The Miraculous Spring of Saint Seraphim of Sarov*

The spring of Saint Seraphim of Sarov was discovered on the bank of the Satis River in the first half of the twentieth century, when Batiushka’s springs in Sarov were made inaccessible to visitors because a military project was located there. The pious lore had been preserved, that in the 1960’s military guards once saw an elder in a white tunic with a staff in his hand. He was standing on the place where there was a barricade that extended the complete distance to the Satis River. The Elder struck the ground thrice with his staff, and a spring gushed forth from each of the three places. Undoubtedly, these springs were endued with the spiritual power and grace of the revered Seraphim of Sarov.

Later the authorities wished to fill in the spring. They hauled in a tractor, but it broke down. The tractor operator awaited a new detail. During this time an elderly man appeared out from a tree, calling the tractor operator by name and saying: “Do not fill in my spring.” Regardless of how the peers of tractor operator encouraged him, he refused to fill in the spring. Also, the administrator who gave the order to fill in the spring was removed from the job.

In 1994 a channel from the river was redirected and a new lake of the holy water was created. On July 17, 2009 Archbishop George of Nizhgorod and Arzamas consecrated there a chapel in honor of Saint Seraphim of Sarov. The service of the Great Blessing of Water is served here each year on the Feast of Theophany.

Источник преподобного Серафима открылся на берегу реки Сатис в первой половине XX века, когда саровские источники Батюшки стали недоступны для посещения, потому что там находился военный объект. Сохранилось предание, что в 60-х годах ХХ века солдаты-охранники однажды увидели старца в белом балахончике, с посохом в руке. Он стоял на том месте, где ограждение подходило к самой реке Сатис. Старец трижды ударил посохом о землю — и из трех мест забили родники. Несомненно, что на них перешли сила и слава знаменитых саровских Серафимовых источников.

Позже источник хотели засыпать. Подогнали трактор, но он сломался. Тракторист ждал, пока привезут новую деталь. В это время из-за дерева показался тот же старичок, назвал тракториста по имени и сказал: «Не засыпай мой источник». Как окружающие ни уговаривали тракториста, он засыпать источник отказался. А начальника, который давал приказание засыпать источник, сняли с работы.

В 1994 году русло реки отвели и устроили искусственное озеро из святой ключевой воды. Часовню 17 июля 2009 года освятил архиепископ Нижегородский и Арзамасский Георгий в честь прп. Серафима Саровского. На праздник Крещения здесь совершается великий чин освящения воды.

*Translated from Russian

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Living In The Present

I served for ten consecutive years as pastor in my last assigned parish, which means that I delivered in excess of five hundred (500) Sunday morning homilies to my parishioners. That number does not account for those that I delivered on holydays, weddings, baptisms, funerals, etc.

In sermon preparation, I made a concerted effort to base the content of the homily on the appointed scripture readings; however, in retrospect, I must confess that many of my sermon themes broadly and generally connected the scriptural passages with issues that were current and forefront in my own life. In other words, I frequently preached to myself.

While considering the topic of my next blog post, I was drawn to a brief spiritual exhortation by Father Aleksandr Elchaninov. The basic premise of his exhortation is the importance of living one’s life in the present moment. The theme seemed familiar to me, so I decided to review yesterday’s blog post “Trusting God’s Providence.” Low and behold, although not sharing an exact theme, yesterday’s post also emphasized living in the now “where God reveals Himself to us.” Although I have yet to discern why I am currently focused and drawn to the theme of “living in the now,” I trust that in retrospect I will discover the answer.

Carpatho-Rusyns maintain a tradition of praying for the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit by singing the hymn “O Heavenly King – Царью Небесный” immediately prior to the priest’s delivery of the homily.  So, before translating and transcribing Father Aleksandr’s exhortation below, I pray that the topic on “Living In The Present” provides spiritual edification to all who read it…

“Life is a precious and unique gift, yet we mindlessly and carelessly waste it, forgetting its brevity. We either focus with regret on the past, or anticipate the future, as if our real life will then begin. The present escapes us in these fruitless regrets and future fantasies… Our constant mistake is in failing to seriously embrace the present moment of our life, in that we live either in the past or in the future, awaiting some sort of exceptional moment when our life is completely meaningful. Rather it is like water seeping away between our fingers or a precious grain escaping from a poorly tied sack. If we accepted every moment of our life as an experience of God’s will for us, as a most decisive, important, unique moment of our life – such unimaginable hidden sources of joy, love, and strength would be manifested in the depth of our soul” – Priest Aleksandr Elchaninov (1881-1934).

“Жизнь — драгоценный и единственный дар, а мы бессмысленно и беспечно тратим его, забывая о ее кратковременности. Мы или с тоской смотрим в прошлое, или ждем будущего, когда будто бы должна начаться настоящая жизнь. Настоящее же уходит в этих бесплодных сожалениях и мечтах… Наша постоянная ошибка в том, что мы не принимаем всерьез данный протекающий час нашей жизни, что мы живем прошлым или будущим, что мы все ждем какого-то особенного часа, когда наша жизнь во всей значительности, и не замечаем, что она утекает, как вода между пальцами, как драгоценное зерно из плохо завязанного мешка. Если бы мы каждый час нашей жизни принимали бы как час воли Божией о нас, как решающий, важнейший, единственный час нашей жизни, — какие дотоле скрытые источники радости, любви, силы открылись бы на дне нашей души” – Священник Александр Ельчанинов (1881-1934).

 

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Trusting God’s Providence

“Do not place upon yourself too many worldly cares, preserve rather your peace and live with God. Be accepting of all that transpires. We must entrust ourselves and our loved ones to God. The Lord is everywhere present, and nothing on earth happens without His providence or His allowance. When we fully inculcate within ourselves this attitude, then all becomes easier for us” – Elder Thaddeus Vitovnitsky.*

In all candor, my first thought upon reading the quote above by Elder Thaddeus was “easier said than done.” During times of turmoil, I strive to maintain a positive and trusting faith in God’s providence; however, when feeling overwhelmed by life’s challenges, I find myself wavering in my trust and worrying about things that I ultimately can’t control. The immediate turmoil often raises more general and fundamental questions: “Does God have a plan for my life? If so, how do I know what it is?”

In Orthodox Catholic theology, God is certainly believed to be transcendent, all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere present, but God is not revealed to us in these abstract and ultimately non-human terms. Rather, the indescribable, infinite, transcendent God was fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. Everything there is to be known of God’s will for our lives is completely accessible and knowable in our daily personal encounter with the Son of God. This encounter takes place not in the future or the past, but in whatever is before us at any given moment. Although our minds may dwell in the future or the past, we don’t actually live then. As human beings, we live now; and, as a human being, now is where God reveals Himself to us.

So what is God’s plan for one’s life? God’s plan is evident in whatever situations, tasks and people are in front of us right now. John Lennon once sang, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” As long as we continue seeking God’s secret blueprint for our life, we will miss it. God’s will for each of us is to love our family and our neighbors, do the day’s work as best as we can, find and create joy, make today’s decisions conscientiously, and consciously embrace the Presence of God in every moment.

Living this way, in time we reflect back on our lives and see patterns and discover meanings. We start to understand why things happened as they did. We witness the guiding hand of Providence in our lives. Such backward reflection, however, is not an end in itself, but a reminder for us to be faithful now, which is always found in whatever is ‘at hand.’ Our only challenge is to accept that simplicity. To that end, I offer you the following prayer by Saint Philaret of Moscow:

“O Lord, grant that I may greet the coming day in peace. Help me to rely upon Your holy will in every moment. In every hour of every day, reveal Your will to me. Bless my association with those who surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to me with peace of soul and the 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 is sent by You. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering or embarrassing others. Grant me to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will. Teach me to pray, and pray Yourself within me. Amen.”

*”Не принимай на себя слишком много житейских забот, а храни свой мир и живи с Богом. Пусть всё идёт, как идёт. И себя, и своих близких мы должны доверить Господу. Господь всюду, и без Его промысла, без Его попущения не бывает ничего на земле. Когда мы укореним в себе эту мысль, тогда всё нам легко” – Старец Фаддей Витовницкий.

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The Way

Recently we visited with one our very dear priest friend. Just prior to our visit, I forwarded to him a video clip that I discovered on YouTube while searching for incense.

In conversation during our visit, Father inquired if we were familiar with “Santiago de Compostela” which was the cathedral church shown in the YouTube video clip that I had sent him. Our response was that our only familiarity was from the video clip, but we had not done any further research about it. Father then inquired if we had seen the movie The Way. He seemed surprised when we answered “no.” It was then decided that we would watch it that evening after dinner, if we could locate a copy. We immediately telephoned the local video rental store and were informed that they indeed possessed a copy available for rent. We were in luck!

THE WAY is a powerful and inspirational story about family, friends and the challenges we face while navigating this ever-changing and complicated world. The film challenges us to examine the conflict we each have within ourselves of choosing a life versus living a life. Like each pilgrim who travels the 800 kilometer trek along the Camino de Santiago or Way of Saint James, I sense that each person who views the movie with an open mind and heart experiences a message unique to one’s own life circumstances. Though the movie is interspersed with amusing scenes, I recommend having a tissue or two in hand during the movie while discerning the difference between “the life we live and the life we choose.” Buen Camino

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Winter Storm

One of our Orthodox-Catholic Church of America (OCCA) clergy, Father Jim Brigl, has an established ministry to the homeless in the Metro DC area. He gives away bottled water and energy bars; he gives homeless people “space blankets,” those thin, amazing things which are so thin, but which reflect back 90% of body heat; Father Jim also celebrates a simple communion service with homeless people who wish to join him in prayer.

The message below is an excerpt from his recent post on the OCCA clergy listserv:

Please, please remember those on the streets, especially those who are afraid to come in or are so uncontrollable that people will not let them in. A couple feet of cold snow and winds up to 60 mph kill quickly. Driving by darkened and locked churches (while we can still drive) is very sorrowful. Even the outside vestibule adjoining the doors of churches where there actually is a little cover or down the stairs on the side… all fenced off, top to bottom. ‘You are not welcome here’ says that church, and the other, and the other. The church sometimes is inviting someone into your little SUV to warm up and maybe talk into going to a shelter. That’s where the church is these days in so many places.

I’m glad we don’t have massive cathedrals, because for so many, the church aint there. And even tho it aint there, we spend too much of our energy trying to figure out how to fill empty pews and still pay the mortgage. The church ….. it’s with us, in the streets and homes and alleyways. And sometimes we can even gather, break bread and give thanks …. all five of us on the corner. And it is really quite beautiful.

And one more request… after you have thought and prayed about this awful plague of homelessness, please, with respect, do something. Do anything. Contribute bucks. Learn more about homelessness. Join an advocacy group. Volunteer to help a church open its doors. Give blankets, water. Preach. Teach. The Son of Man has no where to lay his head.

I go on too long. Thank’s for bearing with me. Be safe yourselves, sisters and brothers, as you do the Good News day after day simply because you love it.

Blessings wherever you need them,
Fr. Jim Brigl

Philoxenos+ love the stranger

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2015 Annual Report

By the Grace of our Lord through the intercessions of the All-Holy Theotokos Joy of All Who Sorrow, we greet you with thanksgiving for the blessings of the past year and with prayers for peace, health, and joy for the new year.

The Orthodox Catholic Monastery of Our Lady Joy of All Who Sorrow (OCMOLJAWS), a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit faith community located in the Village of Oxford, Michigan, is committed to the embodiment of God’s love and justice within and through the hierarchy, people and mission of the Orthodox-Catholic Church of America (OCCA), a welcoming and affirming jurisdiction of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

The theological foundation of our beliefs are rooted in the gospel message as professed by the Ecumenical Councils, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, and our Constitution and Canons. As a bi-ritual Orthodox-Catholic community, we embrace the mission of witnessing the dynamic and living spiritual, liturgical, and cultural riches of both the eastern and western manifestations of Christ’s Church.

The primary charisms of our community are: (1) conversatio morum (conversion of life) of vowed and lay apostolate members; (2) contemplative intercessory prayer; and (3) spiritual inspiration and education through publication of a web blog. As an idiorrhythmic community, each member develops an individual daily spiritual rhythm of life. In accordance with Benedictine spirituality, the formal observance of liturgical services (ora) and the joyful fulfillment of tasks (labora) are considered spiritual partners, combining contemplation with action. We strive to balance the monastic ideal of “desert” with the gospel call so that every act of life is sacramental.

2015 was a busy year for the monastery blog, which was viewed about 12,000 times. The blog’s busiest day last year was November 15th with 177 views. The most popular post that day was “Welcome to The Poustinia.” Persons from 117 countries viewed the blog in 2015. Most visitors came from the United States of America, however Canada and the United Kingdom were not far behind. The most commented on post in 2015 was “Orthodox Paschal Greetings.”
Unlike many, perhaps most, other denominations or jurisdictions, our bishops, priests, and monastics do not receive any salary or financial support from a parish, congregation, or central church administration, so each is essentially a volunteer; nevertheless, there are necessary financial expenses incurred to support the activities of our national church, to maintain legal status as a nonprofit entity, to sustain a chapel for liturgical worship, to host a website and blog, etc.

IN 2015 the organization’s operating expenses exceeded contributions and fundraising income by $3027. This shortfall was covered by contribution of members’ personal resources, reflecting our commitment and passion for keeping alive the ideals of a new monastic tradition. If you share this passion, we welcome and appreciate your partnership of generosity and prayer.

Looking to the Theotokos, the Blessed Mother of God, as our model, we open ourselves to the divine life of the Holy Spirit. Joy of all who sorrow and intercessor of the offended, feeder of the hungry, consolation of travelers, harbor of the storm-tossed, visitation of the sick, protection and intercessor of the infirm, staff of old age, Mother of God on high!   It is a humbling honor to spiritually join with others in praying for special intentions and to serve as a source of spiritual counsel or solace in times of crisis or need.  Hasten we pray, O Lady Joy of All Who Sorrow, to guide our steps and to strengthen our resolve for the salvation of souls!

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Words of Hope from His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew*

Orthodoxy is a faith at once rooted in the past, yet at the same time a Church looking toward the future.  It is characterized by a profound sense of continuity with the times and teachings of the Apostolic Church and the Church of the Fathers; but it is also a Church that draws from its rich heritage in order to respond to modern challenges and dilemmas.  It is precisely this dual nature that permits Orthodoxy to speak boldly about critical contemporary issues – precisely because it is a “living tradition.”

You are undoubtedly informed about the dialogues with which our Ecumenical Patriarchate is engaged: (1) with our sister Orthodox Churches, in an effort to coordinate greater unity and cooperation; (2) with other Christian confessions and other faith communities, in our desire to promote reconciliation and understanding; and, (3) with the scientific community, for an informed response to environmental degradation and bioethical questions.

Our faith should not be regarded as stagnant or even obsolete.  It must not be conveyed as verbose or perhaps artificial.  And it cannot be dismissed as merely cerebral or uninspired.  Our word must express the hope and joy, the light and life of the risen Lord.  It must be renewed and renewing, reviving and refreshing.

*Excerpts from Patriarch Bartholomew’s Address to the Scholars’ Meeting at the Phanar on 5 January 2016

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KGB’s History of Manipulating the Orthodox Church

Having been a member of a parish of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church during the Soviet period (1970’s and early 1980’s), I became more and more aware of the KGB’s total control of the jurisdiction.  It was during my college years that I discovered the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) and began to better understand and share this emigre jurisdiction’s attempt to preserve the Faith outside of the Bolshevik’s political machinations.

ROCOR was founded in 1920 by the holy Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow, who reposed in 1925 inside Russia, tormented and probably martyred. ROCOR was founded precisely because St Tikhon foresaw the imminent impossibility of free communication between the persecuted Centre of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow and the million and more Orthodox refugees and immigrants and their thirty-four bishops, who were outside Russia. Indeed, as hundreds of bishops, tens of thousands of clergy and monastics and millions of laypeople were massacred inside the atheist Soviet Union, from 1927 to 2007 ROCOR stood alone, for most of that time the voice crying in the wilderness.

After completion of my undergraduate studies, I enrolled in Holy Trinity Seminary, ROCOR’s monastery and theological school located in Jordanville, New York. I was ordained a priest in the ROCOR Cathedral in New York City in 1984 and served as a priest in the jurisdiction for twelve years. At every service prayers were offered for deliverance of the suffering Russian land and it’s faithful believers from the atheistic communist regime.

ROCOR Herself came to be indirectly persecuted by the atheist authorities of the Soviet Union, which attempted, sometimes successfully, to use their political influence abroad to divide or isolate Her. This eighty-year period ended in 2007, at which time the Moscow Patriarchate convinced the majority of ROCOR’s hierarchy that the Russian Church was free of political control, and so a majority of ROCOR reconciled with the Church inside Russia. What is the reality?  The great journalist Anna Politkovskaya (1958-2006), the bravest of all the many Putin-critics to be systematically assassinated, recounts the situation in her book Putin’s Russia:  KGB History of Manipulating the Orthodox Church

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Svjatyj Večer 2016 at Monastery

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Христос Раждаєтся! Славите Его!

Hristos se Naşte! Măriţi-L!

Xpιστοσ γεννται! Δοξασατε!

Christos Raždajaetsja! Slavíte Jeho!

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Christmas Eve Holy Supper or Svjatyj Večer

For those who observe the Julian (Old) Calendar, tonight (January 6th) is the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. In many areas of Eastern Europe, more specifically Slovakia, Carpatho-Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Byelorus, a strict-fast Holy Supper or Svjatyj Večer is observed on Christmas Eve. The customs differ from area to area.

The animals are fed a little earlier than usual. Typically the father picks up some straw and enters the house saying:

“We wish happiness, fortune and health with the approaching Feast Day of the Nativity of Our Lord, and we hope all of us may live to another Christmas, live in peace and happiness and we ask God’s blessing upon all of us.”

The straw is placed on the table, symbolizing the fact that little Jesus lay on the straw in the manger. The table is covered with a white cloth in memory of the swaddling clothes of infant Jesus. In the center of the table is placed a large round loaf of bread which symbolized Jesus as the bread of life. The candle which was placed in the bread symbolized the Star of Bethlehem which guided the shepherds and wise men to worship and adore the light of the world.

The meal then begins after the first star appears in the sky. There are traditionally twelve foods on the table, symbolizing the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. The foods included fish, bobalki, mačanka (mushroom sauerkraut soup), meatless holupki (stuffed cabbage), dried fruits, pirohi, kapusta (sauerkraut), honey, garlic… etc.

Everyone is standing.

The eldest exclaims for the first time the Christmas Greeting:

Christ is Born! Христосъ Раждается (Christos Raždajetsja)!

All reply:

Glorify Him! Славите Его (Slavite Jeho)!

A single candle, placed near the center of the table, is now lit. This reminds us of the appearance of Christ, the Light of the World, who was born this day.

The eldest leads the family in a prayer of gratitude to God for the past year:

“Grant, O God, that we may live to an even better Holy Night next year. May the Lord give good health to our family and loved ones, to our good and bad neighbors, to our friends and enemies. May God bless all Christians here and abroad and may He grant eternal memory and heaven to the departed. And above all, may Little Jesus, born this night, bring peace, health and happiness!”

All reply: Grant it, O Lord! Дай Боже (Daj Bozhe)!

All present now join in the singing of the Troparion for the Feast:

Рождество Твое, Христе Боже наш, * возсия мирови свет разума! * В нем бо звездам служащии звездою учахуся * Тебе кланятися Солнцу правды * и Тебе ведети с высоты востока. * Господи, слава Тебе!

Your Nativity, O Christ our God, * has shone to the world the light of understanding! * For by it, those who worshipped the stars, * were taught by a star to adore You, * the Sun of Righteousness, * and to know You as the Orient from on high. * O Lord, glory to You!

The eldest then blesses the food:

Lord Jesus Christ, Who was born in a manger for our sake and salvation, bless this food and drink of Your servants, for You are holy, always, now and ever, and forever.

Family:
Amen!

The eldest present then toasts with a glass of wine or champagne:

I greet you on the Feast of Christ’s Nativity and wish that the Lord grant us good health and fortune to praise the eternal God for many years.

All reply:

God grant us many years! Многая лета (Mnohaja Lyeta)!

Then all are seated.

Each person takes a tooth of garlic, dips it in honey and makes the sign of the cross over the forehead of each family member. The honey sybolizes sweetness in life, and the garlic, bitterness. Our Rusin ancestors believed that garlic chased away all pagan and evil spirits and kept them healthy. While giving the garlic to taste the eldest says:

“May God grant that you be as healthy as this garlic!”

Each person dips the garlic in honey, symbolizing the sweetness in life, and the garlic, the bitterness, and all eat the garlic and honey simultaneously.

The eldest breaks the bread, first making the sign of the cross on the bottom of the loaf with the knife, and each person breaks off a small piece of bread as a symbol of Christ, the Bread of Life. The bread is then eaten together.

No one is permitted to skip a dish. After the dinner is complete, the eldest recites the following:

“My dear fellow Christians, I extend the best of wishes of the Holy Christmas Season. May Infant Jesus grant all that you need and may He bless you with health and happiness now and during the New Year. Christos Razdajetsja! Slavite Jeho! Christ is Born! Glorify Him!”

Then kol’jady – traditional carols – are sung.

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