Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Christmas Eve

Holy Supper

Luke makes ready with our dear friend, Fr. Christopher

May you all have a very Merry Christmas and New Year. We are headed home for the next 10 days...so I'll catch up when we return.

"Today the Virgin comes to the cave to give birth to the Word in a manner that defies description..."

Handel's Messiah

In a beautiful, although insanely buzzing, wintery city accompanied by my husband and our dearest friend, Monk Christopher, we ventured into slushy Manhattan, to attend the New York Philharmonic presentation of Handel's Messiah held at the Lincoln Center.

After trying desperately to hale a cab from the Grand Central Station area, we decided to weave in and around the crowded-wet streets toward our destination. This lasted about 6 blocks and Thank God we were able to hale a cab. We almost hopped into an unmarked cab that wanted $25.00 to the Lincoln Center...needless to say, a rip off for the desperate dodging the snowy wet rain. We made it, in spite of, directional disagreements among hubby and me, the trek through the puddled streets, and the white-knuckled cab ride, all with time to spare.

While absorbing breathtaking music and charismatic conducting I was delighted in the whimsical-intoxicating atmosphere where warmth and peaceful comfort filled my soul from the joy of Good company!

I love Handel's Messiah with each Libretto broken into three parts: Jesus Christ's Birth, His Death and Resurrection http://gfhandel.org/messiahlibretto.htm

Only 5 more days until Christmas and I have yet to bake. The snow has fallen, so for now, the kids beckon for hot chocolate...

Amahl and the Night Visitors

My two girls and I, along with other families from the seminary, saw a local production of Amahl and the Night Visitors at Purchase University, NY on Friday evening.
A very grand performance of an Opera written by G.C. Menotti primarily geared toward children to encourage the love of the opera. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of only an hour long performance on a simple stage about a heart-warming tale of a crippled boy, his widowed mother and three night visitors needing a rest inside the families poor home before the three continue to follow their bright star.
http://www.usopera.com/operas/amahl.html

I believe we have found a more edifying Christmas tradition. The message of the Christ child outshines the decision process to choose what is appropriate and what is not -- especially during the Advent Fast.

some Christmas cheer in NYC...

Rockefeller Center through the Christmas lights

In Bryant Park, Manhattan...

The Famous Rockefeller Tree

Candle lights inside St. Patrick's Cathedral

Restored Gifts

Something happened, unforeseen, emerging from the reserve of my heart for continued healing. HE is a God that gives back what was lost or what was taken. I think of Job when all was taken from him, yet, in Job's steadfast love in long-suffering for God, all was, indeed, restored back to him TEN fold!

After posting Hannah's story about her father -- this wonderful-co-struggler blessed to call husband, I sat at the computer this morning, viewing the comments from Hannah's story and started to cry ...(no surprise there)
Feelings of mixed emotions filled my heart along with flooded memories --mingled with joy, peace, and saddness. Could that be? Should pain mix with joy only to be like Good medicine for your soul? Tears are cleansing...truly welcoming when upon you.

You see, at my sweet-daughter's age of 9, my father and mother were already divorced. An ugly, dragged out divorce where my two brothers, sister and I were pulled into the middle. Many-many seasons have passed bringing me back to dead-winter memories where "the years that locusts have eaten".

In trusting God, by allowing His Holy will to enter in -- to taste and see that the Lord is Good, I am comforted that Restoration is for all, given to us in a new born Child... "For God so Loved the World that He sent His ONLY begotten Son, so that whosoever believes in Him shall not parish but have everlasting life." HE is Wonderful, Counselor, the All-Mighty God, the Prince of Peace, the ever-lasting Father...

Please do not think me in despair. For, I am not, by God's grace, have found peace and joy during the seasons of life where in this Blessed gift of Family, which has been returned to an unworthy Handmaiden of God -- Ten fold! May the Lord have His continued Mercies on us all.

I am experiencing true Joy that my children have a father who loves so much to discipline them, provide, hug, laugh, and cry with. There is also experiences of bitter-sweetness, that each day is a God-given opportunity to Restore what was lost.

" O Lord, grant me to meet
the coming day in peace.
Help me in all things to rely upon Your holy will.

In every hour of the day reveal Your will to
me. Bless my dealings with all who
surround me.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout

the day with peace of soul, and with firm conviction
that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and
words guide my thoughts and
feelings. In unforeseen events let me not
forget that all are sent by You.
Teach my to act firmly and wisely,
without embittering and embarrassing
others. Give me strength to bear
the fatigue of the coming day with all that
it shall bring. Direct my
will, teach me to pray, pray You Yourself in me.
Amen"
by Metropolitian Philaret

the gift of sharing...

I know this isn't exactly "Christmas traditions" but I (and dad's humbled tears) found Hannah's recent story so precious. Therefore, deemed share worthy for the rest of you...indeed within the true spirit of love that shone forth in a cave.

...Holy Father Nicholas...

Traditions

Throughout Advent and into Nativity, I will share photo-pieces of our family's preparations; while humbly manifesting customs of the Orthodox Faith, in addition to, some family togetherness.

Advent -- A Light to those who sit in darkness and the
shadow of death...

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah
December 3,
2008

Beloved in Christ,
Christ is in our midst!

As we prepare for the celebration of the First Coming in the
Flesh of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we must fast and pray, and especially
give alms, to be able to enter into the joy and grace of the Feast. By prayer
and fasting, we empty ourselves of the chaos of our passions and the
distractions of the world, so that we might have peace in our souls and silence
in our hearts. By this, we identify ourselves with the silence and peace of the
Mother of God, who accepted the Divine Presence within her self, so that the
Word might become flesh and dwell among us. Let us also let the Word become
incarnate in our hearts and souls and bodies, our thoughts and actions, that we
might become instruments of His Will, being recreated in Christ for good
works.

We give alms as a way of overcoming our selfishness, of
detaching ourselves from grasping for possessions and money, so that the
generosity of God who gave His Son for us may shine forth from us. We give alms
to those in need, as a way of honoring Christ, who identified Himself with the
poor, the suffering, the persecuted and the oppressed. Whoever is poor, whoever
is suffering, whoever is rejected and oppressed, is Christ; let us minister to
Him in them. Let us open our minds and hearts, our homes and our wallets, to
those suffering from loneliness and despair, those who have lost their jobs and
fear to lose their dignity, the orphans and widows-the fatherless and divorced,
elderly, abandoned and alone. It is good to write checks to organizations. But
the spiritual riches come from consoling Christ by serving those in need,
personally, with warm affection.

Ours is a time of great uncertainty, fear and war. The
economy is teetering, unemployment is mushrooming. Tens of thousands of our
children, brothers and sisters are in peril at war in distant lands. Of those
who have returned, how many are broken and in despair, not knowing where to turn
from the unending nightmares in their memories and their minds. We must
especially reach out to them and their families, Orthodox or not, to comfort and
console and give them our help, as individuals and as Christian
communities.

The Coming of Christ is a message of hope, the banishment of
despair. True spiritual striving is the means by which we cast out the works and
thoughts of darkness, and let the Holy Spirit heal and console our souls. Let us
cleanse our souls through confession, accepting Christ's forgiveness, forgiving
everyone who has offended or hurt us, and forgiving ourselves. By repentance we
must cast out all resentments and anger, bitterness and self-loathing,
selfishness and carnality, self-serving desires for revenge and retribution, all
that entombs us in guilt.

Then with a pure mind and a broken heart enkindled by love,
overflowing with compassion for those suffering and in need, we might give birth
to Christ in our lives, that we might behold His Glory, the Glory of the
Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Wishing you joy and peace, as we prepare together to receive
Christ Come in the Flesh, in the Holy Mysteries, in prayer, and in the service
of the needy, I remain faithfully yours,

With love in Christ,
+ Jonah

Archbishop of Washington and New York

Metropolitan of All America and Canada