Sunday, April 17, 2011

Orthograph #130 - Guilt Free Zone

10 comments:

Apophatically Speaking said...

I must confess not getting this one.

Steve Robinson said...

AS, Sometimes daily holiness doesn't allow us to intersect 100% with "Holy Week". When we can, it's all good. But we shouldn't feel guilty when it doesn't. A "holy week" can happen outside the doors and services of the Church.

Caleb S said...

As a dad of two between 2 and 0 I'll risk sounding like I'm bragging that I got this one right away. Thank you, s-p, for nailing it on the head.

discourse said...

4 kids here and one on the way. Got it.

CoffeeZombie said...

My priest actually told me to stay home for one or two of the services last year, given that we had a newborn and live about an hour's drive away from church, so, yeah, I get this one!

Though, so far, our biggest concern this year is going to be the little one's endurance with the Paschal services...

rusmeister said...

From a regular fan in Russia (That you OLIC guys once sent an OSB (NT) to:
I think I am in the spot between the young kids with desperate sicknesses and work.
But does that mean that making it to the Thursday readings (in Slavonic - ugggh) and Friday's plashanitsa (shroud?) service that I can make it to holiness? Dunno...

Apophatically Speaking said...

Yeah, got 4 kids too, but sorry, still not getting the graph. Isn't the holiness supposed to be outside the circle following your reasoning?

J.D. said...

Help me! Should I feel guilty after attending Palm Sunday services at a heavy ethnic mission church feeling like maybe next year I just wait until after the tourist season before coming to church?

Steve Robinson said...

JD, while we were still inquirers the priest at the big local Antiochian parish actually told us to NOT come to Palm Sunday. He said "they think it is Easter and it is a scandal." We went anyway. Wow....

Ug the Caveman said...

I have witnessed the bit about Palm Sunday firsthand...But part of me likes the chaos. If the Church is not messy, is it alive?

As for the Orthograph itself, I am glad Holy Week can happen outside of the church walls, because between distance, car trouble, children who act like they haven't been in Church every week of their lives and personal weakness, "Lord have mercy" is the best I can do this year.