The Arrow's Path

Eastern Orthodox perspective on " The Rapture ."

I have always been curious, and more than a bit distressed, that the Revised Common Lectionary uses so little of the Book of Acts in the 3 year cycle of readings for Sunday. I think I read somewhere (I think in a work by Methodist Bishop William Willimon), that the RCL only uses less than 20% of the Book of Acts in the entire 3-year cycle.  I did not do the exact math, but as far as I can tell by looking at the index of the RCL, that appears to be about right. I always wondered why that was exactly because the stories are phenomenonal. The themes of how the early church expanded are truly staggering and to the point in a Post-Modern/Post-Christendom/Post-Whatever Western world. In some ways, I think the problems that the Church in the West now faces from the larger, secular culture are not all that dissimilar to what the church faced in the 1st century. We don't have persecutions or such as that, but we do largely face a secular culture that does not know or understand Christiani...

Click here for the slideshow. Pretty neat stuff...

As most of my friends and family know, I turned the big 3-0 this week. A lot of people have told me that turning 30 was a major milestone in their lives, or perhaps a very real sense of foreboding about turning 30. I think this in part has to do with the folk that came of age in the 1960's that had a real mantra of "Don't trust anyone over 30." My generation did not really have that counter-cultural thing going as a rally cry, so I did not see turning 30 as such a big milestone in my life. In some ways, I think I have behaved and identified as a 30-something for a while. Being a 20-something is largely a holding pattern between your college years and your life in your 30's as you settle into your professional and family life. Ironically, most older people I talked to said they would not be 30 again for anything. Yes, you are a bit older, hopefully a bit wiser, but I think its a great time. I am looking forward to life as a 30-something.

Nebraska joining the Big Ten conference ? I will dispose of all Nebraska paraphernalia I own if this happens. I will stop watching college football if a Texas team joins the South Eastern Conference. I can't believe anybody seriously thinks any of these demographic pairings is a good idea. 

Over a half century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of old people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened." Since then I have spent well-nigh 50 years working on the history of our revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened. -Alexander Solzhenitsyn – "Voice from the Gulag" Eternity , October 1985, pp. 23, 24.

I have sponsored a child through World Vision  for about 3 years now. She is in Armenia, and it has been a good experience. I learned today that World Vision is doing another program involving Micro Loans to would-be entrepreneurs in developing countries . The interesting kicker is that when the loan gets repaid, the money you initially invested gets re-invested with another would be entrepreneur . And so on and on... For the investor, it is basically a charitable donation. You, personally, do not get any of your money back, but it does get reinvested. I find that an interesting concept. It truly is a gift that keeps on giving.

An Update from the American Friends of the Diocese of Jerusalem ------------------------------------------ We've shared the wonderful news about 8 classrooms added to Christ School in Nazareth last fall.  Now more schools are adding capacity to begin to address the overwhelming need for Christian education in the region.  Parents trust the Diocese of Jerusalem to instill values and faith in addition to strong academics. They know that a well-educated community will make better choices and improve the chances for peace.  What a gift you've provided!              Arab Episcopal School in Irbid, Jordan has been praised for its work with blind and low vision students in addition to those with normal sight. Mainstreaming disabled students is a concept AES Irbid students that is receiving slow acceptance in this region, and our school is leading the way.  The schoo...

I am usually not a big fan of non-liturgical, secularly themed Sunday Church Services. In my opinion they often devolve into either what I call "liturigical tourism" or else a secular politic rant guised in worship form. By liturgical tourism, I mean turning the liturgy into a theological sight seeing tour that takes the emphasis away from proper worship of God and the proclamation and message of Jesus Christ and focusing on something else. While the "something else" might, in fact, be a legitimate cause or social concern, a priest has to make certain that the "something else" does not become the central, overarching focus of the liturgy. You can raise social awareness of issues or concerns without taking the focus off of God and the message of Good News. I feel this way because it is a very slippery slope from having, for example, a "social justice" theme Sunday. That, in itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. Jesus called people to hear thin...

The Minnesota Twins having their Opening Day at the new Target Field today . An open air stadium with real grass in Minnesota should be interesting, especially if they make the playoffs in late September and October. As a baseball purist, I think that's the way it should be. Football, though never ideal, can pull it off, whereas Baseball in a dome with turf is just plain wrong. I will be interested to see what manner of reviews Target Field gets. Granted, anything was an improvement on the old Metrodome monstrosity. I know it had its fans, but it was loud and looked like a big garbage can. I am curious because I think Target field is a bit of a shift in terms of baseball park architecture of the last 20 years. From the 1960s to the early 1980's, the theory for building baseball parks was primarily the "multiplex" where numerous sports could share one super facility. This was largely a disaster on numerous levels, as most cities rushed to build what became diminut...

Ask them to explain this . (Warning: Pictures and article are really sad.)

So, I am back after a week of vacation staycation. I didn't do much but recover from Holy Week. I did get to go fishing briefly, so it was all good. My blog posting should be back to a normal schedule.

I have been informed that some folks at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in my home town of Knoxville, TN, got rather severely burned lighting the Paschal Fire at the Easter Vigil this past weekend. Please keep them in your prayers.

I have always wondered why churches use lilies, of all flowers, for the feast of the Resurrection (Easter) and Poinsettias for the Feast of the Incarnation (Christmas). While pretty, both are considered weeds the other 364 days a year, at least where I grew up in the South. Perhaps other regions of the country do not consider them as weeds the other days of the year. I won't get into the the bizarre symbolism of the Christmas poinsettia in this blog. Suffice is to say that nothing says the Incarnation of the Nativity like a poisonous plant that will hospitalize you if taken internally. I don't think the Scripture that says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good" was referring to the Christmas poinsettia. Ironically, before WWII, Easter lilies were almost solely imported from Japan. Of course, the War put a stop to that, and Americans started their own Easter lily industry. Japan never really recovered their monopoly on Easter lilies thereafter. More on that can be ...

Happy Easter!

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 gi...

Rejoice now, heavenly hosts and choirs of angels, and let your trumpets shout Salvation for the victory of our mighty King. Rejoice and sing now, all the round earth, bright with a glorious splendor, for darkness has been vanquished by our eternal King. Rejoice and be glad now, Mother Church, and let your holy courts, in radiant light, resound with the praises of your people. All you who stand near this marvelous and holy flame, pray with me to God the Almighty for the grace to sing the worthy praise of this great light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Lord be with you. Answer And also with you. Deacon Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Answer It is right to give him thanks and praise. Deacon It is truly right and good, always and everywhere, with our whole heart and mind and voice, to praise you, the invisi...

A Devotion for Holy Saturday

O God, Creator of heaven and earth:  Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. -1979 Book of Common Prayer, pg. 221

Click here for more from the Boston Globe.

Interesting pictures here from MSNBC.

View pictures here from the BBC. Also, a few pictures here from MSNBC.

This is the late Orthodox Archbishop Job singing the 15th Antiphon of the Matins (Byzantine Chant) of Good Friday.

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. -1979 Book of Common Prayer, pg. 221

Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. -1979 Book of Common Prayer, pg. 221.