Phish Food & New Martyrs: An Update

For the past few days I have been without air conditioning. This might not be a problem but I live in North Carolina and the summers here are sweltering to say the very least. It hasn't been that bad though, especially at night. Nights have been quite comfortable with the fans going and the windows open. In fact, yesterday was the hottest so far and God was good enough to send a lovely thunderboomer my way. The temp outside dropped about 20 degrees in an hour or so and inside it got down to comfortable (I keep the thermostat at about 76-77). I was downright chilly!! Today there wasn't a thunderstorm so I decided I could eat ice cream for supper. Ben & Jerry's Phish Food. Chocolate ice cream, marshmallow and caramel swirls and little fudge fish. Yum!

In other news, today is my Name Day!

My patron saint is St Elizabeth Feodorovna Grand Duchess of Russia and New Martyr of the Communist Yoke. St Elizabeth was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England the wife of Grand Duke Sergei of Russia. She was raised Lutheran but converted to Orthodoxy after marrying Sergei and attending the Orthodox services with her husband in Russia. She wrote to her family:

"I am sure God's blessing will accompany my act which I do with such fervent belief, with the feeling that I may become a better Christian and be one step nearer to God." Explaining the reasons for her decision, she writes in a letter: "Above all one's conscience must be pure and true... many will -- I know -- scream about (it), yet I feel it brings me nearer to God... You tell me that the outer brilliance of the church charmed me... in that you are mistaken -- nothing in the outer signs attracted me -- no -- the service, the service, the outer signs are only to remind us of the inner things."

And I feel the same way. The Church is a wonderful place to be. I never feel better than when I have attended liturgy (except, perhaps, after confession). What is truly wonderful is that no matter where I am, if I attend an Orthodox church, I will know what the service is--be it in Russian, Greek or even Southern-accented English! LOL! I can be absorbed by the worship and know God...As much as I can know this Infinite and Incredible Lord of ours. His presence is always palpable in the services of the Orthodox Church and all I can do is sing to Him, "Holy, Holy Holy!"

St Elizabeth is also a paragon of forgiveness which is something I know I need to practice regularly. When her husband was assassinated, she gathered together the parts of his body and prayed over them, then visited his confessed murderer in prison and asked his forgiveness for whatever they had done to cause him to want the Grand Duke's death. She gave him a gospel and begged him to repent and then left the prison.

I am nowhere near that point in my life. One of my constant prayers is that I would be able to more closely emulate her in this way.

She left Russian Royal society after the death of her husband and became a monastic, but she did not withdraw from the world entirely. She founded a convent dedicated to serving the poor and sick of Moscow which is extant in Moscow to this day. A few years after this, the Bolsheviks forcibly removed her and the rest of the imperial family from Moscow and she was eventually martyred. Her remains were transported to the convent of St Mary Magdalene of Gethemane in Israel where they are to this day.
 
Anyway...I read about St Elizabeth during my investigation of the Church and I feel a special kinship with her and with St Ruth because, among other reasons, both of them were converts to the Faith of God. The Lord has had me camped out in the Book of Ruth for several years now and I never cease to be amazed at the amount of wisdom that can be found in that little book.

Conversion is something that must happen daily. Hourly, almost. I must grow in faith, zeal, knowledge, love, sanctification, holiness, and joy every day of my life into eternity. I cannot give others something I do not have and my chosen patrons, Holy God-pleasers, Elizabeth and Ruth by their examples prove this to me. All too often I have been more a convert of the world than of Christ.Hopefully with their help and fervent prayers I will become more like them and eventually truly be able to reflect the glory of God in my life.

Pray to God for me, O saints Elizabeth and Ruth, well-pleasing to God, for I readily recommend myself to you, who are the speedy helper and intercessors for my soul. Amen. 

Rejoice, lamb burning with the love of God;
   rejoice, handmaid of Christ the Lord!
Rejoice, scroll whereon the Holy Spirit inscribed the Christian virtues;
   rejoice, divinely wise princess and new martyr!
Rejoice, daughter who forsook they father’s house and turned to Holy Orthodoxy;
Rejoice, vessel wherein the wine of gladness
   and the oil of healing are mingled together;
   rejoice, upholder of the traditions of piety!
Rejoice, treasure-house of compassion;
   rejoice, radiant star resplendent with heavenly glory!

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Relevant Reading
Blog Post: St Elizabeth the New Martyr
Book of Ruth
Martha and Mary Convent of Moscow
Akathist to St Elizabeth the New Martyr