Visit #164 ~ Icons! Icons! Icons!

our parish procession wasn't quite this large...

The Divine Liturgy on Sunday started with a very small procession of Icons with the kids of the parish. How can that be anything but cute! Of course it was. I carefully observed how, afterwards, two adults collected the Icons and very intentionally, stacked them a certain way so as to not damage the picture.  How I love the sense of respect and awe that is in Orthodoxy.

During the reading, which was from the letter of the Hebrews, I listened as it recounted all the exploits of the Saints. As I listened to the names of all the Old Testament  Saints being chanted by Reader Tim, I was overwhelmed as I glanced around the Nave and saw that we were indeed surrounded by a Great Cloud of witnesses and I felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit on how I did not, as the epistle advised, lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us so that I could progress in my walk with Christ.
Going to Church isn't always a pleasant experience- Holy Spirit Conviction, you see. It was a very moving experience.

But I was glad I was there. I did notice that the prayers were slightly different at certain points and did not match up with my service book. I then remembered that, during Great Lent, St. Basil is celebrated.  So Church was even longer than usual. I find it amazing that, with my short attention span, how quickly the time goes. There is so much going on that I am not bored! The only thing I have to do is pay attention and I am drawn in!

Glory to God!