these gladsome tidings. Then Peter and John arrived, having learned from Mary Magdalene what had come to pass, and when they entered the tomb, they found only the winding sheets. Therefore, they returned again to the city with joy, as heralds now of the supernatural Resurrection of Christ, Who in truth was seen alive by the disciples on this day on five occasions.

    Our Lord, then, was crucified, died, and was buried on Friday, before the setting of the sun, which was the first of His “three days” in the grave; observing the mystical Sabbath, that “seventh day” in which it is said that the Lord “rested from all His works” (Gen. 2:2-3), He passed all of Saturday in the grave; and He arose “while it was yet dark, very early in the morning” on Sunday, the third day, which, according to the Hebrew reckoning, began after sunset on Saturday.

    As we celebrate today this joyous Resurrection, we greet and embrace one another in Christ, thereby demonstrating our Saviour’s victory over death and corruption, and the destruction of our ancient enmity with God, and His reconciliation toward us, and our inheritance of life everlasting. The feast itself is called Pascha, which is derived from the Hebrew word which means “passover”; because Christ, Who suffered and arose, has made us to pass over from the curse of Adam and slavery to the devil and death unto our primal freedom and blessedness. In addition, this day of this particular week, which is the first of all the rest, is dedicated to the honour of the Lord; in honour and remembrance of the Resurrection, the Apostles transferred to this day the rest from labour that was formerly assigned to the Sabbath of the ancient Law.


    The Paschal Greeting


    “Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is risen!”



    During the season of Pascha (through to the feast of the Leavetaking of Pascha, the day before the Ascension), it is traditional to greet the faithful with a joyful ‘Christ is Risen!’, to which the other party responds, ‘Indeed, He is risen!’ Below are transliterations of this Paschal greeting into 59 languages.
















































































































































































































































    English: Christ is Risen! Indeed He is risen!
    Albanian: Khrishti unjal! Vertet unjal!
    Aleut: Khristus anahgrecum! Alhecum anahgrecum!
    Alutuq: Khris-tusaq ung-uixtuq! Pijii-nuq ung-uixtuq!
    Amharic: Kristos tenestwal! Bergit tenestwal!
    Anglo-Saxon: Crist aras! Crist sodhlice aras!
    Arabic: El Messieh kahm! Hakken kahm!
    Armenian: Kristos haryav ee merelotz! Orhnial eh harootyunuh kristosee!
    Aroman: Hristolu unghia! Daleehira unghia!
    Athabascan: Xristosi banuytashtch’ey! Gheli banuytashtch’ey!
    Bulgarian: Hristos voskrese! Vo istina voskrese!
    Byelorussian: Khrystos uvaskros! Sapraudy uvaskros!
    Chinese: Helisituosi fuhuole! Queshi fuhuole!
    Coptic: Christos anesti! Alithos anesti!
    Czech: Kristus vstal a mrtvych! Opravdi vstoupil!
    Danish: Kristus er opstanden! I sandhed Han er Opstanden!
    (or Sandelig Han er Opstanden!)
    Dutch: Christus is opgestaan! Ja, hij is waarlijk opgestaan!
    Eritrean-Tigre: Christos tensiou! Bahake tensiou!
    Esperanto: Kristo levigis! Vere levigis!
    Estonian: Kristus on oolestoosunt! Toayestee on oolestoosunt!
    Ethiopian: Christos t’ensah em’ muhtan! Exai’ ab-her eokala!
    Finnish: Kristus nousi kuolleista! Totisesti nousi!
    French: Le Christ est ressuscite! En verite il est ressuscite!
    Gaelic: Kriost eirgim! Eirgim!
    Georgian: Kriste ahzdkhah! Chezdmaridet!
    German: Christus ist erstanden! Er ist wahrhaftig erstanden!
    Greek: Christos anesti! Alithos anesti!
    Hawaiian: Ua ala hou `o Kristo! Ua ala `I `o no `oia!
    Hebrew: Ha Masheeha houh kam! A ken kam! (or Be emet quam!)
    Icelandic: Kristur er upprisinn! Hann er vissulega upprisinn!
    Indonesian: Kristus telah bangkit! Benar dia telah bangkit!
    Italian: Cristo e’ risorto! Veramente e’ risorto!
    Japanese: Harisutosu Fukkatsu! Jitsu ni Fukkatsu!
    Javanese: Kristus sampun wungu! Saesto panjene ganipun sampun wungu!
    Korean: Kristo gesso! Buhar ha sho nay!
    Latin: Christus resurrexit! Vere resurrexit!
    Latvian: Kristus ir augsham sales! Teyasham ir augsham sales vinsch!
    Lugandan: Kristo ajukkide! Amajim ajukkide!
    Malayalam (Indian): Christu uyirthezhunnettu! Theerchayayum uyirthezhunnettu!
    Nigerian: Jesu Kristi ebiliwo! Ezia o’ biliwo!
    Norwegian: Kristus er oppstanden! Han er sannelig oppstanden!
    Polish: Khristus zmartvikstau! Zaiste zmartvikstau!
    Portugese: Cristo ressuscitou! Em verdade ressuscitou!
    Romanian: Cristos a inviat! Adevarat a inviat!
    Russian: Khristos voskrese! Voistinu voskrese!
    Sanskrit: Kristo’pastitaha! Satvam upastitaha!
    Serbian: Cristos vaskres! Vaistinu vaskres!
    Slovak: Kristus vstal zmr’tvych! Skutoc ne vstal!
    Spanish: Cristo ha resucitado! En verdad ha resucitado!
    Swahili: Kristo amefufukka! Kweli Amefufukka!
    Swedish: Christus ar uppstanden! Han ar verkligen uppstanden!
    Syriac: M’shee ho dkom! Ha koo qam!
    Tlingit: Xristos Kuxwoo-digoot! Xegaa-kux Kuxwoo-digoot!
    Turkish: Hristos diril-di! Hakikaten diril-di!
    Ugandan: Kristo ajukkide! Kweli ajukkide!
    Ukranian: Khristos voskres! Voistinu voskres!
    Welsh: Atgyfododd Crist! Atgyfododd yn wir!
    Yupik: Xris-tusaq Ung-uixtuq! Iluumun Ung-uixtuq!
    Zulu: Ukristu uvukile! Uvukile kuphela!

  • This Homily is one of the things I look forward to every year at Pascha!


    The Paschal Homily


    Of Our Father Among the Saints, St John Chrysostom



    The Paschal sermon of St John Chrysostom is read aloud in every Orthodox parish on the morning of the Great and Holy Pascha of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.



    If any man be devout and loveth 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 laboured long in fasting,
    Let him how 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 therefore.
    If any have delayed until the ninth hour,
    Let him draw near, fearing nothing.
    And 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 honour,
    Will accept the last even as the first.
    He giveth rest unto him who cometh at the eleventh hour,
    Even as unto him who hath wrought from the first hour.
    And He showeth mercy upon the last,
    And careth for the first;
    And to the one He giveth,
    And upon the other He bestoweth gifts.
    And He both accepteth the deeds,
    And welcometh the intention,
    And honoureth the acts and praises the offering.


    Wherefore, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord;
    Receive your reward,
    Both the first, and likewise the second.
    You rich and poor together, hold high festival!
    You sober and you heedless, honour 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 Saviour’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 thy sting?
    O Hell, where is thy victory?


    Christ is risen, and thou art 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.