Sharing Good News

[Trudy Ellmore]

Dear Friends;

Yesterday at our parish, Holy Cross-Greenville, I was Chrismated and received into the Holy Orthodox Church. My new name is Athanasia.

How does one begin to explain the myriad of feelings coursing through the heart and mind when being received into the Holy Orthodox Church? It is near impossible. What I can say is, it was a grand and wonderful day.

Because it was the feast day of our church, there were 4 priests celebrating Liturgy and the place was packed with people. Three of those priests participated in the chrismation service and my priest, Fr. Radu blessed me. THREE!!! (Must be God figured I would need a lot of help or something!) There were 2 times that were remarkably special.

First was when I knelt in front of the three priests, and Fr. Radu put the stole over my head and prayed. I could feel his hand touch my head in blessings. It was that moment when I felt very protected. While I was aware of so many people around me, it seemed like I was alone, almost engulfed somehow, or "individual." I can't explain it.

The second time was when I received the Body and
Blood. The same sense of my being an "indivdual" receiving Christ was present, yet I felt surrounded. And it was almost like I could feel the warmth of God touch all parts of me. Again, I cannot explain it.

My husband was very warmly welcomed as I knew he would be. He sang the hymns in Greek and a woman who sat in front of us went up to him afterwards and began conversing in Greek with him! When I told her he spoke no Greek, she was astonished because she said he sang so well. While at fellowship he commented to someone that during the chrismation, he realized he should have brought the camera to take pictures!
(This made me feel so good because this whole journey of mine has been difficult for him.) When Fr. Radu called me to the front of the church, I kissed Phil and told him I loved him and did so again when I returned to my seat. He shared antidoron with me, the first time ever he did this.

Truly God was so good to me this day. I wish I could go outside and spin in circles with my arms thrown wide and shout, "I am an Orthodox Woman!!"

Thank you all so very much for your prayers. God
truly answered them. I only wish that Fr. Averky (memory eternal) was able to receive this good news as well, but I believe he has and is smiling down on me with joy.

Love, Athanasia

[Matthew Panchisin]

Dear Athanisia,

A wonderful day indeed! Many years of health and happiness Athanisia!

In Christ,

Matthew Panchisin http://www.monachos.net/mb/clipart/wink.gif

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Dear Athanasia,
This is wonderful news indeed! I do believe that Fr Averky is aware of what occurred 'loud & clear'.
Many years to you.
In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Irene]

Congratulations Athanasia, You are truly blessed, what a wonderful day.

What is yours Saints day? I was curious about your Saint's life. If you have time to give a brief outline at some stage.

In Christ
Irene

[Moses Anthony]

Dear Athanasia,
My family and I were received into Orthodoxy on Pentecost, so I can imagine how special your chrismation day is to you! Many Blessings!

a sinful and unworthy servant

[Matthew Panchisin]

Dear Athanisia,

I thought I might convey to you some of the writings of Saint John Chrysostom regarding your quotes below. I must say, all day it has been a great joy for me to hear of your reception into the beloved Holy Orthodox Church.

First was when I knelt in front of the three priests, and Fr. Radu put the stole over my head and prayed. I could feel his hand touch my head in blessings. It was that moment when I felt very protected. While I was aware of so many people around me, it seemed like I was alone, almost engulfed somehow, or "individual." I can't explain it.

The second time was when I received the Body and
Blood. The same sense of my being an "indivdual" receiving Christ was present, yet I felt surrounded. And it was almost like I could feel the warmth of God touch all parts of me. Again, I cannot explain it.

Here are the words of the Orthodox Saint John Chrysostom he is sometime referred to as the golden mouth regarding the Holy Priesthood.

4. For the priestly office is indeed discharged on earth, but it ranks amongst heavenly ordinances; and very naturally so: for neither man, nor angel, nor archangel, nor any other created power, but the Paraclete Himself, instituted this vocation, and persuaded men while still abiding in the flesh to represent the ministry of angels. Wherefore the consecrated priest ought to be as pure as if he were standing in the heavens themselves in the midst of those powers. Fearful, indeed, and of most awful import, were the things which were used before the dispensation of grace, as the bells, the pomegranates, the stones on the breastplate and on the ephod, the girdle, the mitre, the long robe, the plate of gold, the holy of holies, the deep silence within.1 But if any one should examine the things which belong to the dispensation of grace, he will find that, small as they are, yet are they fearful and full of awe, and that what was spoken concerning the law is true in this case also, that "what has been made glorious hath no glory in this respect by reason of the glory which excelleth."2 For when thou seest the Lord sacrificed, and laid upon the altar,3 and the priest standing and praying over the victim, and all the worshippers empurpled with that precious blood,4 canst thou then think that thou art still amongst men, and standing upon the earth? Art thou not, on the contrary, straightway translated to Heaven, and casting out every carnal thought from the soul, dost thou not with disembodied spirit and pure reason contemplate the things which are in Heaven? Oh! what a marvel! what love of God to man! He who sitteth on high with the Father is at that hour held in the hands of all,5 and gives Himself to those who are willing to embrace and grasp Him. And this all do through the eyes of faith!6 Do these things seem to you fit to be despised, or such as to make it possible for any one to be uplifted against them?

Would you also learn from another miracle the exceeding sanctity of this office? Picture Elijah and the vast multitude standing around him, and the sacrifice laid upon the altar of stones, and all the rest of the people hushed into a deep silence while the prophet alone offers up prayer: then the sudden rush of fire from Heaven upon the sacrifice:-these are marvellous things, charged with terror. Now then pass from this scene to the rites which are celebrated in the present day; they are not only marvellous to behold, but transcendent in terror. There stands the priest, not bringing down fire from Heaven, but the Holy Spirit: and he makes prolonged supplication,7 not that some flame sent down from on high may consume the offerings, but that grace descending on the sacrifice may thereby enlighten the souls of all, and render them more refulgent than silver purified by fire. Who can despise this most awful mystery, unless he is stark mad and senseless? Or do you not know that no human soul could have endured that fire in the sacrifice, but all would have been utterly consumed, had not the assistance of God's grace been great.

5. For if any one will consider how great a thing it is for one, being a man, and compassed with flesh and blood, to be enabled to draw nigh to that blessed and pure nature, he will then clearly see what great honor the grace of the Spirit has vouchsafed to priests; since by their agency these rites are celebrated, and others nowise inferior to these both in respect of our dignity and our salvation. For they who inhabit the earth and make their abode there are entrusted with the administration of things which are in Heaven, and have received an authority which God has not given to angels or archangels. For it has not been said to them, "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven."8 They who rule on earth have indeed authority to bind, but only the body: whereas this binding lays hold of the soul and penetrates the heavens; and what priests do here below God ratifies above, and the Master confirms the sentence of his servants. For indeed what is it but all manner of heavenly authority which He has given them when He says, "Whose sins ye remit they are remitted, and whose sins ye retain they are retained?"9 What authority could be greater than this? "The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son?"10 But I see it all put into the hands of these men by the Son. For they have been conducted to this dignity as if they were already translated to Heaven, and had transcended human nature, and were released from the passions to which we are liable. Moreover, if a king should bestow this honor upon any of his subjects, authorizing him to cast into prison whom he pleased and to release them again, he becomes an object of envy and respect to all men; but he who has received from God an authority as much greater as heaven is more precious than earth, and souls more precious than bodies, seems to some to have received so small an honor that they are actually able to imagine that one of those who have been entrusted with these things will despise the gift. Away with such madness! For transparent madness it is to despise so great a dignity, without which it is not possible to obtain either our own salvation, or the good things which have been promised to us. For if no one can enter into the kingdom of Heaven except he be regenerate through water and the Spirit, and he who does not eat the flesh of the Lord and drink His blood is excluded from eternal life, and if all these things are accomplished only by means of those holy hands, I mean the hands of the priest, how will any one, without these, be able to escape the fire of hell, or to win those crowns which are reserved for the victorious?


Here is the complete link if you would like to continue on from the beginning. http://stmaryofegypt.org/fathers2/NPNF1-09/npnf1-09-05.htm#P266_79483

Your brother in Christ,

Matthew Panchisin

[M. Rallis]

Dear Athanasia:

Seveal months ago I commented to our moderator, Mr. Steenberg, how I regreted not being able to have the opportunity to worship with the many fellow Orthodox that we encounter here on this discussion forum.

This past Saturday, our parish priest talked me into driving a group from our parish to attend the feast-day celebration of a small mission parish about 2.5 hours up the road. During the Divine Liturgy, a new Orthodox Christian was made a part of our Church by Chrismation, I remember feeling especially blessed to be a small apart of this wonderful event, standing just 4 or 5 feet away at the chanter's stand, as I was. As the officiating Priest, who came to this country from Romania I believe, placed his stole over the head of the young lady, I was acutely aware of the very special moment in place and time that I had been blessed to experience.

It wasn't until I read your post above that I realized that the new Orthodox Christian was, indeed, someone I had encountered first here at Monochos.

So, dear Athanasia, congratualtions and welcome to the Church. I am thanking God that I didn't follow my own lazy nature and skip out on the trip to Greenville!

Michael

(I was the visitor at the chanter's stand, that Father Radu asked to read the Epistle in English).

[Trudy Ellmore]

Dear All,

This is the first opportunity I've had to be able to revisit the Monachos website to read posts. All of your words have truly blessed my heart.

Thank you Matthew Panchisin for the link. I shall bookmark it and read further. It has truly given me a better understanding and has helped me understand why I feel the way I do when around a priest, especially Fr. Radu.

Michael Rallis, how well I remember your face as I now have the dear pictures Fr. Regis sent me on disc! I recall your excellent reading and remember your voice joined with our own chantors. I am saddened that I am moving away from NC this week and shall not have the opportunity to attend the feast day celebration of your own parish and to meet you properly. Though please remember me to Fr. Regis when next you see him.

Before I departed NC I wanted to receive the sacrament of confession with Fr. Radu, thus I visited him this week to say good-bye. I can barely even put it into words. Father's whispered words, standing in front of the iconostasis and seeing the icon of the Holy Theotokos with Christ on her lap and also the cross with Jesus, behind the altar, knowing it was Father I was hearing and talking to but somehow knowing in a different way it was God who was hearing me. Almost like not being there, but being there. Being alone but being surrounded. Kneeling and receiving forgiveness. It isn't a feeling you have. It's more like you just "know." How can we take it in, the fact that God loves us and forgives us? It is incredible. I drove home with a smile on my face and feeling like spinning, spinning, spinning with my arms thrown wide yelling "I love God and I love Orthdoxy!!!!!" I am so happy to be in the Church. So happy!

Irene, my saint's day is St. Athanasius of Alexandria, which I believe is January 8. But I must confirm that. My first encounter with Orthodoxy was by reading his book "On the Incarnation" which changed my life. For the first time ever I understood why it needed to Jesus the Son of God to come as man to redeem us. St. Athanasius seemed to choose me from the outset, thus I chose his name (Athanasia).

Fr. Raphael, thank you for your words about Fr. Averky. Unbelievably, I still miss him, a man I never met nor spoke words to, but only traded a few emails with.

Glory to God for ALL things! Glory to God for Orthodoxy and His Holy True Church!!!

Love, Athanasia

[M.C. Steenberg]

Dear Athanasia,

Thank you for your message, and our congratulations are with you.

Many years ago, I had a similar experience of being overwhelmed with St Athanasius' words in his De incarnatione -- a little book that still sits near my bedstand and which I try to re-read as often as I can.

You are in good hands.

INXC Matthew