I've just been really busy, no time to blog. I want to especially blog about last weekend, Feb. 18-20, that I spent at St. Nektarios Monastery in Roscoe NY. It was amazing! Also take a look at this article that I found and forwarded to my fb: I love what Fr. Joseph says. http://everydayliturgy.com/reflections-from-st-gregory-palamas-monastery/
Pray for me. I hope to blog soon!
-Manoli
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Only at Hellenic College!
I was sitting at the breakfast table today with Voldemort, the first Christian Emperor, I.M., and some others, and we got involved in several random conversations. One was about how we eat cupcakes...some eat the icing first, some eat the bottom first, some take the icing off and eat the top first, some eat it all together, some eat some of the icing and then eat the rest of the icing with the cupcake itself.
We also discussed Lenten eating strategies...good fake meat, fake cheese, this, that, and the other, and someone said that in northern Kenya, all they eat is meat, blood and milk. If you were going to impose a strict fast, you would have to not eat anything. So the priests, with the blessing of the bishop, modify the fast, and the people there don't fast in quality but in quantity. They eat the usual meat, blood and milk (it is considered an insult to eat vegetables), but eat a lot less of it during Lent. Then Voldemort came up with an Orthodox commercial idea: a bunch of PK's [priest kids] are standing around and one of them starts eating what looks like bacon. The others are scandalized and say "is that bacon?!" and the guy is like, "no! it's fakeon" (fakeon [pronounced FAKE-uhn] is a proposed very delicious meatless bacon substitute made by Orthodox for consumption during Lent).
Another discussion - which would only be found here - was between myself and Voldemort, after someone brought up that the first Christians were accused of cannibalism in the Eucharist. We were arguing over whether the Eucharist COULD be considered cannibalism, by any stretch of the imagination. Voldemort's argument was that, because Jesus is God, it is not. I said that it's not because it's Eucharist that Christ commanded, but if we were to be technical, you could say it is, because Christ is also fully human. We went back and forth on these points for awhile, and then Voldemort decided that it is simultaneously cannibalism and not cannibalism, because Christ is God and human. I maintained that, aside from the fact that it's the Eucharist (which means it's not cannnibalism), it would be, because you can't have cannibalism and not, in the same analogy. We looked like we were at a dead end, and the conversation kind of fizzled out.
The last two...only at seminary. I love going here, there is so much unique stuff!
Reading today...a lot of it!
Pray for me!
We also discussed Lenten eating strategies...good fake meat, fake cheese, this, that, and the other, and someone said that in northern Kenya, all they eat is meat, blood and milk. If you were going to impose a strict fast, you would have to not eat anything. So the priests, with the blessing of the bishop, modify the fast, and the people there don't fast in quality but in quantity. They eat the usual meat, blood and milk (it is considered an insult to eat vegetables), but eat a lot less of it during Lent. Then Voldemort came up with an Orthodox commercial idea: a bunch of PK's [priest kids] are standing around and one of them starts eating what looks like bacon. The others are scandalized and say "is that bacon?!" and the guy is like, "no! it's fakeon" (fakeon [pronounced FAKE-uhn] is a proposed very delicious meatless bacon substitute made by Orthodox for consumption during Lent).
Another discussion - which would only be found here - was between myself and Voldemort, after someone brought up that the first Christians were accused of cannibalism in the Eucharist. We were arguing over whether the Eucharist COULD be considered cannibalism, by any stretch of the imagination. Voldemort's argument was that, because Jesus is God, it is not. I said that it's not because it's Eucharist that Christ commanded, but if we were to be technical, you could say it is, because Christ is also fully human. We went back and forth on these points for awhile, and then Voldemort decided that it is simultaneously cannibalism and not cannibalism, because Christ is God and human. I maintained that, aside from the fact that it's the Eucharist (which means it's not cannnibalism), it would be, because you can't have cannibalism and not, in the same analogy. We looked like we were at a dead end, and the conversation kind of fizzled out.
The last two...only at seminary. I love going here, there is so much unique stuff!
Reading today...a lot of it!
Pray for me!
Friday, February 11, 2011
St. Blaise - celebrated February 11
Another post from my OrthodoXCircle blog from February 12, 2008.
The Saints are truly alive! Miracle story!
This may sound silly, but I am positive that it was a miracle done at the intercession of St. Blaise of Sebaste. On Sunday night, Feb. 10, 2008 I was reading my brown Synaxarion (Ormyllia Convent, Greece) before falling asleep as I often do. I was reading about St. Blaise who celebrated the next day. Part of his story reads, "A distraught mother brought him her child, who was choking to death on a fishbone. The Saint put his hand down the child's throat and took out the fishbone. He prayed to the Lord to restore the child to health, as well as all those who hin time to come would invoke his intercession in case of similar accidents....When he and the two undaunted children were condemned to be beheaded, St. Blaise, shining with the divine light, sent up a prayer on behalf of all who in time to come would call for his aid in illnesses and trials. Thereupon the Lord appeared to him in all His glory, saying, 'I have heard your prayer and grant your request.'" Well...after I had finished reading I put the book away, pulled my blanket over me and turned out my light. As I was lying there in the dark, my foot started to have a really bad cramp, and it really hurt. I pulled my leg up and started rubbing my foot to try to get the cramp to go away. It came and went for about...oh, maybe 10-15 seconds. Then one time when I was rubbing it, I just thought (I think I whispered it too) something along these lines, "St. Blaise, I know you're the patron of people with throat problems, and this really isn't about my throat at all, but God promised to grant your prayers for illnesses, and He can't go back on His promises, so just...get this cramp to go away! please! And while you're at it, could you please get this cold and sore throat to go away? Please!" [I had had a really bad cold and sore throat so I could barely talk and I wasn't able to chant on Sunday morning.] And then after about 1-1/2 seconds the cramp went away and didn't come back. When I woke up the next day, I still had a cold, but my throat was better, and I could talk. Truly, God is wonderful in His Saints! Holy Hierarch of God, Blaise, intercede for us! |
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Christ coming back in 2012
I originally posted this three years ago, on my OrthodoXCircle blog page. OrthodoXCircle recently went down for maintenance. With forewarning, I saved all my blogs, and intend to post them on here gradually. Here is my opinion on the "end of the world in 2012" theory. *Flashback music*
I was listening to Hank Hannagraph (sp?) "The Bible Answer-Man." dont ask why. My dad likes to listen to him in the car when there's nothing else to listen to. Somebody called in and was like "what do you think of so and so who said that Christ is coming back in 2012?" and (good for Hank!) he was like That's absurd! Now, that started me thinking that I should blog...My take on this is the following:
The guy (they played a recording of him explaining why the world is gonna end in 2012) was like "well, the number of generations in Matthew's geneaology, plus the number in Luke, minus 14, cuz thats the Hebrew Numerical number of King David, divided by 7, cuz thats the perfect number in Revevlation...." and a bunch of other biblical numerical references. "And you come up with 2012." Now, this is my take on this...
This guy who was quoting the Bible right and left...did he bother to see what Jesus had to say about people like him?
But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. (Matthew 24:23, Luke 12:39)
Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— (Mark 13:35)
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. (Matthew 25:13)
I could cite a bunch of other examples like this...Point is, that the Bible clearly says that we don't know...Jesus very well could come in 2012. He could also come before I'm done blogging this blog. He could also come tomorrow. He could also come in 3000 years. He could also come next week some time.
Let me close by saying this... It was told me by a priest that it is a "little t" tradition that Christ will come during the Divine Liturgy. He told me that that is true, because there is always a Divine Liturgy going on somewhere in the world.
(my question is...what if he comes during Lent? it wont be a Divine Liturgy during that time...whatev...lol)
Well, thats about it...I just had to vent that out somewhere...
-Manoli the Canoli
Thursday, February 3, 2011
February 2 Divine Liturgy
We had some more snow days recently, so we didn't have class Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday morning we had Liturgy for the Presentation of Christ into the Temple. It was moved to 8:00, rather than the usual weekday Liturgy time of 6:15, because there was no reason to do it that early. I was happy! :)
Also, because there was no class, there was no reason to rush in any way. The chanters took their time (the chanting was amazing!) and also actually (surprisingly) did the First and Third odes of the Matins canon, which is usually cut entirely. Liturgy started at 9:30 and finished at 11:14. They dragged it out but that was ok with me! I absolutely loved it. Father D was the celebrant and it was absolutely amazing.
What crowned the whole thing for me was that I subbed in the altar for the German Texan who was not feeling well. During Orthros I got to watch most of the Proskomide (preparation of the Gifts), and I was also on "lookout" duty, which entailed me standing next to the Altar, and cueing the south door sentinel when to open the door for the deacon or altar boys when they came into the Altar. I was right next to the Altar the ENTIRE Liturgy and it was AMAZING! I was talking about it later, to the M. family and Allah said "you saw everything!" I said "yup!" Then I thought about it and told her, "no, I didn't see everything... I didn't see the Holy Spirit come down, or the angels. I know they were there but I didn't see them." What a blessing/grace it would be...to see the angels. One thing I do know: I was a few feet away from the Gifts when Father called down the Holy Spirit, so....
:D
Also, because there was no class, there was no reason to rush in any way. The chanters took their time (the chanting was amazing!) and also actually (surprisingly) did the First and Third odes of the Matins canon, which is usually cut entirely. Liturgy started at 9:30 and finished at 11:14. They dragged it out but that was ok with me! I absolutely loved it. Father D was the celebrant and it was absolutely amazing.
What crowned the whole thing for me was that I subbed in the altar for the German Texan who was not feeling well. During Orthros I got to watch most of the Proskomide (preparation of the Gifts), and I was also on "lookout" duty, which entailed me standing next to the Altar, and cueing the south door sentinel when to open the door for the deacon or altar boys when they came into the Altar. I was right next to the Altar the ENTIRE Liturgy and it was AMAZING! I was talking about it later, to the M. family and Allah said "you saw everything!" I said "yup!" Then I thought about it and told her, "no, I didn't see everything... I didn't see the Holy Spirit come down, or the angels. I know they were there but I didn't see them." What a blessing/grace it would be...to see the angels. One thing I do know: I was a few feet away from the Gifts when Father called down the Holy Spirit, so....
:D
Monday, January 31, 2011
speech from the end of my OLSH career
This post is dedicated to all the people from OLSH (my high school ... www.olsh.org) who follow my blog, although they can't say they are OLSH people because they might get expelled...long story that I don't want to get into. Anyway, this was my speech to the OLSH community on the senior retreat day at the end of the 2009-10 school year. I found the paper cleaning out my room and decided to finally type it up. Many people have asked to see it, so here it is. (My permission is granted to print it out and give it to as many people as you think would appreciate it, although please don't stick it to all the stairwell doors...that would be a bit excessive.)
It seems like yesterday that my dad and I hurried off to Youthtowne after church. I played in a football game and was very confused because there was a Truskowski on each team. I grew to be able to tell them apart, and one of them was in my geometry class sophomore year - the best math class in my 12 [now 12.5] years of school, by far! It was me, Shronda, Ron, Justin, Meaghan, Caitlin, Steve, Cody, Andy and Marissa.
And then there was my high five spree. I'd high five just about everyone in sight. I still do sometimes. :)
I know I get on people's nerves sometimes, with my "stories and odd scenarios" to quote Sara J., and my weird questions in Gov class, and comments about frog STDs. For all of these I'd like to ask your forgiveness.
And to all you underclassmen, know that we seniors need your prayers next year. We're gonna be faced with a lot, and the more prayers the better. On the flip side, know that I pray for OLSH every day, although it's almost impossible to mention everyone by name.
There have been ups and downs, but overall my time at OLSH has been great.While I am definitely excited to leave Pittsburgh and go to Boston for college, I know there will be times that I'll look back fondly and wish I was back here, or log into facebook, hoping to find an OLSH friend to I.M.
Take care of yourselves, and pray for us.
It seems like yesterday that my dad and I hurried off to Youthtowne after church. I played in a football game and was very confused because there was a Truskowski on each team. I grew to be able to tell them apart, and one of them was in my geometry class sophomore year - the best math class in my 12 [now 12.5] years of school, by far! It was me, Shronda, Ron, Justin, Meaghan, Caitlin, Steve, Cody, Andy and Marissa.
And then there was my high five spree. I'd high five just about everyone in sight. I still do sometimes. :)
I know I get on people's nerves sometimes, with my "stories and odd scenarios" to quote Sara J., and my weird questions in Gov class, and comments about frog STDs. For all of these I'd like to ask your forgiveness.
And to all you underclassmen, know that we seniors need your prayers next year. We're gonna be faced with a lot, and the more prayers the better. On the flip side, know that I pray for OLSH every day, although it's almost impossible to mention everyone by name.
There have been ups and downs, but overall my time at OLSH has been great.While I am definitely excited to leave Pittsburgh and go to Boston for college, I know there will be times that I'll look back fondly and wish I was back here, or log into facebook, hoping to find an OLSH friend to I.M.
Take care of yourselves, and pray for us.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Hellenic: Year 1; Semester 2; Week 1
Sorry, I haven't had time to blog very much this past week. I got in on Tuesday evening and got back to campus late-ish. It was so weird to come back to school and see the deep blanket of snow all over campus because, prior to break, we had only had a total of maybe one inch, half of which fell at 10pm and was gone by morning. I really had not seen Boston snow until I came back.
Wednesday morning I financially cleared and went to my first (2:10) class - World History. Soon after coming out of World History at 3:30, we got an "Iris alert," HC/HC's way of notifying us of "emergency" situations and such. We were supposed to get an insane amount of snow (almost a foot?), so Wednesday "evening classes" after 4:00, and Thursday classes were canceled. Snow day on the second day of class! I then went sledding down the big hill on campus with Ninja, John the Baptist and the Romanian. We also played a game of ninja in the snow. That was fun! We went inside around 4:30 and went to church at 5:00 (I have to use pseudonyms because some have requested that I not use their names on the internet).
We were scheduled to have Liturgy at 6:15am on Thursday for St. John Chrysostom. We have to do Liturgy so early on school days because people need to be out in time to go to class. Thankfully, with no class, Liturgy got moved back to the usual time of 8:00 :) Fr. Peter, Fr. Demetri, Fr. Evangelos, Deacon John and Deacon Yan (sp?) served, and "Awesome Rassem" led the chanting. Everything was glorious! After Liturgy, the chanters stayed at the chanter's stand and chanted to their hearts' content, just because they could, and it's what they love to do.
At lunch, some friends (Ninja, Tim, Josh) suggested we take a walk in the snow. I was up for it, so we walked down to Jamaica Pond. I lagged behind and forgot that the driveway was cleared, so took (what would have been the shortcut in fair weather) the long way...through the almost-waist-deep snow. By the time we got to the pond, I was exhausted so I collapsed in the snow to recover my strength. Tim suggested we bury me in the snow, so I got up and dug a hole, sat down, and they buried me and left me there to say hi to passers-by. Two of the passers-by were John and Ryan, Holy Cross students. John took this picture and emailed it to me. All the passers-by got a kick out of me and one of them took a video because he was so taken by the sight haha.
While my torso was fine because of my heavy down coat (thanks Mom!), long underwear and sweatpants were not enough on my legs so I soon freed myself so as not to numb my legs. I reunited with the Romanian, my sister, Ninja, Tim and Josh, and we trekked back up to school. On the way back I suggested that we go to JP Licks, a favorite ice cream/coffee shop. Everyone thought I was crazy for wanting to go get ice cream in the cold, but after getting back to school, Mickey Mouse, the Romanian, the red-hatted new kid, and I went to JP Licks. I got soft-serve peanut butter ice cream. It was awesome! We stopped at a few stores and then headed back to campus...walking on the side of the street because Mickey Mouse didn't wanna go through the snow. That was a little scary...
Friday was low-key because I have no Friday classes, so I just hung out. I woke up at 8:30 on Saturday (no church Saturday morning...it is our day to sleep in), and went back to sleep around 9. I woke up "for real" at 11:43 and went to lunch, then spent a few hours with the Romanian, straightening/cleaning my room. Red-headed, Golden-mouthed Orator and I went to Vigil at Holy Trinity, the OCA Cathedral in Boston, at 5pm, and met up with three other friends at Tasty Burger. I got a hamburger with onion, cheese and mushroom. We also got onion rings and fries. It was my first time there and everything was delicious! We walked to the T, took the T to Brookline Village, and then walked back to school. We got back at 9:30. It was a fun evening. I got to stand at the chanter's stand at Liturgy on Sunday, which was cool. Oh, and Elmo has been tonsured a monk and ordained deacon!
So that takes me to now, when I am blogging. I guess I will post now.
We are scheduled to have a meeting of all the Greek Orthodox bishops in America, on campus on Thursday (minus Maximos, Demetrios Couchell, and Savvas). That will be interesting. I will update on how that goes. Until then, Happy Three Hierarchs Day!!! (oh, and we're supposed to have snow midweek sometime...)
From this morning's Canon...from the Ninth Ode of the second Canon for the Saints:
There is no second best in these sacred three. Each is thought to be foremost in precedence and to prevail over his corrivals of equal rank. But rather each with joy has made his own the success of the other two. There is no room among them to envy one another and thus destroy their unanimity.
Wednesday morning I financially cleared and went to my first (2:10) class - World History. Soon after coming out of World History at 3:30, we got an "Iris alert," HC/HC's way of notifying us of "emergency" situations and such. We were supposed to get an insane amount of snow (almost a foot?), so Wednesday "evening classes" after 4:00, and Thursday classes were canceled. Snow day on the second day of class! I then went sledding down the big hill on campus with Ninja, John the Baptist and the Romanian. We also played a game of ninja in the snow. That was fun! We went inside around 4:30 and went to church at 5:00 (I have to use pseudonyms because some have requested that I not use their names on the internet).
We were scheduled to have Liturgy at 6:15am on Thursday for St. John Chrysostom. We have to do Liturgy so early on school days because people need to be out in time to go to class. Thankfully, with no class, Liturgy got moved back to the usual time of 8:00 :) Fr. Peter, Fr. Demetri, Fr. Evangelos, Deacon John and Deacon Yan (sp?) served, and "Awesome Rassem" led the chanting. Everything was glorious! After Liturgy, the chanters stayed at the chanter's stand and chanted to their hearts' content, just because they could, and it's what they love to do.
At lunch, some friends (Ninja, Tim, Josh) suggested we take a walk in the snow. I was up for it, so we walked down to Jamaica Pond. I lagged behind and forgot that the driveway was cleared, so took (what would have been the shortcut in fair weather) the long way...through the almost-waist-deep snow. By the time we got to the pond, I was exhausted so I collapsed in the snow to recover my strength. Tim suggested we bury me in the snow, so I got up and dug a hole, sat down, and they buried me and left me there to say hi to passers-by. Two of the passers-by were John and Ryan, Holy Cross students. John took this picture and emailed it to me. All the passers-by got a kick out of me and one of them took a video because he was so taken by the sight haha.
While my torso was fine because of my heavy down coat (thanks Mom!), long underwear and sweatpants were not enough on my legs so I soon freed myself so as not to numb my legs. I reunited with the Romanian, my sister, Ninja, Tim and Josh, and we trekked back up to school. On the way back I suggested that we go to JP Licks, a favorite ice cream/coffee shop. Everyone thought I was crazy for wanting to go get ice cream in the cold, but after getting back to school, Mickey Mouse, the Romanian, the red-hatted new kid, and I went to JP Licks. I got soft-serve peanut butter ice cream. It was awesome! We stopped at a few stores and then headed back to campus...walking on the side of the street because Mickey Mouse didn't wanna go through the snow. That was a little scary...
Friday was low-key because I have no Friday classes, so I just hung out. I woke up at 8:30 on Saturday (no church Saturday morning...it is our day to sleep in), and went back to sleep around 9. I woke up "for real" at 11:43 and went to lunch, then spent a few hours with the Romanian, straightening/cleaning my room. Red-headed, Golden-mouthed Orator and I went to Vigil at Holy Trinity, the OCA Cathedral in Boston, at 5pm, and met up with three other friends at Tasty Burger. I got a hamburger with onion, cheese and mushroom. We also got onion rings and fries. It was my first time there and everything was delicious! We walked to the T, took the T to Brookline Village, and then walked back to school. We got back at 9:30. It was a fun evening. I got to stand at the chanter's stand at Liturgy on Sunday, which was cool. Oh, and Elmo has been tonsured a monk and ordained deacon!
So that takes me to now, when I am blogging. I guess I will post now.
We are scheduled to have a meeting of all the Greek Orthodox bishops in America, on campus on Thursday (minus Maximos, Demetrios Couchell, and Savvas). That will be interesting. I will update on how that goes. Until then, Happy Three Hierarchs Day!!! (oh, and we're supposed to have snow midweek sometime...)
From this morning's Canon...from the Ninth Ode of the second Canon for the Saints:
There is no second best in these sacred three. Each is thought to be foremost in precedence and to prevail over his corrivals of equal rank. But rather each with joy has made his own the success of the other two. There is no room among them to envy one another and thus destroy their unanimity.
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