One Pilgrim To Greece...

Preparing them to go before colleagues, friends and wolves...

2011-02-19T02:48:00.000-08:00

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THE ARTICLE BELOW WAS WRITTEN BY FR. PATRICK TISHEL (MY FATHER), HEADMASTER OF ST. HERMAN OF ALASKA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (ALLSTON, MA). I THOUGHT IT WAS SO THOUGHT-PROVOKING THAT I DECIDED TO POST IT ON MY OWN BLOG. ENJOY!

It comes from his blog which you can find here!

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People send their children to our Orthodox Christian school for different reasons … very different reasons. They appreciate a safe environment, classes that are small, or classes that are able to meet their child’s unique needs. Their children might have had problems or were unhappy with their previous school experience. Maybe they were under-challenged. They like the Christian environment. One parent told us that he thinks it is good for his child to see men in black robes and beards, icons and be exposed to prayers … so many reasons, each one particular to a family. Though we realize that God calls people together in various ways, we want to make clear our goals and reasons for our Orthodox school. That won’t necessarily change the logic of the parents, but at least it will make clear what we are aiming at.

So why? We are doing something very normal as far as we are concerned. We believe in Christ, and we not only believe in Him but our senses and thinking have been changed as a result of knowing Him. Our curriculum is based on the Orthodox faith, on what we know and on how we as Orthodox Christians see the world, life, and ourselves. We proclaim in the Liturgy of St. Gregory, the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy: The Light of Christ Illumines All! Our understanding of history, geography, language arts, mathematics, science and etc. are affected and deepened by this Illuminating Light in a unique way. Someone said: “math is math.” Is that true? Are subjects of study compact things without deeper meaning? Don’t they have lateral and vertical dimension and relate to other realms of knowledge? Whatever happened to the sense of what is behind or within or under the philosophical foundation or axioms that are the basis of what one studies?

There is no value-free, philosophy-free school or curriculum, as there is no house that doesn’t start with a foundation and build from there. That is why every political regime in modern history has fought to control the educational system. As parents, teachers, pastors and evangelists, we have a big stake in education from the ground up, not just higher education or “religious education.” Curriculum planners and teachers express their world view in what and how they teach. This is why Orthodox schools are vital.

Children need to be educated and need to understand the world from an Orthodox view, from teachers and parents that know Christ and see the world, life, and their own soul with the illumination of Christ. This is very important. The children need to be formed in this environment, but they need also to learn how to wrestle against the world view they will encounter after they leave our school or home.

This takes place while they are still within our influence. While you are riding to school, the children are looking around and drinking in what you aren’t seeing, and thinking about what you aren’t hearing. If you asked them who they should invite to their party, and they said please invite the poor, because they heard a sermon at school about the Lord, Who said that we should invite the poor to our party and not just our friends, what would you say? You might think: we can’t because they will rob us. From the earliest age we are forming our children and their relation to the poor, the sick, the aged. Please pay attention. At school we visit the elderly and the children are excited and also challenged. They set up for our weekly the soup kitchen. Maybe they can come and help serve when they are older.

St. Herman said that the Christian has to learn to fight through realms of demons to acquire the kingdom of heaven. School is one of the training grounds … learn the facts, what really happened, learn the faith, also learn to counter and refute wrong doctrine, and, most importantly, to stand in the faith and live it.

Our school is not meant to shelter children from the world but to prepare them to be in the world but not of the world. We prefer that our children understand the world in which they providentially live, not fear it. Let the world be affected by the presence of young adults who know themselves, who know their faith and their God.

Education is serious … not just for our economic future but for our eternal future, and for our present life. How we live in accordance with the Truth while we are still here in this world is our preparation for this blessed future and it also makes the journey to our eternal existence much richer.

everyday life

2011-02-18T16:17:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Indeed it’s been a while. Part of me is pretty hesitant to post things, because I’m caught between two choices, neither of which I’m keen on making. The first is to post stories, quotes and experiences having something to do with my time here in Greece, but never quite getting at the core of what goes on. The second is to be honest--what really happens in Greece--But this is hard to do on a consistent basis. The third, I suppose, is to do what I’ve been doing--simply not posting anything :).

But it seems like its time to share a bit. Everything is going well. These days have been consumed with paper-writing, researching and church functions. All of these things have been very nice. My papers are coming along at just the right pace, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to write them. The more I enter the world of “theology” proper, the more I see that true theology lies mostly outside of what we generally call “theology.” This is what my heart tells me at least. In other words, a man or woman can be full of theology, bursting at the seams with it, having never said a word. In fact, the best theology is often unspoken. What I read in these books guides my understanding and allows me to develop a vocabulary for that which we can express in words...But everyday, after so many things have entered into my mind, there is an explosion inside, and all of it disappears, and I humbly start at the beginning. I have found theology in unimaginable placest. In fact, think of the last place you’d expect theology to be, and there it is! In the darkest alleys, the darkest faces and the darkest moments. Out of all of this gloom and fallenness blossoms a ray of light that shines in an unexpected brilliance. There’s a humorous side to all of this; they let you go to a school to learn something, and you come out realizing that the world is a school of theology, the world is a temple, and so are we.

I’m thankful for the moments of weakness, for the moments of sadness and for the moments of vulnerability. I am beginning to appreciate more and more moments of pure humanity--of beauty, tears, of the joy in simplicity. This is what theological studies does to you. The heart breaths during Bach’s Ich Habe Genug and finds rest in a Copperfield short story. Why? Because, between the lines and under the sweetly flowing notes, it sees the words in the textbooks come to life. When theology shows up in the most unexpected places, it makes a smile from a complete stranger as mysterious and beautiful as the Incarnation. In fact, it reflects that very sacred and awesome even, where God himself showed up in the most unexpected place--a dark and damp cave.

Let us see Christ incarnated in everything!

Hoping you are all well!

with love in Christ,
michael

studying theology...

2011-01-19T05:05:00.000-08:00

Hello Family and Friends!

Long time no talk :)

Life has been quite busy around here. I’m coming into the final part of my program (writing the thesis), which should take anywhere from 1-2 semesters.

Just thought I’d share a nice little excerpt from Fr. Stephen Freeman’s blog:

“Another specific activity, deeply related to this false and true self, is the knowledge of God, and all that we speak of when we say, “doctrine.” Part of the argument of St. Gregory Palamas, against those who argued for a different manner of knowing God, was his insistence on the experiential character of the proper knowledge of God. Thus when we know God properly, we know Him as Person, not as object or topic. Someone may know all of the dogmatic formulas such that they can repeat them with no trouble, or even quickly analyze a statement as somehow being contrary to the doctrine of the Church, and yet know all of this in a way that is not proper. They simply become experts, like someone studying for a game show. This is an activity that fosters the false self, and may be more dangerous than many, because the person involved can suffer under the delusion that because they “know” all of the true facts, they actually know the truth, when they do not.“

http://fatherstephen.wordpress.com

Lots of love!

mike

Holy Grand Prince and Martyr Michael of Tver...

2010-11-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been forever since I have had a chance to post anything. Various obligations just do not allow this to happen at the moment. I did, however, want to post the life of Grand Prince and Martyr Michael, as I enjoyed reading it and thought you might as well:

“Saint Michael, born at Tver in 1272, was the son of Prince Yaroslav Yaroslavovich, who was himself the brother of Sinat Alexander Nevsky (23 Nov.). Michael was brought up in the faith and in the pracice of the virtues by his mother, who later became a nun. The strong monastic influence in his upbringing led him to see hi future in terms of a simple choice between becoming a monk or dying a martyr. God however laid on him the heavy burden of government when he succeeded his elder brother as Prince of Tver (1285). Nineteen years later he was to become, in addition, Grand Prince of Vladimir, the capital of Russia during the Mongol occupation and the seat of the Metropolitan of Kiev. In the meantime, he had married Princess Anna Dimitrievna of Rostov, who gave him four sons and four daughters.
        After some years, Michael was deprived of the Principality of Vladimir through the machinations of his kinsman Prince George Danielovich of Moscow. Michael’s counsellors urged him to take up arms against George but he preferred to give up powere rather than have his people shed their blood for him. But when George threated Tver, Michael took the advice of the Bishop to go to war agains his cousin, and he was victorious. Among his princers was George’s wife, Princess Agatha, who happened to dier in captivity as a result of an accident. Her death unleashed the fury of George against Michael and also roused up the Tatar Khan, who was Agatha’s brother. A Tatar expedition against Tver seemed all too probable, unless Prince Michael would agree to go to the Golden Horde to be judged at the court of the Khan. All Michael’s kinsmen could foresee the fatal outcome of such a proceeding, and they did their best to dissuade him from it. However, after discussing the matter with his spiritual father, the holy Prince made up his mind to go to certain death in order to spare his people.
        Held prisoner with a wooden yoke around his neck which kept his hands and arms at shoulder-height, Michael spent his days and nights chanting the services of the CHurch and Psalms of David. His son, a hostage of the Tatars, was allowed to keep him company. He turned the pages of the sacred books for his father, who was consoled by his presence. Obliged to kneel before the Khan and become a laughing-stock of the Tatars, all Michael uttered by way of complaint were the words of the Psalmist: I am an object of scorn to them: they have looked on me and they have shaken their heads. Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to Thy mercy (Ps. 108:25-6). Thereafter the tears flowed continuously from his eyes. During the night of 21 and 22 November, he had a revelation of his approaching death. He attended the Liturgy, communicated in the holy Mysteries and having embraced the members of his family who were present, he opened the Psalter and read the words uttered by the Prophet, foreseeing the Passion of Christ: My heart is in angiusih within me: and the terrors of death have fallen upon me (Ps. 54:4). Then he added: Cast thy burden on the Lord, and He will sustain theee: He will never permit the righteous to be moved (ibid. v. 22). So, filled with courage and hope, he calmly greeted George and his henchmen who threw themselves on him like wild animals and mauled him ferociously before running him through with their swords.
        The relics of the holy Prince were returned to Moscow where they owrked many miracles. On 6 September 1320, they were translated with great solemnity to Tver. When the city was besieged by the Poles and Lithuanians in 1549, the inhabitants were encouraged by Saint Michael, who appeared in the form of an armed and mounted knight.

Through the prayers of Thy Saints, Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon us. Amen.

Making room for others...

2010-05-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

May the following quote from a moving short story by Checkov serve as a reminder to us all to slow down and look beyond the surface in our day-to-day interactions with others...

Help us to slow down enough to see this!

“Iona turned round to tell them how his son died, but at that moment the hunchback gave a
little sigh of relief and announced that, thank God, they had come to the end of the journey. Having
received his twenty kopecks, Iona gazed after the revelers for a long time, even after they had
vanished through a dark gateway. Once more he was alone, once more silence fell on him. The grief
he had kept at bay for a brief while now returned to wrench his heart with still greater force. With an
expression of anxiety and torment, he gazed at the crowds hurrying along both sides of the street,
wondering whether there was anyone among those thousands of people who would listen to him. But
the crowds hurried past, paying no attention to him or to his grief. His grief was vast, boundless. If his
heart could break, and the grief could pour out of it, it would flow over the whole world; but no one
would see it. It had found a hiding place invisible to all: even in broad daylight, even if you held a
candle to it, you wouldn't see it.”

~ from “Heartache” by Anton Checkov

Towards an Asceticism of Hospitality...

2010-05-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

After having returned from a trip to England (London, Darby, Cambridge and Essex) and a pilgrimage to Mt. Athos, an overarching theme has come to mind which was referenced continuously throughout our journeys. This theme can best be summed up with one word: hospitality. It is something that requires, in my mind, a few prerequisite notions:

That we consider our brother to be our life. Or as others put it, our brother to be our salvation (1 John sums this up pretty well).
That we leave room in our lives for our brother. This, of course, can take on many different forms, but in our busy society this might have to do with evaluating our jobs, family lives, recreation, and asking ourselves to what extent these are carried out for our own good, or that of others. With a job, for example, the prevailing philosophy nowadays can often very self-centered--everything being set up for success, even if it means stepping on others’ to do so. Our jobs, though, can be transformed in most cases into arenas for practicing this very principle of leaving room for others, even though it may cost us (financially, or in terms of self-respect or reputation etc.). Another aspect of this point, however, which is very important in our day and age is that we leave room for our neighbor in the busyness that is superficially created in our minds. Often the nature of our jobs and our pace of life can be associated with stress that builds up within our minds--the pounding and swirling of thoughts in our heads, whether its remembering an appointment, replaying an intense meeting or conversation, etc etc...All of these things that cause our minds to scatter and eventually snap under pressure, distract us from the still simplicity that is reality. If we clutter our minds with all of these false realities (because they are not actually even helping our every day realities, but only acting as pale distortions of them) we certainly DO NOT LEAVE ROOM FOR OUR BROTHER, which as many fathers say, is a door to meeting Christ. Sometimes humility means slowing down to the point of being able to listen. Often we say, “how can I slow down, I have so much to do.” Two points arise: either we need to re-evaluate how much we are doing in light of eternal values and consequences and maybe try to trim off the unnecessary time-fillers, or we need to come to grips with the fact that it is not the excess of jobs but the internal pace and scatterdness with which we meet these jobs. If we met them with a natural internal pace and one that we singly focused (usually on the prayer of Jesus or something similarly simple), maybe these things would not seem so difficult, and MAYBE they might even take on a whole new level of meaning and beauty...the mundane and even tedious suddenly becoming overwhelmingly brilliant and beautiful.
That we do not see our spiritual life and our obligation towards our neighbor (i.e. family, friends, co-workers and everyone) as existing in conflict. Someone asked a monk at an active and frequently visited monastery, “how do you keep unceasing prayer active in your monastery with all of the noisy visitors?” The monk replied, “if our prayer ceases as a result of our interaction with the visitors it means that we were not praying for them as we should have been.” Other examples in the Gerontikon show that, in fact, an ascetic’s interaction with guests shows the true state of his/her heart and the fruit of their labors (i.e. whether their labors in prayer were purely out of pride and a sense of human accomplishment, or out of humble recognition that his labors are solely dependent on God’s Grace in transforming his heart in that of Christ’s...one that loves the whole world)Just as we see in the Old Testament with the visit of the Angels and many other examples in every day life, we do not know when we will be hosting Christ or angels. And this is not just an ethical metaphor or lesson but an ontological reality: that when we treat those made in God’s image as we would treat Christ, we are truly meeting Christ (“Lord when did you come to visit us?”). Leaving room for others (i.e. loving them) is an enormous act of asceticism, and requires an upheaval of our own will and a humble taking on and acceptance of the gift of Grace of the will of God in order to carry out this awesome love.

These were a few meditations that were picked up (among many) along our rich and profitable journey. The following is a nice story from the Gerontikon that might encourage us along the way (especially us perfectionists who constantly look at results instead of process :)):

A brother said to Abba Poimen:

“If I give to my brother a bit of bread or something else, the demons pollute this act as if it was done out of the desire to be liked by people.”

The Elder replies:

“And even if it happens out of people-pleasing, we will give to our brother whatever it is that he needs.”

And he told him the following parable:

“Two men were farmers and lived in the same city. One of them sowed his seed and produced a small and unclean harvest.

The other was negligent and did not sow, for this reason he did not have any harvest at all. If a famine were to occur, which out of the two would have enough to live?”

“The one who got the small and unclean harvest,” responded the brother.

“Thus, we too,” says the Elder, “let us sow a bit, even in an unclean way, in order not to die from hunger.”

Well, I think that’s all for now.

with much love,
Mike

Trip to England...

2010-04-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Christ is Risen!

The semester is racing by, and we're nearly approaching the final month of classes! The month of May is full of exciting events. On Wednesday I'll be heading to the UK for an Orthodox Youth Festival, and hopefully a trip to the Monastery in Essex. Directly after I return three parishioners from my church in Boston will be coming for a pilgrimmage to the Holy Mountain and Thessaloniki, and directly after that some other folks will be coming, and then a trip to Romania to meet Vera, Teo and Sophia and a journey home with them to Boston for the summer!

Nothing to share in the way of insights, except for the following gem from Fr. Justin Popovich:

"It is essential to create in our people (speaking to the Serbian nation, but really to all of us) the sense that the faith of Christ is a virtue beyond nationhood, being ecumenical and catholic, trinitarian; and that for someone to believe in Christ entails their waiting on Christ, and only on Christ, with every event of their lives."

Glory to Thee for All Things!

with love,
mike

In Light of the Volcano...

2010-04-21T00:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Today, while reading an editorial in the greek paper Kathimerini entitled "The Lesson of the Ash," something struck home very clearly. In the article the author reminds his audience that we as humans only understand our innate dependence and limitations when the works of our own hands begin to fail us, or when nature intervenes (referring specifically to the recent volcano eruption, and the consequent halt in sky travel all over the globe). His article reminded me quite vividly that we, the "enlightened" ones, have become very sure of ourselves, of our cleverness and capabilities. We undermine reality to philosophize about multiple realities because we have come up with advanced methods to avoid the only true one, one that, if we do not act, meets us with the bitter kiss of death; by taking pain-killers, drugs, "injections" of emotional and sexual highs from various forms of media, among other things, our religion (the avoidance of reality) has truly become our opiate.

It is times like these however, when the surprising silence in the air, reminds us that we do not rule the earth or the skies, but are rather completely dependent to their beck and call. We often only realize this when the rug is pulled out from underneath us (when we lose our ever-present "oxygen" as it were...the system that we have spent lifetimes building) When our economic system, like an enormous teetering mountain, begins to come crashing down upon us, we realize that our are inventions are built on the straw foundation of our human confidence. Human ingenuity is truly a marvel to behold, as we are capable of so much! But a denial of our dependence and a confidence leading back to ourselves, makes it all seems so vain. When we grasp on to our own intelligence and craftsmanship as if it is the ultimate mind, we find in the end, that we have been fooled...but it's often too late.

We, the children of the Enlightenment, call the children of the "dark continent" (or of the pre-settler America's or any other "unenlightened" land) barbarians and fools. We conquered them, educated them, civilized them and taught them a religion that we ourselves would not uphold, only to discover that we had successfully beaten most of the precious, God-given, wisdom out them--wisdom that we could have done well to listen to and to apply!

10 years of higher education often opens the door to...

...a suffocating world of hyper-analysis, inability to smile, and depression. We are so advanced and educated that we are able to (or rather, forced by our diseased minds, to) deconstruct the view of a marvelous sunrise or a breath-taking mountain-range. While we blow our minds up like balloons, filling them with numbers and information, we allow our life-giving organ, our heart, to wither like an unwatered flower in the hot sun. Never before has man been so in need of his Creator. Never before have we been so defiant and desirous to lead our own destiny. But destiny in our hands inevitably leads to confusion and despair. Confusion, because it is not our natural state, and we know this. Despair, because life has a way of showing us that we are not in charge. Beloved friends, let us wake up to this reality and seek within ourselves the answers that have for so long lain dormant and untouched...and that we have been taught to keep that way.

Let us allow the prophetic words of Fr. Justin Popovich (and others) to soak into our very being and lead us to the TRUE Enlightenment:

"The more a man devotes himself to the ways of natural knowledge [whose chief characteristic is its approach by examination and experimentation], the more he is seized on by fear and the less can he free himself from it. But if he follows faith, he is immediately freed and "as a son of God, as the power to make free use of all things." "The man who loves this faith acts like God in the use of all created things," for to faith is given the power "to be like God in making a new creation." Thus it is written: "Thou desiredst, and all things are presented before thee" (cf. Job 23:13 LXX). Faith can often "bring forth all things out of nothing," while knowledge can do nothing "without the help of matter." Knowledge has NO POWER OVER NATURE, but faith has such power. Armed with faith, men have entered into the fire and quenched the flames, being untouched by them"

(Fr. J. Popovich "The Theory of Knowledge of Saint Isaac The Syrian").

We all know that natural knowledge is not evil, but a work of creation at which we can marvel and for which we can give thanks. But just for a moment, let's unplug and go within, let's turn down the noise of our calculations and analysis and see if there is a message in the "un-productive" stillness.

Let us turn from our father the Enlightenment, and become children of Faith, where instead of a fatal and false self-deification we find a confidence and foundation based in a sure, never-failing reality. Then we can marvel at the never-ending sun-rise of our lives as we plunge deeper and deeper into the ocean of true knowledge.

Glory to Thee!

with love,
mike

Inspirational Gem #1

2010-04-12T03:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

A good friend, John M, came and visited Greece in January. In our efforts to “seize the day” while he was here, we briefly recorded (both audio and text) some thoughts and “gems” that we picked up throughout the course of our time together. These gems come from conversations that took place between us, with others (priests, monks, lay people), in “dialogue” with some books that we were reading, and just from life itself. We had intended to send them out bit by bit in the form of a mass e-mail, and still hope to do so, but life has a way of delaying these worthy efforts and making it difficult to complete. Thus, I have decided to start posting them slowly but surely on my blog, so that at least you all will be able to benefit from these moments as we did as well.

The following text is made up of some notes taken during an informal conversation with a local priest and confessor here in town, Fr. Spiridon. We were discussing various topics relating to ministry and work in the Church and this is mostly from the mouth of Fr. S:

We as humans, when we undertake any kind of work, we need to focus on two things: our effort and God’s blessing (hope, prayer, effort) and in trusting that He will complete the work in His time. We need to leave the results (and worrying about them) for God and be happy at all times even when things don’t go our way, knowing that our success lies in our effort and in God’s seeing our effort and blessing it (maybe not in such a way that matches with our understanding of human “results” but still a blessing nonetheless).
We don’t need too much experience or expertise when we begin a particular work in service to Christ and His Church, we just need to strive from our hearts to do God’s will out of love and not worry (i.e. if we are teacher) about how much someone understands something, but instead to focus on our effort and knowing that He will bless.
We never want to be slaves to a program. We make schedules and have a course of action. When you live like that, you are easily disappointed, and you switch things around by saying that, instead of God being in control and giving the blessing, we are in control and wait for God to be obedient to us. We have a list of things to do, and one step at a time, it leads us to become more and more anxious at every step. Anxiety comes when we trust ourselves and take things into our own hands. If you are confident and want to be in control then God says: ok, you can do it on your own? Fine, go ahead, and he “leaves you” to try.
A word of caution: hoping does not mean carelessness and saying that God will take care of everything and so I can sit back and watch, but rather means that we begin with respect and acknowledge that our human attempt is weak and poor and that God will complete and perfect our weakness.
A priest or layperson doesn’t start his labors thinking that he is capable, but rather because he loves the children of God and by his ministry in performing the sacraments (in the case of the priest), he puts his hope in God’s blessing.
The priest in the parish has to first have a fatherly relationship with his parishioners, and then be a teacher, otherwise they won’t listen (this is a mentality that seeks to avoid the trap of guruism).
Teachers have to have the sense of being life-long students, and must have the inspiration and desire to learn from their students. Only in this way will their students respect them. They have to be human first.
More to come!

with love,
mike

Χριστός Ανέστη!

2010-04-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

Christ is Risen!

Although this is a bit late, I hope and pray that everyone who is celebrating Orthodox Easter (both yesterday and continuing through Bright Week and beyond) has a peaceful, joyful few weeks, infused with the renewing Grace of the resurrection of Christ which happened at a particular historic point, but effects us drastically even today, if we would have the eyes to see!

with much love,

mike

Pig Farmer For a Day

2010-03-31T15:11:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me that it's been a while since I've posted a personal segment, as opposed to the occasional translation or interesting quote. The pictures that you will find below were added before the text, because I wanted to give you all a sense of what I had been up to last weekend while it was still fresh. Now, however, a bit of an explanation is due:

Last weekend (i.e. before Holy Week) an American friend of mine, Peter, who has lived for about 1 year at the monastic community of St. Dionyius at the foot of Mt. Olympus GR, invited me to join him for a weekend at this beautiful historic monastery. Because school is out for Pascha, I decided to go for it, and took the train with him to the small town of Litohoro which sits at the base of the renowned Olympus mountain. One can really understand, to an extent, why the ancient Greeks considered it the home of the God's, at least from an aesthetic perspective, as its beautiful slopes and sprawling picturesque valleys provide a mystical contrast--juxtaposing the flat "earthly" agriculture terrain to the looming "heavenly" peaks.

Due to its mythological significance, the mountain is not as well known for housing the monastery of St. Dionysios, even though it is apprx 500 years old, and famous due to its holy founder, and for its welcoming but austere monastic atmosphere. But in the Orthodox world it is a fairly frequented non-Athonite pilgrimage site, and therefore something that I too had been interested in visiting, but never had a found a good excuse to go. Finally, my time had come :).

So after arriving at the train station in Litohoro, we decided to walk to the monastery and see if someone would decide to pick us up along the way (Peter was fairly well known by the locals as being the representative American staying at the monastery and so it was not improbable that someone would be pass by and recognize him). It was about a 2 hour walk and as we started out we knew that we would not regret it as the fresh rural air blew through our hair and refreshed us (especially me, the urban academic that I have become :)). The walk was paradisiacal to say the least. Going from highway roads with fields on both sides and mountains painting a beautiful background landscape in the distance, to quaint village houses and tiny cobble stone roads, we wound our way through the center and up towards the monastery itself. We passed ancient churches and monuments and were fortunate to have been picked up by a pleasant local who took us through the ugliest part of our journey and gave us a bit of a break from walking. We arrived safe and sound and settled in having found me a room in the guest house.

Peter works with the pigs. He had suggested that I help him the following day, because he really loved his job and thought that I would enjoy it as well. I eagerly accepted his offer, although internally I was curious to see how my city-boy self would fair "wallowing" with the swine; but my idealistic side one over, and I figured that it would be a good break from the books to get down and dirty with the unclean ones.

This was the best decision I think I have made since coming to Greece.

Honestly it was a day full of external filth and internal joy. With ever splash of mud that found its way on my pants, with every lump of manure that oozed betwixt my boots and every speck of dirt that lodged itself behind my ear, I found a renewed strength and energy rushing through me. After I had overcome my fear of being trampled by 100 hungry piglets as I dumped feed into their troughs, I found it rather enjoyable to quite literally rub shoulders with these piggish...pigs, and if they were blocking my way, to give them a loving, but firm, boot out of my way. All day we went from pen to pen feeding hundreds of them (the monastery owns around 600 total, operating one of Greece's few organic pig farms), running around screaming "Roy, roy, roy", which in Greek pig language means, "eat, food, eat, food" or something like that. I got to see how the male breeding pigs, who bore a striking resemblance to some high school football players that I have encountered, would be set up with a couple of females to produce, in the way that comes quite naturally to them, itty bitty oinkers (I say SOME, not all...so no comments about not being PC please ;)).

I guess that if I was doing this all day everyday and had known no other life (like a very kind Albanian fellow that I befriended there), and then I had seen American movies and all of the lazy young people who are seen partying away, I would think that the grass WAS really greener on our side of the fence; but coming from the wealth of American society, and from the cement sterility of urban life, it gave me a new sense of being...just a nice glimpse of another aspect of the life of the world that I don't see too much of at the moment. Maybe someday that will change, life will become a bit more balanced (I pray that this is the case), and I am not unsatisfied with the beautiful life that God has given me in Thessaloniki, but this was a taste of another cuisine that opened up a side of me that needed to come up for a bit of air I believe.

So there it is. Hate to say it, but the highlight of the monastery was the PIGS! Let this be a lesson to all of use: let's not look only what we might consider the cookie-cutter examples of our Faith (the ideal clergyman, that best monastery, the most active parish) to teach us the important lessons. Sometimes its the pigs that make our day! (don't take me too seriously please).

So here's some shots of the the pigs and the monastery! Enjoy!

with love,

mike

Before the Crucified One

2010-03-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

By Fr. Eusebius Vittis (+2009)

O soul, you who are weary and saddened by many things that, out of politeness, you would rather not mention. Instead, you hold them within you, not wanting to offend, hurt or scandalize any other soul around you--from near or far. You, o restless soul, who search for peace, run to the Crucified One, the Sweet Jesus; kneel before Him with contrition. Tell Him the following words with courage, slowly, purely, and honestly, and with steadfast faith that you will be heard:

O Lord my Jesus, meek and humble in heart, I wholeheartedly beg and beseech You:

Release me from the desire to be admired by others.
Release me from the desire to be loved by others.
Release me from the desire to be sought out by others.
Release me from the desire to be honored by others.
Release me from the desire to be praised by others.
Release me from the desire to be preferred by others.
Release me from the desire to give advise to others.
Release me from the desire to be commended by others.
Release me from the desire to be cared for by others.

Release me from the fear that they will humiliate me.
Release me from the fear that they will scorn me.
Release me from the fear that they will reject me.
Release me from the fear that they will slander me.
Release me from the fear that they will forget me.
Release me from the fear that they will offend me.
Release me from the fear that they will suspect me.

***
Lord, grant me to desire that others be loved more than me.
Lord, grant me to desire that others be esteemed more than me.
Lord, grant me to desire that the good view of others increase, and that my own decrease.
Lord, grant me to desire that others be put to use more than me.
Lord, grant me to desire that others be praised more than me.
Lord, grant me to desire that others be remembered, and not me.
Lord, grant me to desire that others be preferred and chosen over me.
Lord, grant me to desire that others make progress in virtue more than me, if of course I could achieve something like that on my own.

O soul, you who art hurt and wounded by that which you have inflicted on yourself, if the Lord hears you--and he will hear you if your prayer is genuine, honest, fervent and comes from the depths of who you are--

--how much peace will reign in your heart!
--how much serenity will take root inside of you!
--how much tranquility will be painted on your face!
--and amongst all of the events of your life, how many blissful moments will you experience, both large and small!

Don’t forget, beloved soul, that most of the offenses that we experience stem from the exaggerated concept that we have of ourselves. They have their beginning when we overestimate what we do and offer, with the hidden intention of increasing our status in the world, however possible.

The greatest thing in the world is to be forgotten by everyone, except by those who we love and who love us (even if we find that those who we love very much do not respond in like manner). Maybe you think, blessed soul, that your love for others is greater than their’s for you. How can you truthfully measure this? The Holy Spirit through the Apostle says: ”owe no man anything, except to love one another“ (Romans 13:8). In other words, your debt is always unpaid! So how are you so bold as to make demands as if you’d paid it? Love, therefore, without waiting for some sort of response. Love the following truth, and carry it in your heart: that anything, except for our ”debt“, creates within us

restlessness, instead of joy,
agitation, instead of peace,
anxiety, instead of certainty,

Don’t ever forget this!
Let’s allow this attitude, therefore to be implanted within us. Let’s not stop walking this road. Let’s not allow prideful thoughts to trick us, such as the following:

I could be doing something else, much more important than what I am doing,

It is a thought, seduced by deceptive aspirations, desires and unfounded zeal to leave our everyday work, as we quite ridiculously want our virtuousness to blossom more than that of our neighbor’s.

Rather, let us keep busy with what we are doing, because that is what God has given us to do.

Let us occupy ourselves by doing it as best as we can.

This means, in short, to do it

with clarity.
with energy.
with joy.
completely.

As Before the Lord!
So let them forget us, let them despise us, let them not understand us, let them slander us, let them persecute us, let them...

How important is this in the end? It will all pass away one day or another, and that which will remain is the friendship and love of God. Both of these He will increasingly magnify. We will grow in patience and faithfulness in our friendship and love for Him. Our endeavors and efforts to become increasingly more receptive to His love will also grow. When we are made worthy to receive the Lord himself through Holy Communion, how can we have even the smallest complaint regarding everything that has been mentioned above.

Perhaps the mistaken thought will arise, my beloved soul, if you’ve devoted yourself to the monastic life, that these things which are written above absolve you from the duty of disclosing your interior life to those who bear the responsibility of your soul and who guide you on the road of the Lord. This would be a very grave mistake!

Everything that was mentioned above should in no way do away with the revealing of thoughts and sins which ought to occur with your Geronda or Gerondissa; rather, they assume this! These things which were written are meant to show you what you must do in your cell, when, face to face with your Beloved Lord, you pour out your entire existence in fervent, loving prayer.

May the grace of the Lord be with you, beloved soul!

_____________________________________

Translation © by M. Tishel

Selfishness

2010-03-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

by Fr. Eusebios Vittis

The selfish man is characterized by his enslavement to the pleasures, and by a lack of patience amidst unpleasant circumstances, whatever they may be. For this reason, when he succeeds in satisfying his own will, he finds himself in a state of pleasure and arrogance, and, when he doesn’t succeed, he is tyrannized by pain and pleasure and feels a sense of choking in his soul, which is a foretaste of the Gehenna of fire.

The wise man acts exactly the opposite, because wisdom constitutes the source of self-restraint and patience. With temperance, the wise man bridles his will and with patience endures all of the unpleasant events in life. According to that which is written above, all of which comes from the teaching of the bishop and holy-martyr Peter of Damascus, ascesis takes on the following process:

1. Denial of one’s own mind-set (φρόνημα), which is the starting point.
2. Acceptance of the Divine Will in place of that which he previously possessed.
3. Keeping the commandments of God, as a specific expression of God’s will.
4. An ordering of things, where man wants the will of God.*
5. Automatic denial of selfish delight, and an acceptance of suffering--something that is implied in the usurping of the Divine Will.

This is ascesis.

Translation © M. Tishel

-------------------------
*After consulting a Greek linguist, the translator conclude that the meaning of this sentence is a bit abstract even in the original Greek text. This of course could be due to a number things, not the least of which might be a minor error in word choice etc. To maintain the integrity of the text, we decided to leave it as is.

Fr. Eusebius Vittis (+2009)

2010-03-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

NOTE: The following article was produced after the repose of Fr. Eusebius. It is a translation from Greek, and will serve to briefly introduce this inspiring theologian and contemporary spiritual father. The intention is to post bits of his work on this blog over a period of time, with the eventual goal of more extensive translations. God-willing the life and humble words of Fr. Eusebius will serve as a refreshing breeze, encouraging those of us living in the world, towards a deeper love for Christ and a love “in Christ” (as Fr. Eusebius puts it) for our neighbor!

__________________________________

Fr. Eusebios Vittis (+December, 2009)

A simple man, distinguished and humble, learned and possessing many spiritual gifts; one who had experiences similar to the Fathers of the Church and divinely enlightened; a teacher who dedicated his life to the salvation of the soul of his fellow man.

This is how his disciples characterize hieromonk Father Eusebios Vittis, who reposed at the age of 82, in his hesychastirion (skete) in Faya Petra of Sidirokastro (Greece), where he spent the final years of his life in prayer. His desire was that his death would remain unknown until his burial, and for his funeral to be performed by a simple cleric and one lay person, without anyone else present. The Church chose, however, to bid him farewell as a man of such uniqueness so deserved. The service for the departed (η εξόδιος ακολουθία) was performed at the dependency of the Athonite Monastery of Grigoriou, in the church of the Dormition in Stavropolis, and was presided over by the Metropolitan Barnabus of Neapolis, Metropolitan Makarios of Siderokastro, and Metropolitan Meletios of Koulouez. Although the funeral was not announced, crowds of people flocked to the church to bid the spiritual instructor a final farewell. Afterwards, he was laid to rest in the hesychastirion of Fayas Petras, where for the first time, the presence of women was allowed.

“Fr. Eusebios was an attraction to thousands of souls of every class; he was a spiritual father who was recognized throughout all of his life by scholarly people,” describes Mr. Stilianos Kemetzetzidis, owner of the publishing house “Orthodox Κipseli,” disciple of the hieromonk and publisher of some of his books. “He was very humble. He did not want his name to be put on any of his books and he signed them with a pseudonym "Kexri" (translation: millet seed), signifying something "unimportant." With great effort I convinced him to allow us to publish his name in his books. He did not allow himself to be photographed, nor did he ever talk about himself. He also did not want to take a financial share in his books; money did not interest him. He had both divine and acquired gifts,” says Mr. Kemetzetzidis.

The news of his falling asleep spread to his disciples and throughout many countries abroad, where his charitable acts had effected so many. “I came from Romania. We are interested in translating his book,” mentions Mr. Ovidios Lazaresku.

Biographical Note

The hieromonk Eusebios Vittis came from Ptolemida. He began his priestly work as a clergyman in Sweden. The Holy Hesychastirion (Skete) of St. Nicholas in Ratvik, Sweden is entirely his own work. There he withdrew in 1973, with the aim of devoting himself to prayer, meditation and writing. Fr. Eusebios kept the Athonite schedule, and as recorded in the bulletin of the Metropolis of Sweden and all Scandinavia (1979), the monastery was seen throughout the years as being “the sleepless lamp of the Metropolis of Sweden and a place of spiritual healing for the faithful.” The visitors of the holy hesychastirion found comfort, rest for the soul, and the road leading toward salvation. In 1980 Fr. Eusebios returned to Greece, upon the exhortation of his spiritual father.

A great and distinguished theologian, a man of humility and divine enlightenment, a tireless writer knowledgeable of many foreign languages and translator of ascetic texts, a respected confessor, a lover of patristic studies, and a hesychast, Fr. Eusebios drew thousands of faithful people to him throughout his lifetime from all parts of Greece and Cyprus. “Under his epitrahilion* many people found rest, were revitalized and found meaning in life,” says the nun-abbess Epiharis, who lives at the monastery that Fr. Eusebios built using the offerings of the faithful, in Siderokastro; and she knew him during all of the years of his ministry.

-----------------------------------------------------

*a priestly vestment, but in this case symbolic for the spiritual fatherhood, authority and direction of the priest

Translation © M. Tishel 2010

Mt. Athos (old pics)

2010-03-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

Grigoriou...

Thoughts (Prayers) Matter...

2010-03-02T14:36:00.000-08:00

“Once a girl came to see me. She was a university student, and both her parents were doctors. She said she had problem with one of her professors, who refused to mark her paper. I told her, ‘Why do you wage war with your teacher? You should respect her as though she were you mother. She is disciplining you for your own good.’ The girl would not hear of it. ‘No, Father,’ she said. ‘That teacher is mean--she’s like this, she’s like that. I give all the right answers to her questions and all she does is tell me to come next time. She hasn’t given me a mark yet.’ I told the girl that her teacher was evidently distracted, but that she was waging a war against her teacher in her mind. I told her that she must pray for her teacher, that the Lord might send an angel of peace, and that He might give her the strength to love her teacher. Then everything would be all right. The girl thought I was telling her fairy tales. This went on for another year, and she began to lose hope of ever completing the first year. Then she began to pray for her teacher, and the next time she sat for an exam she passed and received a high mark.”

-Elder Thaddeus (of Serbia)

Grandma Passed Away...

2010-02-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Please pray for the soul of the departed Gertrude Buckley (my mom’s mom) in your personal prayers. After a long battle with Alzheimers she passed away peacefully just a little while ago in her nursing home. My family says it was a peaceful passing and they will be flying to Chicago for the funeral on Sunday.

with love,
mike

Prayer

2010-02-15T13:18:00.000-08:00

"The entire struggle in prayer has as its aim the discovery and conquest of the heart.”

~Fr. Zacharias of Essex

Blessed Lent!

2010-02-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

As this Lent begins I find myself in bed and a bit under the weather. But not to worry! A lot of tea, fluids, and lozenges...and some much needed rest. Being sick (when it’s not too serious of course...but even then I suppose) can really be a blessing. One moment your running around, feeling like you just can’t stop running, and the next, you’re on your back reading great books, sipping tea and accepting visits from good friends who sit and chat for a bit. It’s a good life!

Classes are starting up slowly but surely. Sorry for not updating lately. Hopefully lent will renew my energy for this important effort! Daily life in Greece for me is divided up a bit differently than it was in the states. Instead of 3 or 4 major events per day, everything is divided into small “mini-events.” In other words, you bump into a friend in the street and chat for 15 minutes, then you go and eat at the student cafe and chat with people, then you go and study for a bit, then class, then vespers etc. Writing it all out, it sounds almost the same as what life would be like in the states but truly it feels like the smaller “events’ (i.e. chance encounters with friends etc.) take on a greater significance.

Ok! Forgive me a sinner (in the spirit of the coming Forgiveness Sunday)

with love in Christ,
Mike

Fr. Eusebius Vittis...

2010-01-30T13:27:00.000-08:00

Fr. Eusebius died 2 months ago. He has become well known after his death for his pastoral heart for the Lord and for others. Hopefully he will be translated soon into English. For now, here is a preview:

My offering will be:

For all of Your sheep that do not know You and therefore do not communicate with You, I will communicate.

For all Your sheep, who cry for their transgressions and deviations, small and large, whether in knowledge or in ignorance, I will cry.

For all of Your sheep, who sink in the quicksand of sin, losing their purity, I will lament.

For all Your sheep, who sleep the blissful sleep of negligence and indifference, I will stay awake.

For all Your sheep, who blaspheme You and despise You, because they never truly knew You, I will hymn You and will give You glory.

For all Your sheep, held captive to whatever passion, on bended knee I will beg You to free them from their dreaful bonds.

For all Your sheep, who fall into the hands of wolves, with agony and desperation, I cry out to You:
Lord, Lord, Lord, save them! Resue them!

For all Your sheep, who find themselves in hopeless situations, in isolation, in inability to think and unable to find a saving escape from the labyrinth in which they find tehmselves, I will pray to You.

~Fr. Eusebios Vittis (+2009)

Translation M.T.

Sermon Given on the Sunday Before Nativity...

2010-01-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

Hope you all enjoy these Sermon notes from a priest’s homily this past Sunday (O.S.)

Sermon Notes from the Sunday of the Fathers (January 3, 2010)
Seeing the beautiful children in the church reminds us that we were once children. By analogy, to approach the birth of Christ through the Virgin, reminds us that we too must give birth to Christ and through this be born again ourselves—Christ, not as a babe, but spiritually within ourselves. Christ is born each year and perpetually. He must be born in us and through us.
Nicodemus was perplexed: how can a man be born again after he has left his mother’s womb (John 3:4-5). We might really ponder this question: how can Christ be born in us and through us. Christ is the God-Man, God was incarnate, generating a flesh-body (carne), and became one with our humanity. We have to do the same, but in reverse. We start with the unity, which our Lord accomplished, and we have to be united with Him. It’s not good enough to just sprinkle Christ over our fallen humanity. He must become a part of us, integrated into every aspect our humanity. He must be born in us, or we must be reborn. How we think, evaluate things, what is possible or impossible, must be seen through Christ. The Logos, Christ, is the second Person of the Trinity. He was begotten of the Father before all ages. He was first “born” on the lips of the prophets, according to St. Maximos the Confessor, and through the law, and then he was “really born”—incarnate—as a child. Now he must be born again in us. How? Ask the Apostles who followed Him. How? Ask all the saints who lived and died for Him.
Before Christ all Jewish households dreamt of their sons and daughters participating in the mystery of the coming of the Messiah. After Christ, pious homes yearned for their sons and daughters to become saints. Today, we can yearn for Christ to be born in us and through us. How is this possible? It is a great mystery. The Holy Spirit came upon the mother of God. Could it come upon us? She was highly favored before God, virtuous. Could we strive for this? Is it possible to have a virtuous life?
How Can We Have a Virtuous Life
We have responsibilities. Let us strive for obedience. We know people. Let us love our neighbor. We have the poor with us. Let us give to them. We have visitors. Let us exercise hospitality. Our loved ones have problems. “Bear ye one another’s burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). We have temptations. Let us struggle and pray: “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” We have been hurt and have reason to judge, but let us judge not that we be not judged (Matt. 7:1). Let obedience to Christ in my life be my daily business. I have control and responsibility for my own soul and with my own soul Christ can be born again, and I can be born again. At Christ’s birth there came to earth peace to men of good will. And in the same way, Christ is born spiritually in us today,
We see in even modern examples, men and women who have striven in this way towards holiness, that they are not strange or different, but, on the contrary, normal and more human than most, because Christ is truly born and integrated into every aspect and fiber of their life. This is another dimension of the revelation about peace on earth to men of Good will that was proclaimed to the shepherds by the angels and heavenly hosts. “Peace on earth, to men of good will” (Luke 2:14).
May the peace of Christ be born in us, and not just sprinkled upon us!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

2009-12-25T12:22:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Christ is Born! GLORIFY HIM!

Wishing everyone a very blessed feast and holiday season!

with love in Christ,
Mike

In Boston for the Holidays!

2009-12-22T21:23:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Well, to everyone’s surprise (except for my own and a few other select helpers :)), I found my way to Boston for the Holidays. It was a surprise for the folks and friends and it worked out GREAT. I’ll use a play-by-play that I wrote to some friends as to how I pulled it off:

I got home last friday and on Saturday morning went over to our friend's house for b-fast where my parents were also invited to "help my dad with his computer and have some breakfast." I hid in their walk-in closet with my laptop and connected to skype with their laptop which was in their living room. They started talking to me on skype as if I was in Greece before my parents arrived and so when they walked in the door, there I was "in Greece" on the computer. We chatted (my parents and I) on skype for about 1/2 hour and then I said that I had to go, and at the same time my friend said that they had a gift for my parents and should he bring it now or later. Everyone said "now" and he went in and said here comes the gift! (from the other room)...and out I walked! My parents just looked at me blankly for about 5 seconds while their minds shattered and were pieced back together again. It's true, I was expecting at least a gasp or something, but there was just a complete lack of recognition for about 3 seconds and then "what are you doing here?" :).

So that’s it. It’s been a blessing all around being home, visiting with family and friends, smelling the old smells, exposing myself to some nice culture shock (constantly turning around every time I hear people speaking English behind me...oooh, Americans!...oooh in America :)). Either way, it’s wonderful being home.

I just wanted to wish everyone a blessed Nativity (Christmas) and Holiday season. Hopefully I’ll be able to see some of you during the time that I’m here. Please feel free to me or call me if you’re in the area.

with love,
Mike

Update

2009-12-07T13:43:00.000-08:00

Hi all!

Hope everyone is well! I miss everyone back home. The semester is nearing it’s end. It’s hard to believe that a year (and then some) has gone by. We have had some protests of late in remembrance of the 15 year old boy who was killed last December after a police fired a warning shot in the air in Athena and the bullet ricocheted. It is pretty peaceful though all in all. It’s amazing that a whole year has passed by though.

Classes have been very inspiring. The study of theology proves to be a continual learning process, especially regarding our approach, as humans, to it. It is a terrifying endeavor, because of the temptation to be luke-warm. How can one dare to study life (theology) and yawn. And yet I do. Within an academic setting it is easy to treat the various topics as historical or philosophical facts and ideas, and limit the depth and value of the truths being expressed. Of course, the highest human expression of theological truths still pales in comparison with the truths themselves or even the divine revelation of these truths; but I suppose in moments of awareness, we can appreciate the ineffability of these truths by the very fact that we constantly fall short in trying describe and express...and yet they are still “out there” (or “in here” in the case of the exploration of the heart).

Either way, it has become clear that this study cannot and, eventually, will not, be limited to an academic environment. Everything is theology. Life itself, through the beautiful unspoken grandeur of God’s creation, expresses the most profound realities in ways that leave man speechless and in awe. Within a city, where man is surrounded by constant reminders of his imperfect creative abilities (cement, exhaust, stress, horns, etc.), he often forgets how refreshing it is to breath in crisp mountain air through the nostrils, and to ‘breath in’ the spectacular view with his eyes. To be filled with the ‘breath’ of true beauty, holistically, and not with words and ideas, only intellectually. Maybe academia is somewhat like the city. CERTAINLY not without value, and still expressive of man’s God-given creative ability, and ability to understand, comprehend and think; but if one only see life from this perspective (only in the city/academia), one becomes a prisoner within his own imperfection and is not given the chance to stand, like a child, in breathless awe of the ineffable.

Well, there’s an attempt to describe a few of the thoughts that have been mulling around. Forgive their imperfection. Pray for us over here, that we may be diligent and aware of the awesome task set before us, and humbly proceed, unworthy as we are.

with much love in Christ,
Mike

2009-11-24T13:51:00.000-08:00

Astonished
by what was found inside;
It was not found
but found you.
Jumping out of no where
From the depths of a mindless mind,
in the deep heart of quiet strength,
It showed its power:
working through a cracked vessel--
A light through the torn rags.

But you know that it’s not you,
Both comforting and terrifying.

When there is something foreign inside
That you somehow always new.
It was there
waiting
For the moment
for you
to realize
That it was not you.
HE was not you, but knew you.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Trees of green and red,
spot a barren wasteland;
Land where quietness prevails--
Land that waits,
expecting fire over the horizon;
waits with baited breath.
A cold wind blows through the withered leaves
one more wind
one more moment,
an eternity spent in active waiting.
When the fire came
It came from no where
It consumed the hillside and the trees
But in the blaze, the passersby
Saw the trees had not been burnt,
But now as candles in the wind
burning through the coldness
waiting, but now growing, ever growing.

School etc...

2009-11-21T05:54:00.000-08:00

Sitting on my bed typing this entry in a new apartment! I recently moved from my old place in the very heart of the city to a nice new apartment just about 5 mins away. It’s quiet, reasonably priced and I have a roommate from Syria named Rami!

Classes are well underway. It’s been a wonderful start to the year, taking in all of the theology courses and other opportunities that the school has to offer. It’s an intense transition, learning how to dive into the study of Theology.

Oh boy, have to go, but I want to at least post this. Hope all is well with you!

Please feel free to send me an email if you think of it!

Love,
Mike

Red, White and Blue...

2009-10-20T04:12:00.000-07:00

This past week shall be dubbed "the American Invasion." A few days ago I parted ways with two Sisters from the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood, City PA who were passing through Thessaloniki on a size-able tour/pilgrimage of Ellada. Just on Saturday I met up with some pilgrims coming from PA who were headed towards Athos. It was a nice taste of home :). We (the nuns and I) were able to visit some of the wonderful sites that ancient Thessaloniki has to offer. Did you know that Thessaloniki received its name a few hundred years before Christ when a King, to celebrate a victory, named the city after his daughter. Since then it has passed through years of struggle and occupation, but has also seen years of economic and spiritual flourishing. You don't have to go very far to realize that you are treading on the same ground as emperors, soldiers and great minds and hearts of old. In our pilgrimage-by-foot of Thessaloniki we began at the top of the city, at Moni Vlatadon. A peaceful complex, removed from the hubbub of urban live, this one-time Monastery was founded by the two Vlatadon brothers who were monks on the Holy Mountain and disciples of St. Gregory of Palamas. They founded the monastery on the place where tradition holds to be the place that St. Paul preached to the Thessalonians on his Second Missionary Journey. There is a corner of the ancient church with some 2,000 year-old stones that are said to have come from the Agora (marketplace) where St. Paul would have preached. The bishop who lives at Moni Vlatadon, and who hosts a number of students studying Theology, likes peacocks. He has many of them in a large enclosure near the church.

We saw a view of the city that we were about to conquer from a tower near Moni Vlatadon which is part of the ancient walls of the city. For a long period of it's history, Thessaloniki was enclosed by thick defensive walls, originally built by Emperor Galarius (4th century), that protected them from pirates and marauders seeking to loot the once wealthy and flourishing trade/port city. It was a clear day and you could see for miles away. The sun hit brightly on the buildings and made the nearby Thermaic Gulf look like a giant mirror.

We wound down through the narrow, traditional side-streets of Ano Poli (literally "Upper City"), which currently houses many descendants of refugees coming from Asia Minor during the population exchange in the 1920's. This part of the city has retained a precious "village" atmosphere, and you can still encounter the traditional Greek hospitality (or "philoxenia") if you need to ask for directions or just in a passing "hello". Often, the locals will even walk you to where you need to go and give you an earful of history along the way (or gibberish depending on your knowledge of Greek :)). We visited the ancient, 5th century, Church of Osios David, which contains rare mosaics (including one of Christ enthroned and BEARDLESS!!)...it's the only one of it's kind in the world, and depicts Jesus in his "mystery years" (i.e. between his childhood and later ministry and Passion). We encountered another "relic" at this church. Maybe it isn't polite to say this, but SHE was both elderly and radiant (thus, we use relic in both senses). The caretaker for the church was an elderly Greek lady who tried to speak to us in a combination of Italian, German and English, despite the fact that I suggested we communicate in Greek. As soon as I entered the church, she enlisted me to help her change some coverings on the icons, which she couldnt reach, and told the nuns to sit and rest while I stood precariously on a small wooden chair covering icons with ecclesiastical cloths. Afterwards, she proceeded to give us an extensive tour of the tiny chapel, and explained it's history from its founding all the way through its existence throughout 500 years of Turkish occupation (15th-20th Century). She was quite simple, loving and willing to share the history. She was the child of refugees from Asia Minor, and the wrinkles on her face were turned upward--more smiling than frowning. It showed strength, the strength of a victim of persecution and hardships, who was not infected by fear, but stood strong in her joy. We all felt as though her presence was a blessing for the nuns along their journey, and we parted ways with happy hearts.

Next we made our way down the hill to St. Demetrios where we venerated his relics and saw where he was martyred during the persecution of Christians in the 4th Century under Diocletian and Galarius.

Thessaloniki is alive with history. The history hasn't ended, although the life of the city (the true life, not the night life) is found mainly in forgotten corners and hidden in humble hearts. But you can still find it, that's for sure.

Advice to pilgrims: if at all possible, venerate the relics, not only of those who have fallen asleep, but also of those whose physical hearts are still beating. They are here, but are not to be found in the guide books unfortunately. Thus, you need to ask a local or a student where they can be found. This should be included in your itinerary, though, or at least in your prayers when you ask for the pilgrimage to materialize. :).

Fall is in the Air

2009-10-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

You know that crisp, clean, brisk fall air that you can almost drink? Yup, Thessaloniki has officially turned fall. No transition though. Not even a warning day. We went from swimming-weather summer heat, to New England Turkey-day chilly. Thank God though, it makes you feel alive. Today I will be picking up two nuns from the States who are making a pilgrimage to Greece. It will be nice to host some fellow Americans in this beautiful city!

Yesterday we drove down to Halkidiki for the morning. I accompanied a priest who had some business to do down there. It's a beautiful drive. The ocean out the window was choppy and a deep blue, a color set off even more by the brownish green hillsides and white and blue houses. The houses dot the landscape, scattered in no particular order or pattern. Some are looming and majestic, while other neighboring houses shelter impoverished gypsy families. We passed olive groves and farm fields, factories and churches, villages and harbors. Greece is a mix of worlds. Old and new, clean and dirty, light and dark, harsh and soft. Everything unexpected.

Until next time,
Mike

2009-10-06T02:57:00.000-07:00

Had the chance to take a day trip to a nearby monastery dedicated to the Ascension of the Lord with a priest that I know. It was in one of surrounding towns called Panorama. It is a beautiful little monastery with an exquisite view overlooking all of Thessaloniki (thus the name of the town :)). The nuns there make all sorts of ecclesiastical cloths, vestments and paint BEAUTIFUL icons! They were all very hospitable and it was especially enjoyable to witness their natural behavior with the priest. He is a long time "client" and friend of the monastery, and they were very natural and loving with one another.

In other news, the Greek have voted their current Prime Minister (Karamanlis) out of office in the recent elections, and elected Papandreou who lived for a long period and studied in America. Some say that he's not Greek enough, others say he is too liberal etc etc. It should be interesting to try and track the changes that ocurr as a result of the new power-change.

Hope all is well with you! Drop me a line if you'd like!

2009-09-30T00:28:00.000-07:00

The summer is slipping away! Most of you have probably forgotten about it already, but here in Thessaloniki classes begin quite late. Undergrads have a 1 month long exam period (usually all of September), and then they begin classes in the beginning of October. Masters' students begin in the beginning of November! I'm taking a 1 month intensive language program just to freshen up the Greek before classes start. It is a wonderful class. Our teacher is very well-educated, and the class is focused on building conversational skills and written skill at a higher (more academic) level. We discuss politics, culture, and ethics and write corresponding essays almost everyday. If anyone wants to learn a language, IMMERSE YOURSELF!

Just wanted to share the following homily from today's prologue reading. The scriptural pericope that St. Nikolai discusses, seems to get taken out of context often by various groups/people to give an escapist orientation to our goal as Christians (i.e. our goal is to escape from this evil world into the NEXT world). Anyway, enjoy:

My Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36).
"He who has great wealth also has little wealth. Therefore, let no one think that Christ the Lord does not have royal authority over this world, even though He told Pilate: My Kingdom is not of this world. He who possesses the eternal also rules over the temporal. Here, the Lord speaks of His Eternal Kingdom, independent of time, decay, injustice, illusion and death. It is as if someone were to say: ``My wealth is not in paper but rather in gold.'' If he has gold, can he not afford paper? Is not gold worth more than paper? Therefore, the Lord does not tell Pilate that He is a king, but on the contrary says that He is a higher King than all earthly kings, and that His Kingdom is greater, more powerful and more enduring than all earthly kingdoms. He is indicating His principal Kingdom, upon which all earthly kingdoms depend, in time and in space. My Kingdom is not of this world. This does not mean that He has no power over this world, but on the contrary confirms His awesome power over this world. All His works on earth manifest His unparalleled, lordly power over the world. Tell me, in what other king's presence is the wind quieted and the sea calmed? And have you forgotten His words in Gethsemane? Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53). And just one angel has greater power than all the universe! The Lord of the soul is also the Lord of the body. The Lord of eternity is also the Lord of time. The Lord of the greatest good is also the Lord of the lesser good. Brethren, nothing can escape the power of the Almighty Jesus Christ our Lord, Who by His own will suffered for us, and by His own power rose from the grave.
O Lord Jesus Christ, our Almighty Savior, help us to seek Thy Heavenly Kingdom, and to be eternally with Thee where there is neither sin nor death, but life and joy and peace.
To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen." (Prolog of Saints, St. Nikolai Velimirovic, September 30)

Visit to Aegina and St. Nektarios

2009-09-17T04:32:00.000-07:00

Last week I packed my backpack and headed off to Athens. After the 5 hour train ride from Thessaloniki to Greece’s capital, I made my way to the Athens Airport where I met Clark and Margarita (a couple from our Boston parish) as they walked out of the doors for international flights. A few months ago they had decided to take a trip to Aegina, which is a small but beautiful island just an hour’s ferry ride outside of Athens. Aegina, for the past century, has become well known as the home of St. Nektarios Pentapoulos--where he founded a monastery for women and where his relics can be found and venerated.

So, after meeting up in the airport, Clark, Margarita and I headed toward the port district, which is called Piraeus. The Athens metro, by the way, is AMAZING! It’s recently renovated, extremely clean and, contrary to most things in Greece (sorry to all Greek friends, but it’s true!), it’s ON TIME! Once we arrived at the port we grabbed a bite to eat and headed towards our ferry. The harbor in Piraeus is chalked full of ferry boats and cruise ships taking thousands of tourists, pilgrims and locals alike to various island destinations. We boarded our rather large vessel and settled in for the 45 minute journey.

Once we arrived at Aegina we took a quick look around (the small harbor is right next to the island’s center) and noticed that there were not nearly as many tourists as we had originally expected. It wasn’t exactly tourist season, but it was also clear that Aegina was more of a locals’ island than one for tourists. We found our respective hotels (I was staying in a pension/hostel-type place and C and M had reserved a nice, traditional pension) and settled in for the night.

The following day we decided to take a trip up to the monastery of St. Nektarios to see his relics and pray there. We took one of the town bus’ which had clearly been in use since the early 70’s. It was old and rickety, with wooden seats and everything! It was a bumpy ride with many sharp turns, sudden stops and all of this at a rather speedy pace, but we made it to the monastery in one piece. The nuns there were extremely nice, we got to talk with the Abbess for a bit who pleasantly surprised us with some profound insights about the spiritual life.

After that we spent our time on Aegina walking around the town; the streets are of the typical island variety--narrow, quaint alleyways with small “hole in the wall” shops and much of everything painted white, blue or some appropriate pastel color. The one thing we noticed, however, is that the roads and shops didn’t look artificially designed for tourist attraction, but really seemed authentic (“dirty” if you will).

We were able to rent a car on my final day there and took a ride all over the island and around the exquisitely beautiful coast-line. We saw the ancient temple of Aphaia, discovered that Aegina at one point used to be the capital of Greece(!), and had a wonderful traditional Greek meal at a taverna overlooking the water as the sun set over the nearby mountaintops. This particular dinner occurred on my birthday. What a great birthday treat! We also drove through the center of the island, where you could see traditional Greek houses, complete with vinyards, stucco exteriors, and of course the most important part--families sitting outside together and having a meal. It was refreshing to breath in the clean, un-polluted, island air, to basque in the slow island life-style and to enjoy the various sites around Aegina.

All of that being said, however, my favorite part of the trip was the traditional (and quite famous) pistachios made fresh on Aegina. They sell them everywhere and oftentimes you can by them still warm. Ok, it wasn’t my FAVORITE part (maybe my stomachs favorite), but I definitely recommend Aegina for any pistachio lovers out there, even if you don’t care for Greek islands or culture...pistachios!!!!

Until next time (when hopefully there will also be PICTURES),
Mike

The last post...

2009-09-06T01:45:00.000-07:00

The previous post was really from yesterday but I entered into an old file so it showed up as being from July :)

He's back in action!

2009-07-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Almost one year ago I came to study in Greece. At that time I had never lived outside of Boston, I had limited travel experience and my knowledge of a language other than Greek consisted of 6 forgotten years of Spanish. Now that the year has gone by, I’ve acquired somewhat of a sense of living outside of my comfort zone, I have done a bit of traveling and my knowledge of Greek is, well, slowly beginning to catch up to my knowledge of English (this is not necessarily a one way street...in other words, English is also running to meet up with Greek :)).

But seriously, I never lived alone--always with family or close friends. Moving to a foreign country, foreign culture, foreign language and living...alone...was a transition...is a transition. None of this is to brag. 2 years ago I would have laughed at the thought of doing these things. God is good. Thank you.

Thessaloniki is suffocating in humidity. It’s actually getting better, and it’s really not all too bad. Tonight was the first major protest in a while. Still need to find out what they were protesting. There was a big convention, with big political names in town. This is probably what it was about. Cops in riot gear abounded throughout the streets...actually more than I have ever seen. We walked across Egnatia--the main drag--after the protests had ended, and inhaled the gaseous wasabiness (otherwise known as tear gas) that gave us a good sinus flushing. Mm, mm, good! Needless to say, on the way out to the seaside, as we passed some riot police, the topic arose of anarchy, freedom and order--what are they really and where do they come from. We (meaning myself and the friends I was with) were discussing the fact that these principles can often be assigned to the “other,” which could be the government, other people, institutions, the armed forces etc etc etc. In other words, when we discuss these principles, and even ACT on these principles, we rarely consider ourselves as being the primary mover and instigator. I could be causing anarchy? I could be playing a role in freedom? No, these are outside of my domain--things that I can enter into but do not create or diminish myself. But alas, they are. If we do not, as my friend said, enthrone Christ as the head of...what...government, institution, family, OURSELVES...then we are creating anarchy. Also ties in to how each member of the Church is a PIECE of the Body of Christ. The more that each peace sees itself as a responsible member (both for the sins and forwards movements that it makes) the more the body can work together for its goal.

Anyway, enough soap-boxing: just some interesting conversation. We also talked about the need to be real with yourself, with your friends, with God. Nice conversations.

School starts in a few weeks. Greek for real now--masters classes. It will be a challenge for the first year, but what better way to learn a language?

Try to post some thoughts and nice experiences from the summertime.

Ok, more to come soon hopefully :).

Holy Week and Pascha...

2009-05-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

Christ is Risen!

Please check out my most recent post about Pascha on Mt. Athos which can be found below the last few posts (because it is in chronological order in terms of the events and not in terms of the postings)

Thanks!

Love,
Mike

More on the Simple Villagers...

2009-05-13T00:54:00.000-07:00

Some friends just e-mailed me to tell me that they were aware of a Greek publication containing this very story by Fr. Nicholas. If anyone out there is interested and reads Greek, here it is:

http://www.imp.gr/Ins/periodiko/197.pdf

All in all, after taking a look at the story, my short synopsis wasn’t too far off the mark (surprising for my memory, being as old as I am :)). Anyway, a few things to mention:

The council members (επιτροποί) were illiterate simple folk

Fr. Nicholas was working simultaneously as an assistant to some very important theologians in the university and as a “preacher” (priest, whose job it is to give sermons on Sundays at various churches) in a few villages. He said that he experienced a deep loneliness in this job because he felt as though none of the simple villagers understood what he was saying. He would look out and see that they weren’t catching the meaning of his sermons. One day, as I mentioned, he was invited for coffee by the members of the council and the priest. The members quite simply told him, after expressing their concern with the fact that their church had not yet been consecrated:

[the following is my own humble translation from the article. Despite the awkwardness of it, you should get the idea]

“You know what we did, we decided to fast for 3 weeks, so that God would show us [whether the Liturgy was actually working or not]. We did it, and the truth is, one Sunday before the Bishop came to do the consecration, we saw, at the time of Divine Liturgy again this light.”

I [Fr Nicholas] began to be alarmed:

“Which light, what light?”

“That light, the eternal light, you see the sun afterwards and you think that it is dark, a light which descends and you really see; you see many things, conditions, the present, the past, the future inside of it etc.”

I began to get shaken up; I was with people who had the experience of St. Gregory Palamas and St. Simeon the New Theologian and of course also the other member confirmed this and the simple priest also said “yes, yes it was all like that...” It was a shocking experience for me, and of course it didn’t stop there, but I began to search for the council-member, this simple man.

“How do you live (after experiencing the shock which stayed with me for years). How do you live?

“Ehh...How do I Iive? Poorly.”

“What do you do, how exactly do you spend your day, what exactly do you do throughout the day?”

“I don’t do entirely that much,” He said “I don’t have something special; I love God, but I’m just a little patient.”

He had patience, do you know what that means? It [Patience] means: this cross of freedom, embracing others. Within that, God is revealed. This is the magnificent teaching. Hesychasm is experiential physiology. Don’t think--you theologians (he was addressing this in a sermon to theologians)--that hesychasm is individualized application as the hindus practice or those who dispense with the will to see the spectacle. It is this opening in society, and in this way the big revelations occur, of which I, naturally, as the doctoral candidate and beyond was not worthy, neither have I been worthy ever since.

Thank you for your patience.

Simple VIllagers...

2009-05-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

I have been sitting in on a Ecclesiology class taught by Fr. Prof. Nicholas Loudovikos here in Thessaloniki. It was an extremely interesting class, but I feel compelled to try and paraphrase one story that he told, which particularly stuck out in my mind:

(WARNING: This story is translated from memory and certainly contains mistakes. You’ll get the general idea though. I’ll ask him to repeat it to me again so I can make sure that everything is correct)

Fr. Nicholas was describing his earlier days and gave the following story as an example of the piety of the laity and how necessary it is for us all to actualize our individual charisms in the Church--the body of the Christ. He was telling us that when he was a young priest he was sent to help out in one of the nearby villages with a priest. He was asked to give the sermons, and he mentioned that he began to become angry with the villagers because he didn’t think that they understood the sermons that he was preaching because of how educated he was and how simple they were. One Sunday, he went with the priest and some of the elders (parish council members) for some coffee at a nearby cafe. As they were sitting there one of the elders began to talk about a particular occurrence in their parish. It so happened that at a certain point they were wondering if their church had yet been consecrated by a Bishop. It was realized that indeed it had not been consecrated. The villagers, being of a simple disposition, were worried that the Holy Spirit would not come down for Liturgy if the church was not consecrated. They were so concerned with this dilemma that they decided to fast for 3 weeks and pray to God to reveal to them whether or not the Holy Spirit came down during liturgy. On the third Sunday of their fast they all gathered for liturgy and suddenly, during the liturgy, the whole room was filled with bright light and everything was illuminated in an amazing way. They realized from this that the Holy Spirit did indeed come down during liturgy. From then on Fr. Nicholas wasn’t mad at them for not understanding his sermons.

Glory to God in His Saints (both known and unknown)!

What to Look Forward to...

2009-05-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

*Account of Mike’s Paschal experience on Mt. Athos

*Πάμε Σαντορίνη! Bright Week Trip to the Islans

*And much more...

Sorry for being offline for a bit...but that will change, God-willing, in a bit :)

with love,
Mike

Holy Week and Pascha on Mt. Athos...

2009-04-29T23:19:00.000-07:00

Christ is Risen!

This year I had the blessing to spend Holy Week and Pascha on Mt. Athos. I went with a few friends (one from the States, one from Serbia, one from Congo) to Zographou Monastery for the first two days of Holy Week and to Grigoriou for the remainder of Holy Week and Pascha. I would like to share with you, my friends and family, some experiences and reflections surrounding this week, not to brag (because our Pascha is the same wherever we celebrate it I think) but just to share with you our particular humble blessing on this Feast of Feasts!

I was told to go to Mt. Athos at least one time for Pascha. I decided to take this advice (now that I am in a stage in life where I would not be leaving a family for the visit) and packed my bags for the Holy Mountain.

Until the very last moment we had some logistical difficulties. I had arranged for all of us to stay at Zographou monastery for 2 nights, Xenofontos for 1 and then for at least 2 out of the 4 of us to stay at Grigoriou for the remainder of the trip (the monks were not sure if they could take all of us at Grigoriou or just two). Without hearing back from them, however, we proceeded on our way, hoping that we would be able to spend Pascha as a group and not have to go to different monasteries if there was no room. This was a great opportunity to practice putting things into God’s hands, and that is exactly what we tried to to. Thankfully, everything worked out perfectly and we did not have to split up at all.

There is a thickness to Holy Week that cannot be described. The richness of the prayers and hymns, the absence of food, the weight of an event in time happening so long ago but with so many ramifications for us today. The air is thick with meaning. A normal week passes by in an instant, but there is something that doesn’t allow you to pass Holy Week so quickly. It’s not worth, I don’t think, to try to dive deeper into this mystery.

The first two days we experienced the services in Church Slavonic. We were in church for the greater part of each day. When got off the boat at Zographou we walked up a road for about one hour to get to the monastery. The monks were already in church. We entered the katholikon (main church of the monastery) and were immediately met with the site of 20 or so monks and a dozen laymen making prostrations silently (reverent bows that one makes at various times during the services, especially those of Lent, which entail bending your whole body until you are on your hands and knees). Holy Week had begun. Zographou is a beautiful monastery, of enormous size, tucked away in the mountainous landscape of Mt. Athos. It is very quiet and does not have quite so many visitors as some of the other monasteries (which can be a good thing at times).

After the two days had come to an end we packed our bags again and headed for the boat. Embarking upon the second half of our journey we were also becoming more focused on the reality of Christ’s passion, crucifixion, three-day burial and Resurrection. We arrived at Grigoriou ready to continue this journey toward Christ’s resurrection, and toward our own!

At Grigoriou we were met with traditional Athonite hospitality. Some of the monks that I know there were very kind to us and spoke with us a number of times to discuss various matters in our lives and to talk to us about the spiritual life, giving us tips for how we can carry out Christ’s commandments in the world.

There were a few “moments” that struck me very deeply (among many of course) throughout our pilgrimage that I would like to share:

Banging the Talenton
The talenton is a thin, flattened wooden staff-like instrument that is held in it’s center and struck with a wooden mallet. It is used to call people to prayer, but also to promote the joyous atmosphere of the various church feasts (Pascha included). We were standing in the Paschal liturgy a little after midnight (or it might have been the Paschal Orthros during the canon) when one of the monks that I know tapped us Americans (and our Serbian friend) on the shoulders and asked us if we would like to help bang the talanton’s to bring in the Paschal feast. We readily accepted and were led outside with a group of pilgrims, and each given a talenton and mallot. Armed and ready we were told to follow in a single-file line behind a monk who would lead us in our talenton-banging procession. We began to strike our wooden “bells” and processed joyously around the entire monastery. It was such an innocent and simple moment of joy but we were all grinning from ear to ear and banging away at our wooden toys experiencing the infectious joy of the Paschal joy.

Paschal Light and Procession
When the hour to begin the Paschal service came, all of the candles in ancient chapel were put out and the monks and laity stood in silence and wrapped in expectant darkness. Gradually and quietly the priests began to sing within the alter and to pass around the paschal flame one to another. We were all encourage to received our flame directly from the serving priest at the front of the church, so we squeezed our way to the front to light our candles. Slowly but surely the pitch blackness disappeared as a golden flickering light grew within the chapel one candle at a time. We made the typical procession around the main chapel for Pascha, singing the paschal hymn, reading the Gospel reading, and finally coming back to the enormous monastery doors at the entrance of the chapel, where the priests conversed with “someone” inside using the words from psalm 23 (24) “Lift up your gates you princes and be you lifted up you everlasting gates and the king of glory will enter!”...and the response from within: “who is this king of glory?”...and the triumphant reply: “the Lord strong and might,y the Lord mighty in war.” And this is repeated twice more until the doors are flung open and everyone floods the church which is literally alive with swaying golden candalabras, flickering candles from all corners of the chapel and a gauntlet of priests and monks sprinkling you in the face with holy water and wishing you Paschal greetings, yelling: Christos Anesti (Christ is Risen), and waiting for the response: Alithos Anesti (Truly He is Risen)! With every step that you take, back into the church, your heart is lifted higher and higher, and it continues to ascend in an unbroken chain of beautiful hymns and sites as everyone is flung, head-first, into the Paschal hymns. Christ Has Risen!

Paschal Divine Liturgy begins with the singing of the Paschal Hymn: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. This is chanted multiple times and in many languages. We heard it in Greek, French, Romanian, Arabic, Swahili, English. A group of us were asked to chant it in English!i There were around 15 priests celebrating the liturgy together and 3 or 4 deacons. All of the priests wore matching vestments, and the deacons wore their most radiant and celebratory garments. It was truly a beautiful manifestation of the Kingdom!

After the service we went to the refectory for a celebratory meal, and then went to bed.

Pascha Sunday and Simonopetra
We awoke the next morning to the beautiful site of a thin fog on the water and remembering the night before as if it were a beautiful dream. We spent the day so peacefully. A group of young men from various different countries (2 serbs, 1 palestinian, 3 americans, 1 from congo, 1 greek) all gathered together to take an enjoyable hike to the neighboring Simonopetra monastery. We were all together singing songs, talking about our lives in our respective countries. We took a break by the beach and climbed some of the rocks and relaxed in the sun. It was hard for us to believe that we could be the recipients of such a wonderful opportunity to be together, sharing the feast with another--all on the same page, all rejoicing at eachother’s existence. We clung desperately on to every moment of our time together, and the time passed so richly and almost as if we had entered into a twilight zone of sorts...everything was so real, and liberated (at least for brief moments) from the tensions and psychological stress of pressing obligations and schedules. Glory to God.

When we arrived at Simonopetra we were a bit tired from our walk but happy to be there. We went into the guesthouse and waited for the guest master. He brought us all some tsiporo (a deliciously refreshing traditional alcoholic beverage which is perfect to cool you down after a hike) and loukoumi (turkish delight). He asked us where we were from and we burst into a joyful “apo pantou” (from everywhere!). It was such a great group of young men, all sharing the grace of the feast together--indescribable!

We stayed at Simonopetra for the Agape Vespers where we heard the gospel being read in at least 7 languages in beautiful byzantine chant. We returned to Grigoriou as it began to get a bit dark, after an incredible meal of fried fish, homemade wine and delicious dairy products. The following day, our day of departure, we finished the service (which included a Litia and procession around the monastery) and were invited to speak with one of the elders of the monastery who shared some spiritual advice with us, but most of all, showed us a true example of humble love.

We were overjoyed but a bit saddened to leave, but all the while remembering that the Paschal flame--the joy of Pascha--is not a one time/year event, but occurs all year round.

Also the Grace that we received from the feast strengthened us a bit, freed us a bit. This is a reality that can be found everywhere! We were grateful, however, to experience it this year on Agion Oros.

How My Friend Began Holy Week...

2009-04-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, fellow student in Thessaloniki, shared the following experience with me. It struck me and I thought I would share it with you all:

“Holy Week had begun. Earlier today (Sunday) I had gone to the Palm Sunday Liturgy and later at night I attended the Bridegroom Matins at St. Haralambos. The chanting was exquisite. The chanters sang as if calling out to God in continual exhortation. The church was filled with people and the air was thick with the heaviness and gravity of the coming week--Christ’s trial, crucifixion, passion, but the hope of his Resurrection. I actually felt as though something was going to happen--some serious event.”

“After the service and a quick trip to St. Demetrios to venerate the relics and drop my friend off nearby, I went to a dear friend’s house to have a small supper with him before I left the following day for Agion Oros. We are close friends and it was a sweet time of conversation and reflections, because we would not be with one another for Holy Week and Pascha. At the end we exchanged greetings for Pascha. All of a sudden an urge of over-flowing affection came over me and I just wanted to say ‘I love you’ to my friend. I said it, and he said it back...and it was a beautiful moment. Glory to God!”

“After I left his apartment it was about 11pm. In my head I was battling some thoughts of pride...oooh, I said ‘I love you’ to him...he probably thinks I’m pious or something...even though the reality of the situation was that it was an urge, presumably from Above. I was having these thoughts, when I saw a single figure walking towards me. There wasn’t anyone else around, and the man who was approaching was obviously pretty drunk. I could see in his eyes that he wanted to talk to me, and I was alone and didn’t know if he wanted trouble. I was also carrying some bread and lenten cheese with me that I took from my friend’s house to feed my friend who would be traveling to Mt. Athos with me the next morning. I was afraid. I thought about my wallet. I looked for an escape. Should I cross the street? I thought about it, but knew how drunk peoples’ minds work. They are drunk, but there is some sense about them that can smell fear, that can sense subtle aspects about your behavior that provoke them to more disturbing behavior. So, Glory to God, I had the thought to say a quick Jesus prayer and continue walking. As soon as I said the prayer, though it all happened fairly quickly, I’m pretty certain everything was clear--I was empowered with Wisdom and Courage. He came up to me and I could tell he wanted to ask me something. A thought CLEARLY occurred to me to give him the bread and cheese. I gave it to him. I said ”για σένα (for you).“ He looked at it and asked ”τι είναι αυτό;“ I said ”λίγο ψωμί, ένα δώρο για σένα.“ Maybe I said this to butter him up a bit so he would be flattered and not saying anything else, but it was what HE did that astonished me. As soon as I said this, and gave him the bread, he grabbed my hand and kissed it, I felt compelled to do the same and kissed his hand. Afterwards, our eyes met, and his disposition had changed. He was happy, his eyes were glittering. I looked at him more closely and noticed he was wearing a cross. I greeted him with the seasonal ”Καλό Πάσχα“ but added ”Καλή Ανάσταση.“ He thanked me I think, I can’t remember exactly, and turned to go. But as he was walking away, I could hear him repeating the word ”Ανάσταση.“

”The Jesus Prayer is real. I kissed the hand of Christ and saw His face in that of a drunk man’s through GOD’S GRACE. My fear, though real and fallen, was transformed into God’s love through a simple exhortation of His mercy and by calling upon His name. Say the Jesus Prayer as a REAL exhortation, because it is REAL. Glory to God in His Saints and through His mysterious and wonderful works for us, unworthy and sinful though we be!”

Wow!

2009-04-08T04:36:00.001-07:00

The Reading is from Isaiah 58:1-11

Thus says the LORD: "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. 'Why have we fasted, and thou seest it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and thou takest no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD?

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, "Here I am."

"If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Story from the Holy Mountain...

2009-03-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

My mother encouraged me to post this story, and so out of filial obedience I am presenting it to you!

I spent Forgiveness Sunday on Mt. Athos. Some of my first thoughts and assumptions when I decided to do this were from the life of St. Mary of Egypt (a story that I have heard every year since I can remember when she is remembered during Great Lent) where we find a beautiful picture of the monastic traditions encompassing this profound and pregnant event:

“Many days passed and the time drew near when all Christians fast and prepare themselves to worship the Divine Passion and Ressurection of Christ. The monastery gates were kept always locked and only opened when one of the community was sent out on some errand. It was a desert place, not only unvisited by people of the world but even unknown to them.

“There was a rule in that monastery which was the reason why God brought Zosimas there. At the beginning of the Great Fast [on Forgiveness Sunday] the priest celebrated the holy Liturgy and all partook of the holy body and blood of Christ. After the Liturgy they went to the refectory and would eat a little lenten food.”

“Then all gathered in church, and after praying earnestly with prostrations, the elders kissed one another and asked forgiveness. And each made a prostration to the abbot and asked his blessing and prayers for the struggle that lay before them. After this, the gates of the monastery were thrown open, and singing, "The Lord is my light and my Savior; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 26:1) and the rest of that psalm, all went out into the desert and crossed the River Jordan. Only one or two brothers were left in the monastery, not to guard the property (for there was nothing to rob), but so as not to leave the church without Divine Service. Each took with him as much as he could or wanted in the way of food, according to the needs of his body: one would take a little bread, another some figs, another dates or wheat soaked in water. And some took nothing but their own body covered with rags and fed when nature forced them to it on the plants that grew in the desert.”

So this was my picture of what Forgiveness Sunday would look like. In many ways, it was naive and somewhat idealistic, in other ways it was VERY close to reality.

Arriving on the Thursday before the first week of Great Lent I stayed at the monastery together with around 50-70 other pilgrims. The monastery was very full and if you didn’t arrive early to services, you were lucky to find a seat.

The food was delicious and simple as usual, but especially delicious as it was the last days of dairy products. Thus at every meal there was something cheesy and creamy to be had. I had heard from one of the monks that on Sunday evening there would be a very nice meal after the Vespers service.

After a few days of meeting some of the local Greek pilgrims (which is a story in and of itself, and a VERY good experience) we arrived at the Sunday of Forgiveness. Vespers ended and we went into the Trapeza (Refectory) as usual. The tables were set with extra special food for the final meal (last supper? :)) before the Trimera (3 austere days of the beginning of Lent). The meal began and the reading, of course, that was proclaimed aloud from the amvon was on the theme of the day. After everyone had finished, the abbot (who is a well-known figure in Greece, previously a professor at the University in Athens, author of many books and a spiritual man) addressed everyone on the theme of the day as well. After this was over, however, something happened which really made an impression on me.

The monks have a tradition of singing various hymns during this particular meal in teams. Thus, one table would come up with a commonly-agreed upon hymn and would chant it for the rest of the brethren and pilgrims. This went on for 45 minutes or so, various tables of monks sharing hymns. Then the abbot would say “Father so-and-so...” come up here and chant “such-and-such” a hymn for us.“ And Fr. So-and-So who could very well have been in his 70’s would come up, accompanied by a few other monks to make the ison, and pour out his soul by chanting this hymn. Sometimes the abbot would ask if anyone had anything to chant that they were interested in chanting, other times someone would just begin. There were hymns in various languages as there were some Romania workers present and some other foreigners. One very poignant part was the relationship between the monks. They expressed their deep joy in being together and their love for one another in a sober, somewhat muted, but authentic manner. The quietude of the event allowed the reality of this love to come through that much more. As was the case so long ago in the Deserts of Egypt and Syria and elsewhere, the monks were preparing to embark on a serious journey. Surely, the austerity was a bit more pronounced in the earlier centuries where monks did not know if they would return alive from their pilgrimage into the desert, but the sense of beginning was very tangibly present.

Thankfully, I was not only able to witness the festive celebration, but also the actual beginning of the fast. Services lasted for the greater part of each day and monks (unless they were unable for health reasons) fasted from partaking of anything to sustain them for the first 3 days. They ate the spiritual food of the services, of the readings from St. John Climacus which were proclaimed in the morning service in the katholikon (main church), and from their collective prayers, but ultimately and primarily, they were preserved, in their weakness, by the Grace of God.

It is difficult to fully capture this event--yes, even in impossible--but I pray that you would at least get a glimpse into the sobriety of the practice that I witnessed. My mind rested on the thought that despite the fact that they are not in the Egyptian desert and don’t necessarily have the immediate threat of death impending as they embark on their journey, these Athonite monks robe themselves with a similar spirit. They have sacrificed their entire life for the Lord, and ideally, they have died to the world. Thus the epidemy of this vow, a full expresion of it, it seems, can be found in the Lenten journey. Just as we, in the world, use it as a time to re-focus our lives on Christ and repentance, they too do this, keeping in mind their vows of renunciation of one thing and acceptance of another. No, there is no difference in the expectations between a monk and layman regarding salvation, but this experience emphasized the fullness of this expectation that we are all called to. The full renunciation of the ”world“ (as we Orthodox Christians phrase that which is sinful, corrupt and tears us away from God) and acceptance of Christ.

St. Nikolai Velimirovic highlights this point, and quotes St. Isaac the Syrian as well:

"Every day and every hour, proof of our love for God is required of us," says St. Isaac the Syrian. God shows His love for us every day and every hour. Every day and every moment we stand positioned between God and sin.” (Prologue reading March 17).

No need to try to sum up this experience too much. May God give us the strength to remain close to him and the strength to love Him!

with love in Christ,
Mike

A Simple Memoir of A Simple Man...

2009-03-05T04:36:00.000-08:00

Today (which was really a week or so ago) was a spring day, and infused with a deep heart-breaking stillness after hearing the news of the repose of a newly-befriended, but beloved, American monk living on Mt. Athos.

Fr. Barnabus spoke with a southern drawl. He had a pot-belly and pure silverish white hair and beard. Though long and uncut, his hair was thin, especially after his treatments.

I met Fr. Barnabus for the first time at an American friend’s apartment here in Thessaloniki. I didnt know it at the time, but Fr. B had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and was beginning to make regular visits to Thessaloniki for treatment. This form of cancer is usually fairly beatable, and therefore both he and his doctors were fairly optimistic.

As the weeks rolled on, I would see Fr. Barnabus here and there--once on the ferry back from Mt. Athos and a few more times in Thessaloniki. The American friend whose apartment he would stay in, left for a large portion of the winter to spend Christmas vacation with his family in the States. While he was gone, Fr. Barnabus had come in for treatment, and had decided that it was becoming too much for him to commute back and forth from the Holy Mountain, so he made the move out of his monastery in order to finish this round of treatment. For this reason, and because our American friend was in the States, Fr. B asked me occasionally to pick things up for him, and I would visit when I could to keep him company. Through these fairly regular encounters over the previous few months, I was able to get to know Fr. Barnabus a bit, and pick up on a few traits of his.

He never really struck me as anything special in the beginning.

He was very quiet, pleasant, even-tempered and wouldn’t really get worked up very much (at least not while I was around him).

I remember one instance where he was a bit more worked up. He had just got off the phone with Metropolitan Jonah, the newly-elected primate of the Orthodox Church in America, who was a long-time friend and co-struggler in California at one point. He was like a little child who had just spoken to some big star. He was so invigorated and visibly over-joyed that he was able to get through to M. Jonah and was able to have a word with him.

I also remember that whenever I would try to wow him with some miracle story or something that I thought was impressive or that would get his attention he would respond by a slow, southern-style, head nod and a very indifferent, but far from rude, “ok, ok...” and would not give these words of naivete the fire that they were looking for.

I recall on a number of occasions his comments of gratitude towards different people. Initially I heard him mention his abbot a few times at Karakallou monastery who “put up” with him as an elderly English speaking monk. He would say “he’s been verrrry good to me” and would emphasize this, as if he was some vagrant or beggar that was just looking for a place to lay his head. What a sacrifice and humiliating experience it must have been to subject himself to a different language, different country/culture/spiritual family, at such a stage in life (he was in his late 50’s-early 60’s when he came to Athos as far as I can gather).

He wouldn’t really give any kind of advice or spiritual words of wisdom. The most I heard him say to someone who had expressed a lot of spiritual troubles to him (a young person who was going through a period of discernment for vocational paths) was “Ok C____, I’ll be praying for you” (something like this and some very trivial, but encouraging words).

As time went on, and his body became weaker from the treatments, his appearance became a bit more disheveled. He was still so soft and kind, and very real, whenever I came over. He was telling me about the exercises that his doctor had prescribed and how he needed to try to walk a lot in order to stay in shape during his treatments.

I remember during one visit he was walking into the living room in front of me, and just out of a burst of something, he spurted out “O Michael, Michael, Michael, my dear, dear boy.” I don’t know why I remember this, it was so simple, but it had such compassion in it.

I don’t know. Fr. Barnabus’ life, to me, was so simple. I didn’t really know him that well or for that long, but really made an impression on me by his simplicity, by his compassion, by his lover amidst suffering.

A couple of weeks later I was in my friend’s Apartment where he stayed and noticed a book on the desk in the living room. I don’t know if it was Fr. Barnabus’ book or not, but I noticed that some of his belongings were next to it, so I assumed that it might have been. It was “The HIdden Man of the Heart” by Fr. Zacharias Zachariou from the Monastery in Essex--A Compilation of lecture he gave in America at a clergy retreat.

There was a book-marker marking a section in the chapter roughly entitled “On preparing for the day of death.” Who knows, maybe the book wasn’t even his, but it really engrained the mission of a monk to come to this place in himself where death is regular contemplation. I read the portion of the chapter which was a Q&A with Fr. Zacharias where someone asked him to relate a story about when he was serving at a church in a village in Greece and the Priest asked him to give the sermon to the congregation. The Priest pointed out to Fr. Z that many were wearing black in the congregation, and this was because a plane had crashed recently in the area killing many of the families of the villagers there. Fr. Z was at a loss, especially because he not suffered such a loss as them, and knew that he would just stumble over his words. Eventually, however, he did his best by recounting two powerful examples of the effects of prayer. One was when a plane that he was flying in lost power in one engine and he had come to terms, during the course of the emergency landing, with his approaching death, and had been praying throughout...but the plane landed safely. When he returned to the monastery, his spiritual father, the famous Fr. Sophrony said...you’re safe because of the prayers! He recounted another moving story of prayer in the face of adversity from his family history in Greece under Turkish occupation.

Anyway, Fr. Barnabus was a witness to the simplicity and silence manifested in the life of a true Athonite monk. My impressions of him were more from the absence of something there (i.e. the silence, the simplicity) than from some complex theological supposition.

Check out SHS Curriculum Excerpts!

2009-03-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

I highly recommend checking out the newly updated St. Herman’s School website if you haven’t already (surely a biased plug, but there is much to learn and the text that you will find on the site goes into detail about Orthodox Education...very important topic). Even if you think you have no interest in this particular topic...you do :)...no just check it out and see.

http://sainthermanschool.org/school/academics/curriculum.html

with love,
Mike

Proverbs...

2009-03-03T23:57:00.001-08:00

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

~Proverbs 2:1

Forgive me!

2009-02-25T15:26:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of this past sunday (Forgiveness Sunday), forgive me (albeit electronically and in a somewhat impersonal manner) for anything I have done against you in thought, word or deed.

Blessed Lent!

with love in Christ,
mike

Τεμπέλης είμαι...

2009-02-17T01:29:00.000-08:00

Translation: I am lazy...

Meaning: 1. I haven’t written an actual entry in a while, 2. I really am lazy.

Today I finally made it to the early orthros service downstairs at Agios Georgios for the first time in...too long. I had been catching a service that started half an hour later at a church nearby because I was having a hard time getting out of bed for the earlier one :). But the downside to NOT going to the earlier one was that I was not standing at the chanters stand and learning how to chant.

ANYWAY, thankfully I was able to rouse myself (or be roused somehow) in time to go downstairs. It was a wonderful experience...not only to start off the day correctly, but also to learn how to chant, and finally, to be able to spend time with my Greek friend Κύριος Νίκος (the elderly gentlemen who has allowed me to stand at the chanters stand with him). After orthros was over he invited me to come with him to meet a friend. I was happy to spend some time with him and practice Greek and all, so I gladly tagged along. We visited his γαμπρός (brother-in-law) at his office and then he invited me again to tag along to catch the last part of the liturgy for St. Theodore of Tyre at a nearby church that he frequents. After this was over we were invited downstairs for τσαι (tea :)) and I had the miraculous experience of sitting around a table with 6 or 7 elderly Greek men listening to lively stories, rousing political discussions and moving spiritual reflections. I could barely believe that I was actually experiencing this. What a different world! Such characters! So much history to tell! After all was said and done, and we made our exit...Nikos invited me to come on Sunday after church to the church-hall for coffee and a talk by the priest. God-willing I’ll be able to go, as it promises to be very interesting.

There it is :).

Καλό Τριώδιο (Wishing you a good lenten and pre-lenten season!)

with love,
Mike

2009-02-16T00:34:00.000-08:00

"If you desire the heavenly kingdom, be merciful as the heavenly Father. Do not trust in injustice and do not be covetous; be meek, quiet and be accessible to everyone. Do not accept praises from your noblemen. Let your purple robe radiate with virtues. May the remembrance of death never depart from your soul. Humble yourself before the feet of Mother Church; bow your head before her prime-hierarchs so that the King of kings, seeing your sincerity, reward you with goodness such as never entered into the heart of man."

~A portion of a letter By St. John of Rila addressed to Bulgarian Tzar Peter (from “Reflection” in the Prolog, January 30)

Wisdom from the Elders of Optina

2009-02-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

"Do good to your nieghbour. Do something outward, and when it is done with diligence, it will turn out to be inward as well. But once having done something good, don't become proud, but thank God: ‘by thy blessing ,O Lord, have I accomplished this’.

                                 ~St. Nektary of Optina

“For your soul’s eternal profit, remember above all that in every temptation, victory comes with humility, self-reproach and patience. May the most merciful Lord enlighten you and teach you, help you and keep you and shelter you from all the snares of the enemy on the left hand and on the right hand.“

                                 ~Archimandrite Alexander (from book of Elder Moses)

Quotes...

2009-02-06T00:48:00.000-08:00

“For if these things [faith, virtue, knowledge, self-contol, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, love] are yours in abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these things is blind and short-sighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall”

~2 Peter 1

“Every though which is not preceded by the silence of humility does not proceed from God. All that is from the devil occurs with confusion and disturbance.”

~St.s Barsanuphius and John (whose memory we celebrate today! Pray to God for us!)

“Our merit is in believing and not in knowing.”

~St. Nikolai Velimirovic (Homily, February 6)

A Real Update!

2009-02-03T23:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my friend Christopher and I visited a mutual friend who is a hierodeacon in a small town about 2 hours outside of the city. He was visiting his family who live in Thessaloniki and invited us to lunch. We went to his apartment and his mom prepared a DELICIOUS traditional Greek meal. It was so refreshing to have a taste of traditional Greece. Being in the city, sometimes I feel like I want to experience more of the village life, and this was a GREAT opportunity to do so. The grandfather was there and you had to yell to talk to him because he was hard of hearing, but he was SUCh a character. He was so alert and aware even though he was 88 years old. Christopher was commenting on his journey to Orthodoxy (he’s a convert) and mentioned to Fr. Amvrosis’ father how he started “converting” with his mind and then eventually it moved to his heart. Fr. A’s father replied by saying that it’s the opposite for Greeks. Whether this is better or not, I’m not sure. But it seems to me to be much more of a realistic approach. Why do we underplay the role of the heart in the West? I catch myself doing this daily.

I just returned from Athos, which was a blessing. I’ve been making a good connection with Grigoriou Monastery. Some of the monks there are characters. There’s the Cypriate dishwasher, Fr. Neophytus, who has been on the Holy Mountain for over 30 years now. He visited Elder Paisios monthly to seek counsel when he was still alive and has been to university for theology and is very well educated. From a first glance, however, you’d think perhaps that he was a little nuts. His unkempt riaso and disheveled hair make him look like a monk who you could quickly pass and not even notice. Hi hat is perched clumsily to one side on his head and he cackles when he laughs (in true cypriate fashion). But he is full of love and is like a child. There are others like this at the monastery, old monks who have shed themselves of the thick, stale crust of spiritual “aging” and their souls are as energetic, flexible and dynamic as a child’s.

Language studies are also going well, thank God! Everyday I am more and more grateful to have this teacher. He is SO patient, so caring, and has a God-given gift for teaching, that makes it such an organic enjoyable experience.

What a mystery languages are. I’ve been around people learning languages and speaking other languages my whole life, but I’ve always observed this process from the outside. It’s such a new world, experiencing it from the inside. All of the road signs and processes look so different when they are actually happening to YOU rather to another. Needless to say, it has opened my eyes to many different feelings, emotions and temptations that I never realized existed for people who have to learn new languages. Again, I learned spanish in high school and college, but its NOTHING compared to this. I’ve forgotten it almost entirely anyway.

There are two Bulgarian men studying here that I have met, thank God! I have really been wanting to make some Bulgarian connections seeing as I am in the Bulgarian diocese. One of these men, Alexander, is studying theology in town...I havent gotten too much detail as to his goals (priesthood etc). The other, however, is a hierodeacon from St. John of Rila monastery in Rila, BG. He leads their Byzantine music choir, which I heard perform in the beautiful Rotunda in the center here. They were very nice--simple--but I like that style the best. He’s really a wonderful man, and I look forward to getting to know both of them more. Maybe someday I can learn Bulgarian too :)

There are some really interesting people in my class and I have been making friends with some of them in particular. 2 students in particular have been especially good friends. They are from Congo and are Orthodox. Nektarios’ father is a priest and his brother studied theology in Athens. Michelle will be studying psychology after the language program. They are probably amongst the top students in the class and are picking up the language very rapidly. They are both very hard workers and their “moral compasses” or consciences or however you want to put it, have really impacted my view of the depth of traditional cultures (such as Greece and various places in Africa)...where family, respect, hard work, and love (i.e. the relational virtues) play such a major part in their culture. Not that they are perfect by any means—I know there are many problems with various cultural qualities EVERYWHERE that aren’t, shall we say, Godly—but compared to our business driven ethics in the states (i.e. hard work for money, respect for money, teamwork for money, etc.) it is a breath of fresh air...living life for the sake of life and not for the sake of some dilluted end-goal that ultimately leaves one feeling incomplete. As a result, and in addition to all of these encounters, I constantly find myself realizing how far away I am from focusing on my neighbor. Whether I’m in the bank, on the bus etc, I am always focusing on what needs to be done next, what I haven’t done today, what my progress is in Greece. The deception: these “tasks” that I focus on always lead back to ME. God grant us strength and wisdom!

Today I paid a visit to Fr. Nicholas, the priest and professor here in Thessaloniki, who did so much to help me come over here. It was an encounter with what I believe to be a true Orthodox theologian--one whose mind is as sharp as a tack, but purifies this knowledge in the crucible of praxis. Ahh, I can't know for sure, only God knows...but this was my initial impression. He was reflecting on the place of freedom and synergy in our relationship with God. We are perfectly free to come and go, which, as we can see in this life, can be mirrored in the role of the spiritual father who does not force his spiritual children to do one thing or to NOT do something else. This freedom is a mystery, it is grace, and it is very beautiful.

Until next time!
Mike

Some Pictures

2009-02-03T11:08:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from a recent trip to Mt. Athos and Halkidiki with my friend Christopher. Greece is a beautiful country!

PICTURES!

Much love,
mike

The Time Has Come!

2009-02-02T22:27:00.000-08:00

So I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for the moment to arrive when I make a BIG mistake in Greek. THE TIME HAS FINALLY COME!

Last night after class I bumped into a friend who I’ve met at a youth group activity that I attend on Sunday evenings. He’s a nice guy but he speaks Greek VERY VERY quickly and it’s hard to keep up. Either way, I was trying the best that I could to adapt, so I was speeding my own Greek up a bit as well.

I noticed that he had cut his hair, so I decided to comment about this. I said the following: “Νομίζω ότι έκοψες τα μυαλά σου!” He looked at me with a curious stare and I suddenly realized what I said...

How would YOU like, in other words, if someone came up to you and pointed out that “I think you cut your brains!” hahahaha.

Yes.

τα μυαλά in Greek means brains.

τα μαλλιά means hair.

Anyway, there it is.

RANDOM SIDE NOTE: I’ve been thinking a bit about the place of language and such in our call to love one another. Anyone have any thoughts (maybe those of you who have studied abroad) about this endeavor and that of cross-cultural communication in the journey of learning how to love?

On Thoughts--St. Nikolai Velimirovich

2009-01-23T21:42:00.000-08:00

About the most all-discerning Prophet [Jesus]

"Why do you harbor evil thoughts in your hearts" (St. Matthew 9:4).

When our Lord deigned to direct a rebuke to the Pharisees and Scribes, at that time, they had not killed anyone, nor had they deceived anyone, nor had they looted anyone and, not only that, at that time, they had not even offended anyone by their words. Why then, did our Lord admonish them when they had not committed any sin neither in works nor in words? Why? Because, at that time, their thoughts were evil.

An evil thought is sin! That is the great news which Christ brought into the world. In truth, an evil thought is the sinful source of all sin because, before a man says something or does something sinful, he thinks sinfully. Thought is the causative sin. All other sins are only subsequent sins. Whoever wishes to annihilate those evil actions must uproot those evil thoughts first. Whoever desires to stem the flow of water must first dry up the source. Therefore, let no one justify himself: I am not a sinner, for I have not killed anyone nor looted from anyone nor profaned anyone nor lied to anyone! Behold, we are full of deadly looting, profaning and deceiving thoughts! If we have not committed sin by our own deeds, that is simply a matter of the mercy of God and external circumstances. But, if God had yielded and if the circumstances were favorable, we would have committed all those sins that we had thought. The serpent is not only venomous when it bites but also when it does not bite, because it carries the venom in itself.

Therefore, not only is thought a sin, but also it is the source of sin: the beginning of sin and the seed and root of sin. That is why the All-seeing and All-knowing Lord rebuked those who had evil thoughts. "Why do you harbor evil thoughts in your hearts."

O Lord, All-seeing and All-knowing, help us to cleanse our hearts and minds from evil thoughts so that our words and deeds may be pure.

[From the Prolog reading of the day--January 24]

Check it out!

2009-01-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

Not sure if this is legally online or not, but I found a book on tape that has really impacted me a lot! Many of you have probably heard of or read Fr. Arseny, but this website has his book on tape! PLEASE “read”/listen to it if you have not already. And if you have LISTEN AGAIN! If anyone has any favorite quotes etc, please feel free to post.

http://www.philokalia.org/arseny.htm

(note: not necessarily promoting the website itself...just this book :)).

Love,
Mike

I Forgot About This One...

2009-01-15T14:34:00.000-08:00

In my last entry (written earlier tonight) I forgot to mention a truly unforgettable moment in my time here thus far, which, in fact, happened JUST TODAY! But before I mention this, let me share something very quickly. This is from the Akathist of Thanksgiving (or “Glory to God for All Things”). The full version can be found HERE:

“Glory to Thee, ceaselessly watching over me, Glory to Thee for the encounters Thou dost arrange for me, Glory to Thee for the love parents ,for the faithfulness of friend, Glory ot Thee for the humbleness of the animals which serve me, Glory to Thee for the unforgettable moments of life, Glory to Thee for the heart’s innocent joy, Glory to Thee for the joy of living, Moving and being able to return Thy love, Glory to Thee, O God, from age to age.”

It was the “Glory to Thee for the unforgettable moments of life” line that I was reading tonight that reminded me to recount this particular unforgettable moment to all of the beloved ones:

Today and yesterday (or the day before...can’t remember), during the break in the midst of my language class, my friends and I went out for something to eat. On our way back, especially today, we noticed an incredible site in the sky: There were thousands (I truly don’t think this is an exaggeration) of what looked like small sparrows, or some form of small bird, flying in beautiful synchronization under the grayish blue winter sky. We saw them in the distance creating various shapes in the sky. First it was a giant oval, then it swooped into a winding river that vanished into a perfect point in the distance, then it oscillated like the waves of the ocean, and then they all turned back on themselves and the mass of flying wings (which looked more like dots in the distance) grew darker and darker as they became more and more concentrated in one area. We were like little children watching this site. My friend and I could not contain our excitement as the birds swooped one way and the other. At each movement our hearts also moved, the power and majesty of this group of birds together was beyond words. How clear and crisp their black silhouettes appeared, framed by the light sky. How perfectly they followed one another in a geometrically amazing manner. How could they know to turn left and right, to swoop up and down in perfect union? I was absolutely shocked.

But then the best moment came.

After the birds, as if sucked by a vacuum, swooped down into ONE TREE (Imagine THOUSANDS OF BIRDS SWOOPING ONTO ONE TREE), they suddenly sprang up, as if on command, as if they were water bursting from a fountain and fanned out into the afternoon sky. Only this time, instead of remaining off in the distance as some beautiful, but foreign, site, they began to rush towards us. The excitement within my chest was hard to take, I wanted to jump with exuberance and exhilaration. The infinite mass of winged dots suddenly became a canopy over our heads. The world was so different for that instant. We had been invaded by tiny birds, but together they created such an impression of power, might and unity! And then they retreated and they became, again, a picture in the distance, the beauty still there but our participation limited.

I recount this as clearly as I can. I have not tried to insert any metaphors or hidden lessons. If anything sounds like a metaphor then most likely they come directly from the experience and not my interpretation (although I might have subconsciously inserted some of my own). Anyway, I think (hope) you get somewhat of a picture of this, or if you have seen such a sight, you know what I mean.

Glory to God for the beauty of His Creation!

with love,
Mike

Back from America!

2009-01-15T13:05:00.000-08:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Χρόνια Πολλά! Καλή Χρονιά!

Hopefully this latest update finds all beloved friends and family in good health and invigorated upon the beginning of this new year! Love to all! Forgive me for not being more up to date than I have. I recently returned from the states where I spent 2.5 weeks both at home with family and friends (for Christmas) and at the OCF College Conference and at the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration (Ellwood City, PA). What a restful and joyous time with loved ones! Anyone who has spent any period of time out of their native country (longer than a vacation) knows that it is often strange to return and experience culture shock all over again. The strangest sensation, I think, was walking down the street and every time I heard someone speaking English my heart jumped...only to remember that, yes, English is spoken quite often in America, and no, I shouldnt even consider approaching them and asking them where they are from and what they are doing in Greece...although I’m sure it would be quite entertaining. Needless to say my journey back from the states was also quite unusual. I suppose it had something to do with the fact that my initial departure to Greece had been very final. But this “vacation” back home, as it were, mixed a lot of human identities up in my mind...all of which, in the end, if used correctly can bring us back to the fact that HOME cannot be found, ultimately, in human terms. Another useful lesson to store away :).

The last few days have been quite rainy and cold in Thessaloniki--not a postcard season for sure. Life is good, however. Classes are progressing. Things are sounding less and less foreign...more second nature reactions and nice people throughout.

Not too much else to report on this end of things! Love to hear reports from you though! If you’d like to do so...please feel free: michael.tishel@gmail.com :).

Love to all,
Mike

A Night at the Taverna...

2008-12-14T15:50:00.000-08:00

5 hours of Παρεα in a Greek Taverna tonight and my head is aching from talking and listening to the soulful strumming of the bazooki and rich Greek folk music (Παρεα is a obviously a Greek word, but one that has no English equivalent...simplest translation: company of friends). I walked out of the Taverna at 1:30am having arrived at 8:30pm and looked back to see the windows still aglow with the lively chatter of people who had been there as long as us. T

hen my eyes were drawn a bit to the left and I saw the dark virtual flashing blue of a glitzy internet cafe directly adjacent to the taverna and it struck me as such a stark contrast. In the Taverna people can sit for hours and talk to one another another, whereas the internet cafe, full of young people playing computer games (sure, this is not ALL that they are used for, but it’s a pretty fair generalization) sucks each person into their own individual world and even if it indirectly relates to others--a social life without actually having to be social. The irony of these two establishments siting directly next to one another was mind boggling.The lively chatter of the taverna can only remain alive for so long if at least one member of the party is able and willing to listen to the other. This requires a certain sense of patience and humility--a virtuous life.

The internet cafe should not overshadow the depth of history, human potential and communal creation that exists in the tradition of the taverna. This was not my first time visiting such an establishment, and they never ceased to amaze me. The wholesome quality, the vibrant energy and the human element enlivens the soul.

Rioting in Greece...

2008-12-09T23:55:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Assuredly some of you, at least, have seen in the news that riots are spreading across Greece and centralized in Athens (primarily) and Thessaloniki (secondarily). I wanted to let everyone know that I am safe, and not to worry, but DEFINITELY to pray. These riots are arguably the worst that Greece has seen, and the devastation and destruction left by the anarchists, communists and other leftist groups involved in the rioting will take months to recover from. Many stores have been totally destroyed or burnt. Yet the violence is focused strictly between rioting leftists and police.

In the wake of so much destruction, one cannot help but turn inside and ask some of the most fundamental questions of life and Faith: how could a human being be so destructive? How could this have gotten so out of control? What is my role in all of it? What can I DO? As the shocking site of gutted stores meets the eye, the smell of smoldering trash fills the nostrils, and the feeling of lingering tear gas stings the face, there is a call to turn inward and pray--for all of the residents and workers in Greece who are affected by the destruction, and for the rioters themselves who seem so full of rage that they do not know what they do.

It is very surreal to sit at my computer and read CNN and BBC articles about an event that is occurring down the street from where I live. Not too much else to say.

Lord have mercy!

All is well, other than this. Just had a test for Greek class, and life continues as usual.

miss everyone and can’t wait to be home for Christmas!

with love in Christ,
Mike

Elder Paisos' Grave: Souroti for the Morning

2008-12-03T15:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday a friend and I took a 1EURO and 2 hr long bus-ride a bit outside of Thessaloniki where one can find the monastery of St. John the Theologian. This hesychasterion (a type of monastery...the root of the word coming from the Greek work meaning “quiet” or “silence”) was founded by the late Geronda (Elder) Paisios. His grave is there, as well as a large relic of St. Arsenios the Cappadocian. Geronda Paisios is arguably the most venerated “saint” of the last century in Greece and beyond (saint in quotations because although he is venerated by the people, he has not yet been officially declared a saint). If interested, one can find his biography and some teachings HERE. He is a very inspiring character, exhibiting a simple yet quite profound love for God and neighbor.

HERE is another good link to a bio about Elder Paisios, some of his teachings and photos.

We were taken back by the peaceful atmosphere at the monastery, quite unlike any other monastery we had visited. Quite amazing.

The Library is On Strike Today...

2008-12-03T01:11:00.000-08:00

Well, after packing up all of the books, heading off to the library for full day of studying, I was (only slightly) surprised to find the front gate to the library chained with a large declaration pasted on the front proclaiming the harsh injustices that are being imposed upon the poor library workers. Hithertofore, the library would be closed until further notice. Please keep in mind that this Library services a university of well over 60,000 students. Ah well, such is life in Greece. It’s good to know that the system (in general and in Greece) is not infallible.

Anyway, this must not overshadow the wonderful events of the previous weekend as a small excursion was made to Grigoriou Monastery on the Mountain. On the bus from Thessaloniki there were 3 American boys doing an exchange program in Athens. One of them is Russian and baptized Orthodox and others are Lutheran and Catholic. They merely heard about Mt. Athos from different sources in Greece and wanted to check it out. They came to Grigoriou and met some of the monks. It seems as though they enjoyed their stay (constantly saying how they wanted to return), and were all very serious and humble young men. On the ferry ride back into the “world” there was an Orthodox young man coming back from the mountain from the States and we discovered some unexpected mutual friends. Surely, these providential encounters shouldnt come as too much of a surprise, given the international interest in Athos, but it was quite a nice experience.

Not too much else to say. I’ll be heading home for Christmas at the end of December, which I am very excited about.

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

2008-11-24T00:05:00.000-08:00

Γεια σας, Παιδία!

It’s a bit too tiring at night, after working out the old brain during class etc to say too much on the blog (i.e. I’ll try to write in the mornings :)). There are many wonderful gems one discovers from under various rocks here and there. Let’s try to share a few:

On Sunday my friend and I attended a lecture given by Fr. Symeon, who is becoming a more and more well-known spiritual father in the region around Thessaloniki. He is a tiny elderly priest-monk. He walks humbly and with a stooped posture. He has a brilliant smile and a wonderfully soothing high pitched (sing-songy) voice. On Sunday evenings he gives homilies to an auditorium filled with his spiritual children (one of whom estimated that he has well over 2,000 sp children who see him regularly). His talks are simple and unassuming. He sits at a desk on a platform in front of hundreds of attentive listeners and speaks quietly, humbly and (unfortunately for me) with little regard for enunciation of words :). Yet despite his subtle disposition, his powerful words touch the the thirsty soul and give the heart peace.

My Greek friend was there on Sunday as well, and was able to translate for a bit, because it’s difficult to pick up on his fast-paced speech, especially this early on in the game. Fr. S said so many wonderful things. He takes a bit of the Gospel and gives quite an accessible explanation of each little portion. His words are powerful and not empty. One senses a confidence inside each word that allows the gems to rest on fertile ground. The heart is soft in response. It can’t help it; he’s like a child.

He spoke of the need for persistence in our prayers to God, even to the point of being annoying. He pointed out that a patient soul is not irritated when another person is annoying, so how much more patient will God be with our persistence.

He spoke of the need to be like a child in our Faith. To deepen our understanding of this common analogy, he showed how children come with a positive emptiness. In other words, they have not been filled, like adults, with various opinions and the confusion and baggage of the world. He said we must strive to attain this same emptiness in order to be “child-like” in our Faith.

He said much more but unfortunately I was not able to copy it all down.

Anyway, HAPPY TURKEY DAY to all y’all in the States. I’ll miss all of the good food, that is for sure, but it’s ok to experience it from the outside for once. It will provide good perspective, and good content for the next Thanksgiving where I’m home and have to say what I’m thankful for (“I’m thankful that I can be home for Thanksgiving THIS year as opposed to previous years :)).

I’m making good friends with some of my classmates. They are all very friendly and EXTREMELY generous despite some of them coming from very difficult backgrounds. My one Ukranian friend who is 17 but studying Greek (and doing quite well...although this IS his 4th language :)). Was with me in the cafe the other day and I needed 50 cents. I asked him if he had it (in PERFECT Greek of course :)) and he quickly took out the change. Afterwards, we were walking back to our class and he turned to me and said ”My friend, ANYTIME that you need money I’ll give it to you, of course, that is, if I have it“. WOW! And you could really sense that he meant it. He’s been through a lot. He was sitting at his computer before coming to Greece in Georgia (the country from where he moved after the Ukraine) and was rudely interrupted by bombs hitting neighboring houses. He said that he had a hard time sleeping for a while after this. I wonder why. There are other examples of this level of generosity from others. How humbling. How much we, in America, have to be thankful for.

A Big Prayer: for Gratitude at this time of Thanksgiving

with much love and thankfulness for my family and friends,
Mike

learning a language...

2008-11-18T01:53:00.000-08:00

Well, almost 2 months have gone by since my time in Greece began. It’s hard to believe. I was reflecting on my first few days here and how nervous I was walking around the city having practically no knowledge of the language and no idea what the layout was. For those of you who know me well enough, you also know that my sense of direction isn’t much to call home about. So, my first few days were spent looking at maps, trying as hard as possible to ingrain street names, directions, and locations into my brain as much as possible. Thessaloniki is really quite easy to navigate though, thankfully, and everything is pretty straight forward, especially here in the center.

Many people here (especially students) speak English...for better or for worse (for better at first, for worse when you want to speak Greek with them but they get impatient and switch to English).

I have made friends with some really wonderful Greek students. Besides the fact that they are all-around great people, they are also very patient with my current child-like speaking abilities and are willing to converse with me and correct me all at once. This is a real blessing, because I was finding it difficult to jump on opportunities to speak Greek, especially at first, when people would always want to switch to English. I’ve contemplated the idea of, at some point just saying, in response to their immediate switch to English, ῾Δεν μιλἀω αγγλικἀ. Μιλάω μονο γαλλικἀ῾ (i.e. “I don’t speak english. I only speak French...which is not true...so if they actually spoke french, I’d have to claim muteness or something...Δεν μιλἀω καθόλου...I don’t speak AT ALL :)).

I have also started assisting at the reader’s stand for orthros at St. George’s (below me). It’s a lot of fun because I can learn Greek and a little byzantine chant all at once. It is strange to assist in a language that is foreign (although less and less so everyday). As of now, I read the Trisagion Prayers (Holy God...etc) the petitions (Lord have mercy etc) and some other short prayers. Slowly but surely I’m learning some of the longer prayers and tones. What a process though. I was telling someone the other day that it’s like opening up door and finding a whole other world on the other side. It’s actually much more exciting than I anticipated, even just to come across new words that will help beef up my vocabulary etc. It’s also a GREAT lesson in patience. One that I fail at regularly. There are some days when I feel like I am learning absolutely nothing, and others when I feel like everything is going so fast.

At the church, the chanter is a very nice elderly man named Nicholas. We’ve begun having rather long chats after church. He only speaks broken English, so it’s a perfect situation, because we speak mostly in Greek, but when I don’t understand a word, he will use a combination of English, Greek and complex hand gestures to explain it to me. He’s also very patient, and one of the few elderly Greeks that I have met who will actually speak clearly, slowly and didactically. It occurred to me that most Greeks from the older generations are definitely not as acclimated to the increasing globalization that the younger generations (esp in America) experience...where it’s common to have to speak slowly to a foreigner etc.

Anywho, all in all it’s pretty surreal that in two months I went from having virtually no understanding of modern Greek (and a bit of background in ancient Greek) to where I am now, albeit a FAR shot from being anywhere close to comfortable/fluent. Still a long ways to go, but I’m learning (and was told by a very nice priest here) that like many things, it’s as much about the process as it is about the result.

For any of you polyglots out there. If you have any tidbits of advice to throw my way, I’d certainly appreciate it. I’ve gotten some great advice thus far, which has REALLY been helpful, but I can always use more.

Ok, hope all is well with everyone!

with love in Christ,
Mike

Practical Theology--The Value of Waiting

2008-11-13T10:26:00.000-08:00

The last few days can properly be called “A Lesson in Practical Theology: The Value of Waiting.”

I realized in retrospect that I severely underestimate the value of waiting. In other words, how easy is it to jump directly to the result--to see life as a string of results that require “waiting periods.” These blips in time, as it were, are seen as an inevitable absence, as opposed to a crucial opportunity. Needless to say that my experience with the Resident Permit Office in Thessaloniki at least showed me how far I was from seeing an event as producing fruit when it doesnt produce results. Well, this is a bit abstract, but maybe you know what I mean. I wrote an e-mail to my mother and she suggested that I post my description of the Residence Permit office on the blog so that y’all can get a bit of a sense of what the bureaucracy is like in these parts. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly cynical descriptions. It was an amazing experience (mostly in retrospect) and one that I know I will remember for a long time to come...and sadly will probably have to repeat...although, God-willing, with a bit more patience, love, long-suffering etc etc etc.

I got the paper that I need to be able to travel back home for Christmas! God is very good and has taught me an immeasurable amount of lessons through this experience...

I bought Greek health insurance, because i won’t be covered by the school until next year and my American insurance only covers me for emergency care while abroad and the office won’t accept this. Well, after submitting my certificate for Greek insurance to the Residence Permit office I was told that they wouldn’t accept the letter from the insurance company because they claimed it didn’t cover enough. Yet the Insurance company, which is the biggest private company (at least for life insurance) in Greece sends the exact same letter to ALL of the offices all over Greece and only this office for ME gave them a problem. As it turns out, it was only because they didn’t know about the extent of my coverage and so they were a bit insecure and therefore rejected me. Imagine, having government workers reject an application based on insecurity...well, I’m sure it happens in the states, but I never had to deal with immigration offices before. I have to tell you, it has been an eye opening experience to see how some of these poor souls are treated when they seek solace in a country that is certainly better than their own (usually from Albania or Bulgaria etc.)...but I am VERY grateful that I am an American.

Imagine walking into a 3rd floor office which is appropriately placed at the end of a hidden stairway in back of a random alleyway on a small side street outside of the center of Thessaloniki. The first thing you smell (or rather see AND smell) is THICK THICK smoke from all of the agitated employees trying to calm their frayed nerves with cigarettes. Then you see a jungle of people—families with children, students, immigrants from Africa, china etc—and a jungle of paperwork that they are hurriedly trying to prepare for the employees who sit behind thick plexiglass counters and pretend not to speak anything but Greek, when in fact they often speak English. All of the signs are, of course, in Greek (b/c why would an immigration office EVER put up signs in English or some other language that ALL of its customers could understand :))...and you have no ideas where to go. Finally, after waiting for a good amount of time, you discover that you were supposed to give them your passport to save a place in line. They call your name and you go to spot at the counter where they take your application and pick it to pieces with random, useless criticisms that leaves your head spinning and completely bewildered. Then you are sent away and asked to change this sentence in one of the letters or that stamp on one of the pages. Multiply this experience times 3 or 4 (or if you are my friend from Montenegro, times 20) and you have a basic idea of the waiting period one must pass through. Most of the time they make up requirements that don’t even exist...blah blah blah...ok, I could go on...but I just wanted to give you an idea :). Lest you think my view of the "system" here is that it is totally defective or evil, please read on.

Any Balkan readers who are reading this are probably laughing at me right now. I’m sure this is pretty standard procedure, maybe even better.

Today, the day I received my paper, the office was exploding with clients SCREAMING at emplyees and employees SCREAMING back at clients. Two fights almost broke out and it literally seemed like the entire office of employees ended up yelling at eachother. They finally called the police who seemed to calm everyone down.

Anyway...amidst this chaos, there are BIG lessons to be learned...prayer, inner peace, patience, love, long-suffering, selflessness etc.

You should try it sometime :)

Glad you stuck with me through the whole story.

Until next time,

with much love,
Mike

Weekend at Vatopedi

2008-11-10T23:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

What a weekend! My friend Dn. Gregory and his (and now my) Greek friend Paris and headed off to Vatopedi Monastery on Agion Oros where we spent our Saturday, Sunday and part of Monday.

Upon leaving the Holy Mountain, Paris made the comment that every time he goes, it feels like time passes very slowly while he is there, but then when he leaves, it’s as if he had just left a moment ago. I truly felt the same way. Going to monasteries, for some reason, feels like an eternity of precious moments and blessings all strung together. Yet the “descent” into normal life is an experience in and of itself, often a battle between the loud and stressful jungle of everyday life and the quiet, unassuming, simple and eternal beauty of the spiritual life.

We were able to speak with the Abbot (Ephraim) and receive his blessing. He is a wonderful man--fairly young, white beard, very kind and joyful. I was struck by how intently focused he was on everyone he spoke to, devoting his entire attention to each individual, instead of scattering his attention all at once on everyone. He was very kind to us as well.

Providentially we met an American young man who Dn. Gregory immediately pegged as an American when he saw him in church. I, on the other hand, had this strange feeling that I recognized him. I couldn’t figure it out until we started talking and I discovered that he was the boyfriend of a friend of mine from our Diocesan conferences. We had even corresponded at one point during the past year, and I had seen pictures of him (which is why I recognized him). What a small small world.

One thought: I dragged a bit of skepticism along with me initially, as Vatopedi is such a LARGE monastery (over 100 monks, thousands of square feet and multiple large-scale projects being accomplished on site), and my experience had been at smaller monasteries. Would it be very impersonal or busy? Would the swarms of pilgrims (over 100,000 every year) detract from the desire for silence and pray? All of these thoughts ran through my mind before we arrived, and all of them were quickly put to rest as we were treating with the utmost kindness and philoxenia (very rich word for hospitality). Despite the shear enormity of all that is Vatopedi, one still sensed the intimacy of each monk’s struggle and intense prayer-life amidst it all.

Well, I’ll let the pictures say the rest. I’ve included a link of Dn. Gregory’s wonderful pictures of our week. Enjoy!

http://picasaweb.google.com/fr.gregory.edwards/810Nov2008Vatopaidi

2 entries in 1 day?!?!

2008-11-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

Yes, who would have ever thunk...the man who can’t write a thank you note when someone gives him a million dollars is writing two blog entries in 1 day. Well well well...the world is a different place :).

One more thought. Just had a wonderful evening spent with beautiful young people going out to eat and celebrating a friend’s name’s day. Granted 90% of the conversation was in Greek, and I understand...ehhh...let’s not go there. But what a wonderful lesson. To experience joy even with a lack of understanding. To be in a position of helplessness and dependancy on the help of others. I won’t continue. Just to say that not knowing a language can be a blessing.

Abide in the Gospel...

2008-11-06T11:29:00.000-08:00

I am continually reminded, amidst the various “challenges” (or in reality, blessings) that one faces studying abroad in a place like Greece, of some very good pastoral advice that I received via a homily:

Abide in the gospel. Do not abide in disturbances of everyday life, but abide in the Gospel.

This advice came back to mind as I was beginning to worry a bit about some paperwork that needed to be done, and I realized how I was dwelling in this problem, when I am, in fact, called to dwell in the Gospel...in the Way of Christ.

Anyway, just a thought from a wise priest that helped me in the midst of everyday life!

with much love,
mike

Γεια σας!

2008-11-05T12:15:00.000-08:00

Not a whole lot to report on this side of the world. Today all of the Americans (and the rest of the Greek world) found out, early in the morning, that Barack Obama (Μπαράκ Ομπάμα στην Ελληνικά) will be the new president of the good old US of A. I’ve made a variety of friends from various countries (Congo, Brazil, Ukraine, Greece etc.), and everyone is thrilled that Obama won. My friends from Congo are especially grateful, because they strongly believe that some of his policy changes will affect the unstable situation in their country at the present. God-willing this will be the case. Nevertheless, it is very interesting to experience an American election from another country. EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE new that America was having elections. It was all over the news and many people were perhaps more interested in the results than many Americans. It’s all fascinating (and somewhat scary) to behold :).

This Saturday is my names-day new calendar (for Archangel Michael and the Heavenly Hosts), but before I had a chance to notice this I was invited and accepted an invitation to go with my friend Fr. Gregory to Mt. Athos. There they celebrate old calender which means they will not be celebrating Archangel Michael. But, not to worry, because St. George’s (as you know by now, if you’ve been keeping up with everything) has an “All Night” Vigil (Αγρυπνία) on Fridays and this friday will be for the Bodiless Hosts, so that will be nice.

Other than that there’s not much else to say. Just needed to fulfill my blogging obligation. I will check back in soon!

Discovered Gems
Here’s how we should see the path of love: “We get when we give, we don’t give when we get.” Inotherwords, we don’t give out of our bounty, but we give, period, and by this sacrificial giving we will find true joy.

“The more people deviate from the natural simple life and move towards luxury, the more human stress increases. And as worldly politeness expands, simplicity, joy and the natural human smile are lost.”
-A very holy spiritual person

Say Glory to God and Lord Have Mercy. These phrases are like two wings that go together, and should be said throughout the day.

WITH MUCH LOVE,
Mike

This Month's Theme is...

2008-10-31T00:49:00.000-07:00

In college (and surely elsewhere) many of the manly-men had themed this coming month “No Shave” November. Inspired by this sense of purpose and sobriety I have developed my own theme for November:

No-Messin’-Around November

The reason this arises is because I would like to ask all of my friends and family for prayers. Up to this point everything has been very out of the routine (in a good way of course)--visiting different wonderful sites, settling in with a new language and culture, wading through the seemingly eternal pool of bureaucratic paperwork etc etc etc. But November has rolled around, and things are settling down into more of a solid routine, thank God. Please say a little prayer, if you have the chance, that the Lord will give me strength and focus to continue with this routine and do the work that has been set before me.

Thank you!

with MUCH love,
Mike

St. Demetrios Weekend!

2008-10-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

Well, as promised, I’ve severely slacked on my blogging, but at least I warned everyone!

I couldn’t, however, resist the desire to share a bit about the events of this weekend as they have been very memorable!. Yesterday (Sunday that is), was the Feast of St. Demetrios here in Greece (and for the rest of the new calender Orthodox world). I had heard about how special in was to the people of Greece (and especially the inhabitants of Thessaloniki) but it was such a wonderful display of piety and celebration...one that I could not have expected. Granted there was the usual superficial partying that occurs in all holy days and holidays...but the special moments became evident in the most unconventional ways.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I was trying to decide whether to stay in Thessaloniki for the feast or whether to use the few days off from classes to take a trip to a monastery or somewhere outside of the city. Christopher, one of the Americans studying here, invited me to join him on a trip to a small monastery in the tiny mountainous village of Siatista. His friend from school was a monk there, and also a deacon under the Metropolitan of that region. In the end, I decided to go with him, because I thought that it would be a nice retreat from the city and also a wonderful way to celebrate the feast.
We set out on Saturday morning in a coach bus for the town of SIatista to stay at the monastery for the weekend. It was a rainy saturday and as we passed the city limits, I wondered whether it would be this we throughout our mini vacation. We passed farms, factories, beautiful houses and picturesque hillsides. Finally, as we began to reach the town, our bus slowly climbed up into a small mountainous region where, as we were told later, many of the villages have as few as 30 residents. It was very surreal--paying $20 (EU) round-trip to make a 2 hr journey to a monastery in Northern Greece...but what can you do...enjoy the ride!

Needless to say, we met Christopher’s friend, Fr. A, at the bus stop in a neighboring town, where the Metropolis of the region was located (and the bishop that Fr. A served under lived) and accompanied him to the center. We entered the Metropolis center and were greeted by the sacred sound of silence and a very cozy yet venerable looking parlor, with antique mahogany chairs with red velvet cushions and large portraits of the previous Metropolitans adorning the walls. The center was as large as a small mansion I would say, but had a very intimate feel to it. We were greeted by the chancellor of the diocese, a very bubbly and joyful middle-aged priest, who welcomed us with open arms. Christopher and I waited in the parlour for a few minutes while lunch was being prepared. After about 10 minutes we were beckoned into a kitchen/informal dining room where we were invited to sit down to eat with the Metropolitan, Fr. A, the chancellor, the Metropolitan’s second deacon, and driver. It was a DELICIOUS meal, prepared by some of the women who worked for the Metropolitan, and was eaten in almost total silence.

After our meal we departed for the monastery, which was about 30 minutes away. We traveled on winding mountain roads that over-looked a gorgeous view of the neighboring villages. Finally we pulled into the monastery parking lot and entered through the large wooden gates. Christopher and I were shocked to find a paradaisical looking facility, with beautiful gardens, large tan-colored stone walls, and a complex of a few good-sized buildings, all tucked into the corner of a large mountain hill-side. We were greeted, from the very beginning, with the warmest hospitality by the all of the monks and even guests who stayed there. In total, there were around 7 monks (including the Abbot/Elder). 4 of them are hieromonks (priest-monks) and the others are simple monks/novices. We were taken into the church to venerate, and were struck by the beautiful iconography which dated back to the 16th century. Despite the fact that the monastery complex was very new (only 12 years old), it was built around a 300 year old church which was not only beautifully painted, but also had an extremely peaceful atmosphere. The entry-ways were all very low, requiring you to bow as you entered the dimly lit chapel, in order to show reverence for the holy place of worship. The monks chanted simply, but with a striking amount of sincerity (like you could really tell they meant what they were saying)...even compared to other monasteries that I have visited.

The Abbott/Elder there was full of humble love and joy. His name was Father Stephanos. He was an elderly man with a beautiful white beard, radiant smile and gleaming eyes. He greeted us after a long night of hearing confessions with love and heart-felt care. Throughout our stay he made sure that we were well taken care of even in the midst of the constant stream of pilgrims who wanted to visit with him. Another thing that struck me, however, was how much sincere love and affection his spiritual children (both monastic and lay) showed him when they were with him. They would embrace him and hold his hand and joke with him. Both Christopher and I came away from the monastery with the strong impression that we had just witnessed the strong spiritual love of a family.

We heard many powerful words and accounts when we were there, but it wasnt what was said that made it such a wonderful visit. The candle-lit chapel was not just ‘mystical’ or ‘spiritual’ but conducive to the important work that has been set before us--prayer. Anyway, life is back to “normal” (as much as it can be in the surreality of living in a foreign country) here in Thessaloniki. I attended the “Oxi Day” military parade where I got to see huge tanks, anti-aircraft missiles, ant-land mine equipment, bazookas, rockets and the like stroll past me 10 feet away. It reminded me of all of my dear friends in the armed forces. Life is not a joke or a first draft I guess.

I will be going to class today after some time in the library. Please pray for me!

with love,
Mike

yes it's real life

2008-10-16T03:10:00.000-07:00

MY SECOND HOSPITAL VISIT...

Imagine going into a hospitable for an x-ray having scheduled an appointment at the desk that says “appointments” the week before, and going back to that SAME desk and asking them in Greek “where is my appointment” and having them tell you “go here and ask these people”...then you go there and “those people” say “go here and ask these people” then you go to “THOSE people” and they say “go back to person A and ask them” and you say “I ASKED them and they told me to come to YOU” and they say “well you’ll have to ask them” and then you go back and start all over again and repeat the process about 3 times until you finally go back to person A and stand in front of her window until she gets up out of her seat and leads you to a building that you haven’t been to before and tells you ACTUALLY where to go...which FINALLY turns out to be the right place (why she didn’t tell you before is a mystery). Then you go there, get an x-ray, take it downstairs to some random nurse who gives you a paper to take to the registers to pay in cash, who then sends you somewhere else to wait for 2 hours to be told that you need to come back later b/c you need to get a TB test at a random clinic on the other side of town that closes in 1 hour anyway (at about 1pm). So you leave, with your head spinning, but realizing that there is more to life than good clean American systems, and feeling that much closer to curing your case of American systematism.

2008-10-13T23:34:00.000-07:00

Just finished first class of the year yesterday. Glory to God. I think it will be a good class. We have a very good, very entertaining and organized, teacher. Many people told me that there might be difficulties with the class because teachers begin the class speaking in Greek and not English, and because everything is disorganized and the students are often not motivated. None of these concerns seem to be the case here. Everyone seems to be motivated and the teacher seems excellent. Who knows. Maybe something will change. Glory to God!

Unfortunately (or fortunately I think) my internet (which I was 'borrowing' from my neighbors) is now secured. This means that internet access will be much less frequent (as I will be using it at the school). It is very interesting that this occurred on the same day classes were to start. I’m thinking that it is a two-fold sign. 1) Buy your own internet access, and stop stealing from others (even though you can hardly call it stealing…but maybe that is controversial) and 2) Focus more on the language.

I am also very excited to say that there are two Romanian clergymen in my class (one deacon and the other an Archimandrite) both of whom are from Bucharest and know Teo and Fr. Teofil. It is a SMALL world.

Home Sweet Home...errrr...

2008-10-13T01:19:00.001-07:00

I am writing this entry from the Bibliotheekee (Library). For some reason this place seems a lot like home. Well, for those of you who knew me at Gordon, I suppose that makes a bit of sense. They have a really nice room here with lots of large glass windows, big study tables and multiple signs that boldly proclaim “ΗΣΥΧΙΑ” (SILENCE!). Actually, it is very quiet in here (as it was in the good ole Reference Room, whenever all of the student were actually doing their work) and the woodword is even quite similar. I suppose the only differences are the size of the room and the birds. Yes, you heard correctly…the birds. The first time I was in hear, the windows were open and there were large birds flying in and out. Now it seems as though there is even a wee little sparrow nest just to the left of where I sit. Well, as long as they don’t use my head as a toilet, I think we’ll get along just fine.

Today is allegedly the first day of class. I say allegedly because I just heard from two of my American colleagues who were supposed to have class today in the morning (mine is at 3pm) who told me theirs was canceled. This was not a complete surprise, nor will it be for me if mine is canceled, as the registrar told us that classes do not officially begin until the majority of the students who have been accepted actually pay their tuition. Oh well, pray that this happens sooner rather than later please!

Either way, life in Greece is become a BIT more normal. At least I am getting used to the varied and diverse noises in and around my apartment building. All in all, however, I have an unusually quiet situation for my central location in the city.

Before making the trek to the library this morning, I went to a church in downtown Thessaloniki where, I was told, there was a good English-speaking priest, who confesses many of the Americans. I was able to locate him in his office to the side of the Church (which is beautiful by the way), and we had a very nice little “getting to know you” type chat, in which he proceeded to give me very good advice: don’t treat your time hear, your learning the language etc etc as a hobby. He said something to the effect of: “if I must sit here at this desk for at least 8 hours a days, then you should spend as much time studying the language.” He warned me against feeling satisfied with the hobby-like mentality for learning Greek, because the external satisfaction of learning the language will come to the end, and there will be nothing internally. But if there is pain on the outside, and a little suffering, then the satisfaction will flow from the inside. Thank God for that advice, now if only I can follow it!

Oh, rewind to yesterday: I went vespers at Panagia Dexia (a really beautiful church about 1 minute from my house with a miracle-working icon inside). As we were leaving, there was a priest-monk and layman entering. The priest-monk really struck me for some reason; so I asked Christopher (a friend who I was with) if we could stop just to ask him where he was from. It turns out he was from Mexico! We received his blessing, and that was that.

But the real kicker, was when we were walking past the Arch of Galerius (kind of a meeting point in the center of Thessaloniki if you want to meet up with a friend), I saw a guy that I had seen before at a conference at Holy Cross. He was walking with his girlfriend, and I pointed him out to Christopher. At that very moment I thought that perhaps this could be the young man that I was trying to meet (whom I had heard about through a monk-friend who was his uncle). I asked Christopher if he new this man and he said that he did, but couldn’t remember his name. Then he said “actually I think its Petros.” This was the name of the man that I wanted to meet! Anyway, we ran up to him, and found out that indeed it was the right man (who is a doctoral student at the School of Theology and is supposed to be a great guy) and I was able to meet him and make the connection.

Anywho, continuing to adjust. I realize that this will be such a big learning experience, and I am sure that at this point I am very naive and "wet behind the ears," as they say, but its all very exciting and interesting!

Well, I think that’s enough for now. Hope all is well with all y’all!

Sincerely,
Mike

Agios Georgios

2008-10-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

There is a small and quite unusual looking church (at least from the outside) tucked into the side of an apartment complex directly behind the historic ROTUNDA of St. George. The Church is a Metochion (dependancy) of Grigorious Monastery on Mt. Athos and holds daily vespers and Orthros 3 days a week. The priest’s name is Fr. George, and he is joyful man (in his later years) full of life and love. He does not speak English, but in my few experiences of Orthros at St. George he and his presbyera (and some other Greek attendees) have made it a point to welcome me.

A little background on Fr. George (you may have heard about him if you run in Greek/Orthodox circles). Fr. George is a retired officer in the army. He has 8 Children, 7 of whom are monastics in Greece. The 8th, I believe, is a presbytera. I heard one story about his child-rearing techniques:

He would not let his children watch television growing up. This can often cause conflicts with other children, however, because most other children are allowed to watch TV. To solve this problem, he resolved to take his family on a vacation once a year, each time to a different part of the world. This way when his children would be asked “Did you see _____ show last night” they could say, “No, where was that filmed though?”...Usually these shows would come from other parts of the world and the reply would almost always be “from America” or “from Paris” or “from Spain.” Then the child would say, “well, no, I didnt see the show, but I HAVE been to the place that it was filmed.”

I thought that was pretty cool.

Anyway, these early morning services, besides being necessary for the soul, seem like they will give me a good chance to interact on a significant level with native Greeks.

Like an Infant...

2008-10-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

My blogging discipline is very low. Sadly, it is difficult to keep up with it all. Please forgive me if you want more.

Today I tasted Greek bureaucracy. After all was said and done, I realized that it was not the bureaucracy that bothered me, but my impatience, fears and anxieties.

Imagine entering a situation where no mental formulation can even begin to solve the solution to your problem (i.e. get Form “A“ from someone in a foreign Hospital with no signs in English, and really no background in Greek).

I was like an infant--completely helpless; in the arms of...

Well, in America it would have been:

The Information Booth

A helpful English-speaking doctor/nurse

A helpful English-speaking family member of a patient

An English-speaking Janitor

My own logic/reasoning

Moooooomie!!!

In Greece (and not to “bang on” Greece, because as you will soon realize...Greece has the cure to the American disease that I will call systematism), my options were drastically limited:

Greek-speaking, kind people (but they spoke GREEK and I didnt)

My fears

Amen.

I fear writing this, because I do not want to prematurely synthesize, codify or summarize, so forgive me.

All to say: I think Greece has the potential to cure my Systemetism, with which I am severely infected, by the grace of God :).

Well. Nuff said.

Much love,
Mike

Arrival in Thessaloniki

2008-09-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, Here I am. Wow. My flight and travels to Greece were EXTREMELY uneventful and passed by so quickly I practically don’t even feel like I traveled. Things are feeling a little “twilight zone”-like but hey, its fun.

Nektarios, my good friend, was kind enough to pick my up from the airport and showed me my apartment that he was also (very) kind enough to prepare for human habitation.

It’s a very nice 1 person apartment which has a good sized bedroom, usable bathroom (sometimes unusual for these small apartments in the city), nice kitchen, and a hallway sitting area/living room. I also have a small balcony which overlooks a yard and other apartment buildings :). One of the big pluses is the fact that I have A LOT of sunlight. This can often be hard to find in these apartment buildings, and can even turn into a health risk when mold begins to grow.

One of the really nice perks about my living situation is that it is directly adjacent to the church of St. George, which is a dependancy of Grigoriou Monastery on Mt. Athos. They actually have an all-night vigil every Friday night. I went this past Friday and it was beautiful!

So I began this entry before I left for Mt. Athos but wasn’t able to finish it. Since then I’ve been to the Holy Mountain for about a week, where I visited a monk-friend at Zographou monastery (the Bulgarian monastery on the Mountain) and celebrated the Exultation of the Cross (old calendar) with the monks there by doing an all-night vigil. It was wonderful, but I got a bit sick from the change in temperature, combined with a somewhat strenuous hike, and staying up later than I should. By the time I reached my second destination, Grigoriou Monastery, I was definitely feeling under the weather. I was blessed, however, to received EXCELLENT medical treatment from the monks there, who gave me everything from Airborne-like pills, to delicious honey/lemon/mountain tea, to salt water (to snort, which by the way works EXTREMELY well to relieve congestion and sinus pressure) and some strong alcoholic beverages to boot. Needless to say by going to the Church and sleeping most of the rest of the day, I was feeling much better by the end of the trip.

Besides sleeping however, I was able to have some wonderful conversations and meet some pilgrims who were staying there, one of whom was just baptized yesterday after having discovered Orthodoxy through research in his native land of Sweden. He encountered a priest who told him that he should visit the Holy Mountain to learn more. He spent some time in Sweden at some of the few Orthodox Churches there, and then headed to Mt. Athos where he stayed at a monastery for at least 1 month in order to learn about the faith and be baptized into the Orthodox Church. He was a wonderful young man, and you all can pray for him...his name is Seraphim (and we discovered that on the day of his baptism, the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov were due to visit Greece for veneration).

There are some other Americans studying here, and on the day of my return from Mt. Athos, we gathered at one of their apartments for a little “getting to know you” time. Needless to say, I am praying that I don’t “get to know them” too well, at least for the first 6months-1year as I know that it is not advisable while trying to learn the Greek language.

Well there is so much more to say, but I will leave that for another entry. I am off to Vespers tonight at St. Charalambos church where I am told that there are a number of young folks who attend, and the priest is very pastoral and welcoming. God-willing this will all work out :).

Ahhh...brief note on struggles and realizations: it has not been easy living alone in these first days in Greece. It has been filled, however, with rich lessons and realizations about my own shortcomings and God’s Grace! Glory to God for all things! What a comfortable life I lead in America.

with MUCH love in Christ,
Mike

p.s. Feel free to email me if you want to chat further: michael.tishel@gmail.com

1 DAY!

2008-09-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

The paradox is stunning. I sit in a quiet, peaceful, normal home, bumming around the house as if it were a regular day off. I sense the familiar sites, smells, feelings of home

and yet

I leave for Greece tomorrow!

11 DAYS!

2008-09-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

I figured I would get started with this blogging business in order to get myself into the habit of actually posting. I probably won’t post regularly until I actually arrive in Greece.

I’m shocked that this big adventure is only 11 days away.

It’s like staring out over a cliff just as you are about to jump--unsure of the end result etc.

Well, we’ll keep it short and sweet for now. Until next time!

mike

2008-05-17T04:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Christ is Risen!

As promised, I am writing (although very late) to share with you from some of my experiences in Greece this past spring break. In March I was bless to serve Christ and His Church on a RealBreak trip to Greece with over 20 other college students. We traveled to central Greece to help at some monasteries there for one week.

I suppose this trip to Greece meant more to me than just a service trip. I thought about studying there, and thought it would be nice to have this opportunity to experience Greece before I made any decisions. It was truly a blessing!

The moment we arrived at the monastery, we were graced with the prayerful presence of the nuns who lived there. They greeted use with exuberant ringing of bells, angelic smiles and hospitable "welcomes" and hugs. Before we had even step foot on the monastery grounds, and met one monastic, I think we would all agree that we were "home."

The week proved to shock most of us. We were utterly flabbergasted by the nuns' hospitality, love, humility and joy. They radiated the love of Christ to us, and we melted in their presence. We helped them paint rooms, organize workshop spaces, build paths, clear brush and much more. We ate with them, prayed with them, worked with them, spoke with them, laughed with them and cried with them...all in one week!

We experienced Greece in its holy splendor by visiting the ancient monastic community of Meteora. Perched high above stunning tube-like rock formations, the millennium old cluster of monasteries reflects the awe and majesty of a life absorbed in the Creator of this beauty. We toured countless ancient churches and holy sites, one of which included a unique 4th century design, where the enormous pulpit was built in the center of the Church. We were told that the Emperor would come to this church and speak from this pulpit in the 4th century! It was quite the blessing to be able to sing hymns to Christ, the Theotokos and all the saints in a church such as this.

Our finals days in the monastic dwellings were certainly bitter-sweet. We were left with a feeling of apprehension as we prepared ourselves for life back in the "world." What was only a week, seemed to stretch itself out to become more like a year. We had all gained so much in the way of spiritual lessons from this trip, that we all agreed how diligent we would have to be when we arrived back home. Many people used "life-changing" or "the most amazing" as descriptors towards the end of the trip.

I imagine as a whole the trip served more to educate, inspire and form us, rather than as a service trip to these monasteries. Don't get me wrong, we really did work hard. But as usual, the tables were turned, and we found ourselves overwhelmed by the blessings we had been given, and not by what we gave.

Greece is a wonderful country. Its rich and ancient history, especially being the home to so many Orthodox saints and martyrs, emanates from its many spectacular sites, and from its even greater (though not as apparent) holy men and women.

This was not, I pray, an experience that will remain "in the past." My desire is that it will serve to remind me of God's amazing Grace, working through those who serve Him. Glory to God for all things

2008-02-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

Help Send Me To Greece!
Click Below To Make Your Donation!

Donations are due February 25, 2008

[Check back after March 23rd for YOUR GIFT,
which will include a daily Image&Text Journal of my trip!]

Dear Friends!

Another year has sped quickly along, and the sirens of Spring Break call to all college students! As you may remember, last year I was blessed to be able to join a team of college-age folks to the orphanage of San Cristobal in San Salvador, El Salvador. The trip was incredible! I never knew that one week could be packed with so many phenomenal experiences and encounters. I pray that for the short period of time that we were there, we were able to bring a little joy and encouragement into the lives of the orphans; either way, one thing is certain: they had a lasting effect on me! To see their joy and generous spirits in the midst of complete poverty and seeming hopelessness was utterly beyond words!

This year, I am able to use my final spring break as an undergrad for another positive experience. I will be traveling to Greece to participate in a service project, to help several monasteries face the material challenges involved in the rebuilding and the rehabilitation of long neglected facilities and properties. There will be reconstruction and renovation projects. Our work will vary from painting, logging, gardening projects, spring cleaning tasks requiring many hands, grounds clean-up, re-organization of spaces, to light construction and recreational projects with handicapped children. The project will take place in Central Greece, near the city of Karditsa. These monasteries, that are off the beaten (tourist) path, are symbols of the love and sacrifice given to the world by monastics who dedicate their lives in prayer for all of us. These monasteries are ancient by American standards, and the work is often too much to handle for the monastics who inhabit them. In addition to the help that we will be giving them, we will be participating in the prayer-life and routine of the monasteries. This will be an incredible opportunity to bridge the gap of culture and vocation as we interact with people who live lives completely dedicated to prayer and service to God!

In order to go on this trip, however, I am humbly asking for your help! No amount is too little, as I have to raise over $1,000 in order to pay for travel, living expenses, and any supplies needed. Any additional funds will go directly to the projects and monasteries! Please prayerfully consider giving as much as you deem fit, and keep our team in your prayers! We leave on March 15th and return March 23rd.

Thanks for your prayers and support!

with love in Christ,
mike

NOTE ABOUT PAYMENTS: Paypal offers a secure method of online payment that allows you to use debit/credit (see above "Donations" button). If you do not feel comfortable doing this, feel free to send any gifts, via snail-mail in check form (which will be tax deductable), made payable to “OCF - Real Break.” Please earmark the check RB 2008 Michael Tishel. All donations need to be collected by February 25th, 2008 (EXCEPTION: Late Donations are still accepted even after the trip, they will go to the general pool that is compiled for my trip).

Mailing Address (please include note w/ your own name/address so that I can send you an update and "thank you" note!):

Orthodox Christian Fellowship
P.O. Box 300249
Boston, MA, 02130