Memorial Day 2012

St George and the Dragon

O Savior, who for our sakes has endured the Cross and death, who has put hell to death and raised the dead, give rest, O God, in Thy love for mankind, to those who have departed from us; and at Thy dread and fearful coming, O Giver of Life, in the multitude of Thy mercies count them worthy of Thy Kingdom.

Faithful servant of God and invincible martyr, Saint George; favored by God with the gift of faith, and inflamed with an ardent love of Christ, thou didst fight valiantly against the dragon of pride, falsehood, and deceit. Neither pain nor torture, sword nor death could part thee from the love of Christ. I fervently implore thee for the sake of this love to help me by thy intercession to overcome the temptations that surround me, and to bear bravely the trials that oppress me, so that I may patiently carry the cross which is placed upon me; and let neither distress nor difficulties separate me from the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Valiant champion of the Faith, assist me in the combat against evil, that I may win the crown promised to them that persevere unto the end.

Holy St. George, pray to God for us and for our troops, current, past, and future, and for me, a sinner.

Relevant Reading
The Myth and Legend of St George
St George Orthodox Military Association

But when their images I kiss, my heart is at ease

Christ the Bridegroom

Christ Pantocrator

Theotokos of Vladimir

Archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael

St Ruth the Moabitess

St Elizabeth the New Martyr

St Monica of Africa

St Xenia of St Petersburg, the Fool-for-Christ

                                                                                            

St Mary of Egypt

To what, in such a manner, do you my Christian bow,

When you, O my Christian, venerate the icons?
Before the Living God the Creator, I am bowing down,
With all my soul, heart and mind, I bow down to Him.
Mortal am I and, am unable upon Him to gaze,
Therefore, before His image I bow;
What, my Christian, do you so fervently reverence,
When, the icon O my Christian, you kiss?
Christ the God and Savior, I am kissing,
The choirs of angels, the saints and the Mother of God.
Mortal am I and, therefore am unable them to touch,
But when their images I kiss, my heart is at ease.

~ St. Nikolai Velimirovic, The Prologue of Ochrid: Lives of the Saints, Reflections and Homilies for Every Day of the Year,

Relevant Reading
Why are vigil lamps lit before icons?
St Nikolai Velimirovic
Prayers by the Lake by St Nikolai Velimirovic
Bless My Enemies a prayer by St Nikolai Velimirovic
About The Prologue from Ohrid
The Prologue from Ohrid Online by St Nikolai Velimirovic

I Love Books

Words are lenses and books, any books, bound in wood, or leather, or electronically captured in a chip, are their frames. Like glasses enable those with difficulty seeing to see clearly, so do books enable me to open my mind to see the world around me more clearly. Whether the words within are spoken by some great philosopher from Ancient Greece, St. John the Theologian, Stephen Hawking, or Granny Weatherwax from the Discworld, their words impact and magnify the world around me.

I will read forever because I want to really see.

Lord have mercy on me a sinner.

Happy Mothers' Day!

Exemplary Mother of the great Augustine,

you perseveringly pursued your wayward son

not with wild threats

but with prayerful cries to heaven.

Intercede for all mothers in our day

so that they may learn to draw their children to God.

Teach them how to remain close to their children,

even the prodigal sons and daughters

who have sadly gone astray.

Holy St. Monica, pray for me, a mother and a sinner.

Relevant Reading

St Monica, Mother of St Augustine of Hippo

Happy Fibromyalgia and Chronic Illness Awareness Day!

Today is fibromyalgia awareness day. Fibromyalgia is one of the most common conditions causing chronic pain. It also causes severe fatigue, and it interferes with your ability to sleep. It's hard to diagnose, so solid statistics on prevalence are hard to come by, but the estimates suggest that somewhere between 3% and 10% of the population have it -- which means that everyone knows someone who has it. Even you. Cos now, you know me. ~grin~

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Relevant Reading
The Role of Magnesium in Fibromyalgia
National Invisible Chronic Illness Week: How my Illness Affects my Morning
Fibromyalgia

A Better Pain Scale

Thanks to Hyperbole and a Half, I now have a Better Pain Scale so that I can more clearly explain to my doctor how I am feeling from flare to flare.

Here is The Better Pain Scale

0: I am not experiencing any pain at all. I don't know why I'm even here.
1: I am completely unsure whether I am experiencing pain or itching or maybe I just have a bad taste in my mouth.
2: I probably just need a Band Aid.
3: This is distressing. I don't want this to be happening to me at all.
4: My pain is not fucking around.
5: Why is this happening to me??
6: Ow. Okay, my pain is super legit now.
7: I see Jesus coming for me and I'm scared.
8: I am experiencing a disturbing amount of pain. I might actually be dying. Please help.
9: I am almost definitely dying.
10: I am actively being mauled by a bear.
11: Blood is going to explode out of my face at any moment.
Too Serious For Numbers: You probably have ebola. It appears that you may also be suffering from Stigmata and/or pinkeye.

~ Lifted shamelessly from Hyperbole and a Half "Boyfriend Doesn't Have Ebola. Probably."

Today, I am hovering around a 6 or 7 and have been here since Saturday. It could be worse I am sure--I don't want to know about that. Really.Praise God I am at least somewhat functional though. Exhausted but not too foggy, and I can walk and get to the library and, frankly, isn't everything better when you can go to the library? And while you are there, knowing that there is a Savior who suffers with you? Definitely not a bad day really.

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Relevant Reading
National Invisible Chronic Illness Week
Fibromyalgia
Suffering with a Co-Suffering Savior
Broken

I’m Just a Standard Deviant

Oh I’m just a standard deviant
A really mean S.O.B.
I find myself at variance
With the people around me

They tell me all the data points
To the fact that I am crude
Oh I’m just a standard deviant
My point of view is skewed

They say I’m a good example
Of what normal is not
But one is too small of a sample
To show I’ve lost the plot

They tell me it’s significant
That I lack all social airs
But in this population
I’m the least of all the squares

Oh I’m just a standard deviant
That’s what they say to me
But I reject that hypothesis
In all probability.

Copyright © 2012 Alex Riggle. All Rights Reserved.
Lifted shamelessly from Is Outrage!

(Thanks, Charli!) 

Christians of the Holy Land

60 Minutes Segment

Christians of the Holy Land

60 Minutes: Overtime "The Last Christian Village in the Holy Land"

John 11:54 states: "Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples."
The name of the village was changed from Ephraim to Taybeh around 1187, by the Islamic leader Saladin.

Ethiopian Icon of St George and the dragon

Holy St, George, as the deliverer of captives and defender of the poor, healer of the infirm and champion of kings, victorious great martyr George intercede with Christ our God for our souls' salvation, for all those embattled in Our Lord's Holy Land, and for me, the chief of sinners.

Lord have mercy on your Holy Land and upon me, a sinner. 

Relevant Reading 

St George Greek Orthodox Church of Taybeh
Kairos Palestine
Seven Biblical Answers to Popular Zionist Assumptions (opens as pdf)

A Bedtime Story

....when things got difficult, I would have a temper tantrum and scream at God to fix it. I can remember actually having a fit on purpose to try to make Him change things to fit my version of reality. I literally threw myself on the bed and kicked and screamed. HA!! That was, oh, some 16 - 17 years ago I think. SMH...I can't imagine doing that now. God knows, I am very happy no one was there to see except a couple of guinea pigs. Praise God for third shift work; the spouse was elsewhere and my shameful behavior was just between me and God. And the guinea pigs.

Guinea pigs do not approve of tantrums

I believe I've grown just a little bit since then. I don't have fits and I try at least to leave my feelings behind as I attempt to determine what the will of God is for me from day to day and moment to moment. It is possible to do that you know. (And the secret isn't throwing a temper fit whenever you don't get your way--Just sayin'.) St Paul advocates transformation and leaving behind the passions (Romans 12:2). Amazingly enough, this wise strategy has worked for the past four years or so! Whodathunkit? When I remember to make myself stop making demands-disguised-as-prayers and shut up so I can actually hear Him, He will never let me down. He hasn't and He won't. I just have to do my part (Philippians 2:12), e.g., shut up, and stop complaining.

So now, I am feeling rather annoyingly put-upon again. I did some reading and some praying and simply let it go, until He chose to speak to me about it. After all, it was Pascha this past weekend and that was so much more important, in the long run, than dealing with trivia. He has so many more important things for me to do: worship Him, raise my son, work on my salvation...He will take care of everything else. (1 Peter 5:7) Everything else is...trivia. So I did. I prayed and then I cast myself into the Paschal observances of the Church. God is good!

Today, He responded.

"Conduct yourselves honourably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honourable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge...Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing...even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated...but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame."
~ 1 Peter 2:12; 3:8-9, 14-16

Honestly, this assignment is much simpler that I thought it would be. I have so many other things to be concerned about right now and removing responsibility for this from my shoulders is yet another blessing on top of the blessings I've experienced these past few months.

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Christ is risen!!

Relevant Reading
Romans 12:2
Philippians 2:12-15
1 Peter 2:12 
1 Peter 3:8-9, 14-16
1 Peter 5:7
Lengthy Lenten Lesson
The Chapter that Spoke
Finding Myself Real
Choose Again

My Favorite Paschal Hymn

The Angel cried to the Lady full of grace: Rejoice, rejoice, O pure Virgin!Again I say rejoice! Your Son is risen from His three days in the tomb.With Himself He has raised all the dead.Rejoice, rejoice O ye people.Shine! Shine! Shine! O new Jerusalem.The Glory of the Lord has shone on you.Exult now, exult and be glad, O Zion.Be radiant, O Pure Theotokos, in the Resurrection, the Resurrection of your Son!
Holy Theotokos, pray for me, a sinner!