St.Vladimir Orthodox Church

November 27, 2021

23th Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 6

Saturday, November 27 at 6pm - Vespers
Sunday, November 28 at 10am - Liturgy

And so pre-Christmas Lent Begins, right after Liturgy. Well, after our pre-Lenten get together and the blessing of my new apartment. As I said, by the time you get home the Lenten fast will have begun. Now, what does that entail? It is not quite as strict as Great Lent, if you want to think in those terms. The Fast usually implies that we abstain from red meat, poultry, meat-products, eggs, dairy, fish, oil and wine. I will repeat that we are not under The Law but under Grace and so no one can tell you that you must fast. It is the Orthodox custom to fast before the Nativity of Christ in order to be prepared for the Feasting in celebration of the coming of Christ as a baby; that is the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. People who are elderly, sick, taking medication, or infants and children, must not fast, but should take great care when reducing their intake of, or sort of food. For the majority of us, fasting will increase the joy of the Nativity Feast. I know you can almost taste it now, the turkey and dressing, the lovely creamy mashed potatoes, the gravy, the vegetables beautifully cooked. And that's just the main course.

The readings for this next Sunday, Pentecost 23, are Ephesians 2:4-10 and Saint Luke 10:25-37 and it is Tone 6. Since Sunday is also the Repose of Saint Herman, Wonderworker of Alaska, there is another set of readings, Galatians 5:22-6:2 and Saint Luke 6:17-23. At Vespers, on Saturday evening at 6pm, there are the 3 readings, Wisdom 3:1-9, Wisdom 5:15-6:3, and Wisdom 4:7-15.

Father Maximos and Father Panagiotis are holding morning Liturgies each day at 09.00 during Nativity Lent. They alternate churches, Monday Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday at St. Antonios Church and Thursday and Friday at St. George Church. I mention this because you might like to attend some of these services especially since our Lent is about to begin; you might like to slip in on your way to work.

The first three nights in my apartment were not the best. The thermostat was stuck at boil Father David; the temperature really was much too high. The pipes continued to hiss, loudly all night. I went to the window for some relief, but do you think I could work out how to unlock the mechanism? No I couldn't. The thermostat responded to my sliding the little lever quickly and with a little rancor from end to end very quickly. Then I could sleep.

I would remind you that I am, as of this moment, carless (not careless I hope). I have been helped by people with cars, for which I am very thankful, and using the taxi company that one texts, and the taxi arrives within minutes. I think we should call them Texti-cabs instead of Taxi-cabs.

Father Maximos, again to the rescue, has put me in touch with another of his parishioners, Fred who owns Master Auto (Complete Automotive Service, Sales & Body Repair). Fred has been trying to pair me up with a car that I might be able to afford. He has allowed me to try two cars, a black 2014 Nissan Sentra and a white 2011 Hyundai Elantra. I really appreciate both Father Maximos and Fred doing this for me. We shall see which of those two, or other, I end up with. It is decided! The Nissan has and is known for gearbox problems. The Hyundai has been serviced and will be the car for me; recommended by Fred himself.

A priest of the Greek Archdiocese, sent me this website. It is of a miraculous photograph taken in the cell of Saint Iakovos Tsalikis - 11 Months after his death. There is an explanation of the taking of the photo and why it was taken. It is certainly worth looking at and reading about this happening: http://apantaortodoxias.blogspot.com/2021/11/saint-iakovos-tsalikis-11-months-after.html.

I'm writing this on Thursday, which is the great US Thanksgiving Feast. We have numbers of parishioners who owe their existence to the United States, so I will greet them with Happy Thanksgiving and let them know that I give thanks to God for knowing each of them, as I do for all my people.

Please remember that after Liturgy on Sunday, we will gather at my apartment, B101 at 16 Anchor Drive for blessing and potluck and unpacking and arranging things. Then the fast! At the front door you will have to call my phone 780 288 2455 for entry, as there is no phone connected to the front door button yet.

May God Bless all of us
Love in Christ,
-- Father David