Skip to main content

Sunday of the Cross

Image may contain: indoor

Sunday of the Cross

"O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance!
Grant victory to the Orthodox Christians over their adversaries,
And by virtue of Thy cross, preserve Thy habitation!"
~Troparion for the Cross 


I was honored to be asked to participate in the "skeleton crew" for Matins & Liturgy at St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral this morning, which was streamed on YouTube for all the faithful. We were allowed to have no more than 10 people at Liturgy and we had exactly that; but we prayed for every person who sent their names in - the living and the departed. 

When we arrived at the Great Doxology with the Cross brought out and we began singing "O Lord, Save Thy People", I almost broke down. The Orthodox Fight Song. Grant victory to the health care workers who are saving lives; to researchers and scientists who are searching for a vaccine and cure; to volunteers who are making masks, bringing food to shut-ins, helping their neighbors; to those who have been afflicted with this terrible virus... the list goes on!

I know that over 250 households watched our service from home, but it was so difficult to sing into an empty church. The hollow echo as Fr. Andrew gave a beautiful homily gave witness to the empty pews behind us. Where there are usually 300+ worshipers, we were few. It is a great task to lead so many in prayer, and I am truly humbled to have done so. Even when faced with adversity, Christians find ways to worship in their homes and this was no different. 

May you all create a small church in your homes during this Lenten period and may we all be able to gather at the Lord's Pascha! What a feast that will be!

Our own decorated cross:


Week 2 at Home

Tomorrow we will begin our second week at home. This weekend there was a lot of screen time. A movie every night (thank goodness for Disney+, Netflix, Hulu...). Tonight was my pick and we watched Free Willy! Didn't think about the fact that we would have to explain foster care, graffiti, whale kidnapping, being homeless... Lots of life lessons, but M & L liked it. N had never seen it either.

So, what do we have planned for the coming week? I have signed up the boys for Center for Interactive Learning classes that run from 8:30-10 am. They are free, live-streamed classes for Kindergarten through 6th grade, produced at museums, zoos, aquariums and the like. We plan to hook up the laptop to the TV and see how it goes. I am hoping we do some art with Mo Willems Doodles and get plenty of exercise. We got out the trampoline this weekend and have had several hours of bouncing time to get those wiggles out.

Other plans:

  • Snacks doled out in their bins in the morning - they eat WAY too many snacks if they have free rein of the cupboard.
  • Quiet Time space - both boys have a cozy chair to read in with all their books stacked up ready to read.
  • More puzzles! I started a 1000 piece one that I picked up at Target. Boys have several going up and down our hallway.
  • Build old LEGO sets!


Spirit Week will commence this week with Pajama Day, but M & L are required to change out the the PJs they are currently in. They wore them pretty much the entire day Sunday (did they wear them Saturday, too?). If you join, please post pics for me to see! Who wants to be my twinsie? We can wear yoga pants and sweatshirts. Wait, that means every mom could be my twin!

Image may contain: text


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Protection of the Theotokos

The Cathedral's Patronal Feast St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral - at the start of Vespers (courtesy Fr. Benjamin Tucci) Tonight was just what I needed - a calming evening in church with the boys to celebrate the Protection of the Theotokos. "Calming" and "with the boys" don't often go together, but tonight they were both so well behaved and the singing was a balm for the soul. M decided he was going to stand the entire service. I told him he could sit during the Old Testament readings, but he refused and stood the entire time. L worked on crossing himself correctly and pointed out each of the plagues on the Egyptians in his Children's Bible.  Throughout the chaos of the world today, I just wanted to go to church. Yes, it was our feast, but something just drew me this evening. As we were driving down, we could see the storms rolling in with the lightning streaking across the sky. The first drops began as we raced into church. Once we settled in, a peacef...
Post a Comment
Read more

Orthodox Holy Week Streaming

I have always wanted to share the experience of Holy Week and Pascha with my friends and those who inquire about Orthodoxy. Words cannot convey the beauty of the hymns, the depth of the sorrow as we lead the body of Christ to his tomb, the joy as we celebrate His resurrection! It is a journey that begins long before the raising of Lazarus or the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and culminates in a procession by the entire congregation around the outside of the church at midnight. Bells ringing, choir singing, candles, banners, censers with bells - a joyous cacophony greeting the Resurrected Lord! Oh, and then there is Paschal Vespers on Sunday afternoon that nearly everyone returns for, as well. How does one explain that to be in church and truly  experience  Holy Week is the only way to do it - all the services! A quartet (Fr. Andrew and three singers) is not quite the same. But it will still be beautiful and joyful and perhaps we will find beauty in the simplicity this year...
Post a Comment
Read more

Day One - COVID-19 School Break HELP!!!

It all started with my friend, Carrie, posting a list of things to do with kids at home. At the time, we had school called off two days. Nothing traumatic, but not awesome after having M and L home for Spring Break the past week. Maybe a good thing all those vacationers stayed home a couple extra days. Then came the announcement that school would be closed at least until March 27th. Wait, what? Our School Carnival was planned for a March 28th! (Separate issue) Sigh. What are parents going to do for at least two weeks? I’m supposed to be working from home. That does not happen efficiently or effectively with kids present. How on earth am I to keep them entertained?!?!? Enter a list of things to do. I was already doing one as church school coordinator for our church (now that church school and perhaps even Liturgy is cancelled for the foreseeable future). Why not add non-religious activities? Enter this blog. I’m going to do my best to keep the list updated with new resources for m...
Post a Comment
Read more