ani ruhama

In celebration of the end of Lent and the beginning of Holy Week, I offer you some truly newsworthy news. “Catholic League head Bill Donohue called it ‘one of the worst assaults on Christian sensibilities ever.’” I call it hysterical.

I’m working on exporting my old ancient antediluvian blogs from Xanga and LiveJournal, reading through them as I go. It’s an interesting trip into the recesses of my memory. Some posts are more interesting than others. One from two years ago is exceptionally so:

Friday, April 22, 2005

“Very interesting. According to this test, stolen from Stephen’s Xanga, I should be Eastern Orthodox. In case you’re curious, here is my supposed beliefs grouped by church tradition:

1: Eastern Orthodox (100%)
2: Presbyterian/Reformed (92%)
3: Anabaptist (Mennonite/Quaker etc.) (91%)
4: Seventh-Day Adventist (91%)
5: Congregational/United Church of Christ (85%)
6: Anglican/Episcopal/Church of England (82%)
7: Pentecostal/Charismatic/Assemblies of God (74%)
8: Baptist (Reformed/Particular/Calvinistic) (71%)
9: Methodist/Wesleyan/Nazarene (71%)
10: Roman Catholic (71%)
11: Baptist (non-Calvinistic)/Plymouth Brethren/Fundamentalist (59%)
12: Lutheran (50%)
13: Church of Christ/Campbellite (47%)

I think the test is confused. I would’ve guessed myself to be in the Methodist/Wesleyan/Nazarene camp. Or maybe I’m the confused one and this is a sign that I’m supposed to join the Eastern Orthodox church… “

At that point in time, all I really “knew” about Orthodoxy was that they were just like Catholics, worshiped Mary and icons, and didn’t believe in forgiveness through Jesus’ blood. Thus I was rather perplexed as to why I scored so highly there. I wasn’t perplexed enough to actually investigate, though, and forgot entirely about my silly little test results until tonight. (Yes, tonight’s retake once again featured Orthodoxy in the number-one spot, followed by the Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, and Catholic churches).

Like I said once upon two years ago, “maybe I’m the confused one and this is a sign that I’m supposed to join the Eastern Orthodox church.” That’d be odd, now, wouldn’t it?

Audrey shared this in a comment on my last post, and I think it’s absolutely beautiful. So I’m going to repost it and share, in lieu of anything original.  This is much more useful anyhow.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six wingèd seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!

Words: Li­tur­gy of St. James, 4th Cen­tu­ry (Σιγησάτο παρα σὰρξ βροτεία); trans­lat­ed from Greek to Eng­lish by Gerard Moultrie, 1864.

I would apologize for the silence of late, but I’m not sorry. Life is full. Words are lacking. And I’d rather be unable to express life than have a life I can easily express. Though sometimes I’d like a momentary cease-fire for the neurons in my brain…just for long enough to scribble down thoughts, memories for tomorrow when I forget.

I could almost hear the stars singing tonight (holy holy holy). I wish they would sing a little louder. I wish I’d listen a little closer.

“Late have I loved Thee, O Beauty so ancient and so new! Too late have I loved Thee. And lo, Thou wert inside me and I outside, and I sought for Thee there, and in all my unsightliness I flung myself on those beautiful things which Thou hast made. Thou wert with me and I was not with Thee. Those beauties kept me away from Thee, though if they had not been in Thee, they would not have been at all. Thou didst call and cry to me and break down my deafness. Thou didst flash and shine on me and put my blindness to flight. Thou didst blow fragrance upon me and I drew breath, and now I pant after Thee. I tasted of Thee and now I hunger and thirst for Thee. Thou didst touch me and I am aflame for Thy peace.”

At church this morning Father Justin read this beautiful passage from Augustine’s Confessions. I’d never heard it before. Growing up in the Protestant church, I had multitudes of wonderful gifts given to me by that tradition for which I am truly thankful. The one thing perhaps most lacking, which I find drawing me so strongly to Orthodoxy, is that constant awareness and love of the early Fathers (yes, even Augustine, one of the great influences on the Western church). This love permeates their prayers, their services, even casual conversation, and I can understand why. There’s something so uplifting in hearing words penned only three, four, five hundred years after Christ that resonate today within our hearts.