Clean Monday....Clean Week....Time to get Clean!

     

Is this how you get ready for Clean Week?

     I wouldn’t use the phrase, “The show must go on,” but I will say that, despite really poor weather conditions, “The Divine Services will be celebrated!” It was really snowy and windy Sunday into Monday Morning so we received an email from Fr. Bohdan saying that even though the weather was “challenging” we would be having service that night:

     And, yes, the weather was bad. I spent Monday morning with my wife and two sons, digging out my wife’s car so she could go to work. (She works at the hospital and they don’t take “weather” as an excuse for absense 😊) She went to work  and I spent the rest of the day digging out my car and making sure the driveway was clear. 

     Later that afternoon, I looked at the roads and decided I would venture out into the snowy abyss.  I gave myself extra time to travel to Church but, me being me, first, I had to create an A.I. video showing how I combatted the snow. Here it is for your viewing pleasure 😊

Getting to Church by all means necessary!

     I arrived early and I am so happy that I did. Yes, we were a small group (I think I counted 10 or 11 by evening’s end) but to pray  the Canon of St. Andrew in person was so much more beneficial than doing it online. (which, thank God, was avialable for those who could not get out of their driveways.) St. Andrew of Crete was certainly a poet and, for those who say that the Orthodox Church does not “preach the Bible”- a claim made by Evangelicals I have encountered- all the text of the Canon were illusions to blbilical scenes and characters. St. Andrew directs your mind and soul to the bible and, through it, the Holy Spirit can convict and move you towards Christ. Totally beautiful.

Fr. Bohdan on Clean Monday

     Clean Week, means daily services but, sadly, I could only attend Monday’s service because of my work schedule.  But, every morning during Clean Week I read/prayed the Canon of St. Andrew with a copy I had purchased latst year, so, even though I wasn’t with my parish, I could participate to the best of my ability. 

     Clean Week is done and I look forward to the Sunday of Orthodoxy this weekend.  There is going to be a procession of the Icons done by the youth of our parish and that should be a blessing.  I’ll try and snap some pictures.

     As Great Lent goes on, I have to get a handle on Fasting.  I did make food  purchases that will help me this week at work but I wonder if there is anyting except rice and beans for lunch and oatmeal for breakfast?  I think I’ll talk to some fellow parishioners this Sunday at coffee hour. 

     In the meantime, I have swapped out listening to audiobooks  to listening to Ancient Faith Radio teaching Podcasts (Fr. Hopko and Fr. Stephen DeYoung are favoirtes.) I guess I’ll finish Stephen King’s Dark Tower series sometime after Pascha. May God give you Strength during this time. 

     Keep me in your prayers as I remember you!