Friends,
Thank God, we have had a good start to Holy Week. Yesterday we were able to celebrate the Presanctified Liturgy as well as Vigil for the feast of the Annunciation. Today, the Vesperal Liturgy for the Annunciation, and Bridegroom Matins. The week seems ominous and long from the perspective of Great Lent, but it flies by, and it is important that we engage as soon as we can because it will be gone in the blink of an eye.
There are several pieces of advice that the wisdom of the Church, gathered from literal millennia of spiritual practice, provides for us. One is: this week is about being at the services, since when we are present at the services we are mystically present at the events commemorated at those service. We often say we want to be with Christ. Holy Week gives us the opportunity to “put our money where out mouth is”, so to speak, and be with Christ by being at the services. No one will attend every service, and that is understood. But we provide also the opportunity to walk with Christ through Holy Week via our LIVE STREAM. It isn’t the same as being in church. It is better to be in church if we can. But if we can’t – the live stream is WAY better than nothing at all.
Another piece of wisdom that the Church provides us: Holy Week should be a time of silence. Or very little talking. And no starting new things or jumping on a new idea during Holy Week! All our clergymen know that there is a sort of parish lobotomy that takes place during Holy Week. People get “great new ideas” and start doing things that are simply ridiculous. Always without a blessing too, since the priests are “too busy”. This continues into Pascha – so please beware – but it starts in Holy Week EVERY year. People start moving things from the place they have been located in the church for years, or decide to use a great new chemical to clean the bathroom, or use a flame thrower in the nursery, or to throw away the icon they don’t like, or whatever insane thing that comes to their minds. Husbands get great ideas at home, like, “let’s reseed the entire lawn this week”. Wives do too: “let’s paint the entire interior of our house”. Or, even better, they start to critique each other’s duties at home. And fight over the most inane things. No. Silence. Be at church. Stop talking. Nothing new. It is ALL a temptation. 99.9% of everything that seems like a great idea this week is just motivated by the demons, and we understand that once we have gotten to Pascha. We laugh at our crazy ideas once we meet the risen Christ. Those with many years of experience at this laugh already now – because we realize that it is all a pure temptation. Nothing but demonic inspiration to steal our Paschal joy and keep us away from church this week.
And so, if you are tempted to criticize your wife, husband, child, neighbor, fellow St. Vladimirian: be quiet. Silence. No talking. Be at church. Understand that the enemy here is the demons, and the only person who is guilty of ANYTHING this week is that guy looking back at you from the mirror. And the only real guilt is just not listening to the wisdom of the Church. Don’t think you are smarter than the fathers – you are not. Don’t think you’ll outsmart the demons by your erudition – you won’t. Don’t think you’ll be the one that makes the best decisions at church to just start changing things, moving things, experimenting with a new and super flammable lampada oil (because what could go wrong?), rearranging the books in the choir closet without asking anyone, etc. Stop. Silence. No talking. Nothing changes. Except: this week we are in church, because when we are in church we are with Christ. We wanted to be with Christ when He raised Lazarus. We wanted to be with Him when the crowds in Jerusalem shouted “Hosanna in the highest”. Let us also be with Him now. If we would be so proud as to give advice to Christ now, as He struggles so mightily for our salvation, to advise God on His plan for the redemption of mankind, then please advise your spouse or your neighbor on their shortcomings during Holy Week. But if we cannot be humble and quiet now, as we witness the ineffable sacrifice of our Lord FOR OUR SAKE, when will we ever be quiet? When will we even be humble? Silence. No talking. Be with Christ. Everything – EVERYTHING – else waits until after Pascha. And if you do unwisely open your mouth: be quick to ask forgiveness and quick to forgive. If we cannot be an example of silence and virtue – at least let us be an example of forgiveness and humility.
If we follow this received wisdom of the Church we will do well. If we do not – then we will ruin Holy Week for ourselves, our neighbors, our family, our parish family, and everyone. The choice is ours. We suggest silence. No talking. Pray and be with Christ. Be more often at church. This will lead to a blessed Pascha rather than a wretched Holy Week. The choice is yours. We suggest you choose the wise path of silence. No talking. Pray and be with Christ by being in His House, the Holy Church.
Asking Your Prayers,
Fr. Gregory
