Tag Archives: icons

The Bread of Offering

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I helped to bake Communion bread this week.

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This time I was off in a corner by myself, near the icon of famous prosphora makers Sts. Spyridon and Nicodemus of the Kiev Caves. We also have a photo of some monk bakers, and the Prayer before baking The Bread of Offering.

GL Spyridon & Nicodemus

Prayer Before Making Prosphora

O Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son
of the Eternal Father,
who has said with Thy most pure lips:
Without Me you can do nothing.
O Lord, my Lord,
with faith I accept your words;
help me a sinner
to prepare the Bread of Offering,
that the works of my hands
may be acceptable at Thy Holy Table
and may become
through the operation of Thy Holy Spirit
the communion of Thy Most Pure Body
for me and for all Thy people.
In the Name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

Three other bakers were making about 200 smaller loaves in the middle of the kitchen. While we are working the dough and forming the loaves, we pray the Jesus Prayer silently.

After stamping the top part, I sealed together with water the two halves, representing the two natures of Christ, human and divine, and joined them into one loaf.

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Each of these loaves called “Lambs” will be used for a Sunday Liturgy. We wrap the extras tightly and freeze them. I had to leave early and let other bakers take the bread out of the oven, but this is what I hope it looked like when baked.

prosphora lamb crp

Tonight’s the night!

church, Pascha, quotes, ,

The victory is in each of us, the victory is in all those of us who believe that death cannot separate us from God….However frightening and dark the world is nowadays, we know that victory has already been won, that God has won and that we who believe in him partake together with him in his victory. And therefore, let us bring, to all around us, this message of life and glory!

— Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

 
 

This joy repairs.

Nativity, poetry, , ,

THE NATIVITY of CHRIST

Behold the father is his daughter’s son,
The bird that built the nest is hatched therein,
The old of years an hour hath not outrun,
Eternal life to live doth now begin,
The Word is dumb, the mirth of heaven doth weep,
Might feeble is, and force doth faintly creep.

O dying souls, behold your living spring;
O dazzled eyes, behold your sun of grace;
Dull ears, attend what word this Word doth bring;
Up, heavy hearts, with joy your joy embrace.
From death, from dark, from deafness, from despairs
This life, this light, this Word, this joy repairs.

Gift better than himself God doth not know;
Gift better than his God no man can see.
This gift doth here the giver given bestow;
Gift to this gift let each receiver be.
God is my gift, himself he freely gave me;
God’s gift am I, and none but God shall have me.

Man altered was by sin from man to beast;
Beast’s food is hay, hay is all mortal flesh.
Now God is flesh and lies in manger pressed
As hay, the brutest sinner to refresh.
O happy field wherein that fodder grew,
Whose taste doth us from beasts to men renew.

–Robert Southwell – 16th century
Grotto of the Nativity – Bethlehem

How to Get Light instead of Fog.

Lent, quotes, , , , ,
St. Isaac of Syria

Thanks to Christ is in our Midst for this posting appropriate to the beginning of Lent. To me it is a helpful elaboration on C.S. Lewis’s statement that “Virtue — even attempted virtue — brings light; indulgence brings fog.”

…If you cannot be still within your heart, then at least make still your tongue. If you cannot give right ordering to your thoughts, at least give right ordering to your senses. If you cannot be solitary in your mind, at least be solitary in body. If you cannot labor with your body, at least be afflicted in mind. If you cannot keep your vigil standing, keep vigil sitting on your pallet, or lying down. If you cannot fast for two days at a time, at least fast till evening. And if you cannot fast until evening, then at least keep yourself from satiety.

If you are not holy in your heart, at least be holy in body. If you do not mourn in your heart, at least cover your face with mourning. If you cannot be merciful, at least speak as though you are a sinner. If you are not a peacemaker, at least do not be a troublemaker. If you cannot be assiduous, at least consider yourself lazy. If you are not victorious, do not exalt yourself over the vanquished. If you cannot close the mouth of a man who disparages his companion, at least refrain from joining him in this.

Know that if fire goes forth from you and consumes other men, God will demand from your hands the souls which your fire has burned. And if you yourself do not put forth the fire, but are in agreement with him who does, and are pleased by it, in the judgment you will be reckoned as his accomplice. If you love gentleness, be peaceful, if you are deemed worthy of peace, you will rejoice at all time. Seek understanding, not gold. Clothe yourself with humility, not fine linen. Gain peace, not a kingdom.

~St. Isaac of Syria