Today through Friday, March 27th, we are offering a sale for the entire shop, but most especially our Pascha/Easter cards. Today is the "middlemost point" of the great fast. Look what the hymn at vespers says: "The Fast that brings us blessings has now reached its middlemost point: it has helped us to receive God's …
Tag: pascha
Leavetaking of Pascha
In the Orthodox Church Pascha (Easter ) is a 40 day Feast. We fast for 40 days beforehand and we feast for 40 days afterwards. Christ is Risen! The most important aspect of the Christian race. My babies...Pascha 16 years ago. Remembering these days is good and pleasant. We celebrate. We sing. We are filled …
Let God Arise
Christ is Risen! During the 40 day Paschal season (forty days following Pascha (Easter) where we in the Orthodox Church celebrate the Resurrection of Christ) we sing a hymn called Let God Arise (Paschal Stichera) every Saturday evening during Great Vespers. I have so many songs I love but I find this one to be …
All of Creation Agrees
On Friday evening, May 17th and Saturday the 18th, I attended a conference where Fr. Stephen Freeman was one of the keynote speakers. He is the author of Everywhere Present and a blog and podcast called Glory to God for All Things at Ancient Faith Radio. Dn. James and I were excited to hear him …
Back Into Focus
Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. I’ve recently lost sight of my big overall goal of writing this blog. I’ve felt lost. Unsure. I’m not sure why. I went through this feeling back in January when I needed to …
The End of Holy Week
On this, the last day of Holy week, the very end of our Lenten Journey to Pascha, I thought I'd share with you a tad about the Journey I took this week. In the Orthodox tradition of Holy Week we walk with Christ through his Holy Passion, each and every day of this week. Several …
Gladness
My last post, Psalm 100, really got me thinking. My deepest desire is to seek joy. To mindfully live my life with the joy of the Resurrection in my heart. Joyfully live my life. Psalm 100:2 says, Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. This verse jumps out at me when …
Every Single Day
Christ is Risen! In my first post, That Feeling, I proclaim that what I truly want in life is that feeling of joy that one feels on the night of Pascha/Easter as we sing Christ is Risen! I want it all the time! We spend 7 weeks + walking with the church to this glorious …
Cheerfulness is not a sin!
St. Seraphim of Sarov is one of the most inspiring Christians for me. If you don't know anything about St. Seraphim you can read about him here. When I read his story to my Sunday school class one year ago, as I talked about it in Radiant Joy is Mine back in March, I really …
…and no one will take your joy from you!
In the Orthodox Church during Passion Week leading up to Pascha we have a service on Thursday evening called Matins of Holy Friday. During this service the priest reads 12 Passion Gospel Readings. Each is from one of the 4 gospels and we walk with Christ, step by step, from His last talk with his …
