Categories: uncategorized
Date: 09 January 2006 06:39:08
Yesterday was Theophany, remembering Jesus baptism and the presense of the Holy Trinity, Jesus, the Holy Spirit in the shape of a dove, and the audible voice of God. Being a very special day, one of the 12 feasts of the year, there were special bits added to the usual service. I was totally lost. Couldn't work out when to swap to the insert bit, and when to go back to the everyday usual book. Up the front was a table with flowers, candles, a bowl of water, and a tray of small plastic bottles. 'Mmmm,' I thought. 'Looks dangerous. We're all going to have to go up the front and kiss something.' Kissing stuff makes me nervous. It's weird. Is this placing things above God?
Kissing stuff is big in the Orthodox church. I think a kiss means to show respect, and to receive. Kiss the cross at the end of the service to receive Christ's blessing, kiss the icon as a sign of respect, kiss the bible because it is the very word of God. Traditionally you kiss the hand of the bishop. Our big bishop guy says that's not really appropriate for Australians, because that's not our custom. I suppose if we met the prime minister we would shake hands. I suppose if we met the Queen we might be aware that something else was required, maybe an awkward bow.
As it turned out, no kissing required. Just drinking holy water, which by the way, tasted like rose water maybe? The priest dips his hand cross in the water three times, prayers are said to ask the Holy Spirit to make the water holy. The thinking being that in baptism Jesus was not made holy because he was already holy, but that the water and creation was redeemed and made fit for it's original holy purpose to sustain life. Let me see if I can find a link. Wikipedia to the rescue. Scroll down to the Orthodox subheading.
I've never come across holy water before, and if I did I would have thought it superstitious. Sprinkle holy water and all will be well, drink holy water and be healed. Holy water? How can water be holy? Only God is holy. People aim to be holy like God is holy. If you want to be well, ask God, don't go for the holy water.
The Orthodox perspective is, again I think, that God can work through and be present in matter. I can agree with that. But somehow the Holy water thing is just really hard for me to view without suspicion. I just prefer and like the idea that anybody can approach God and ask for his help. I don't like the idea of having to get a priest to ask God to be present in water, so I can take God's blessing home with me to bless my house and car.
Perhaps I need to be humbled. Perhaps I need to realise that apart from God I can do nothing, and that there are in fact people around who are closer to God than me. I guess I've always realised this. I've met beautiful Godly people I'm in awe of. Those people have not been church leaders, and I don't like the idea that someone is more holy than someone else, or can ask God to be present in water because of their job or position.
I've got a long way to go. That's part of Orthodoxy, accepting that what I think may not be right when it differs to the thinking of generations of Christians before me, right back to the apostles, who have always held one view, and done things in a particular way, and come to agreements together as a whole worldwide church. It doesn't fit so nicely into the whole 'follow your own truth' way of thinking around at the moment, even in churches.
I have rather tentatively dropped some Holy water in my blocked ear. Do you think God would unblock my ear if I tentatively and just to test it out put Holy water in my ear? I may have the wrong attitude here!
Again, as much as I was lost and maybe frustrated during the service, I can't wait to get back there. I wish there was a church down the road having Vespers and Matins (whatever they are) and morning prayers and evening prayers so I could slip quietly in and be part of it. I sense a distinct lack of striving since I've been attending the Orthodox church. My spiritual life, perhaps my spirit even, has been quite calm.