tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-103364992024-03-13T16:25:27.136-04:00Oh Taste and SeeLife as Eucharist and IconFr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.comBlogger629125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-89178398470055034012012-06-22T10:46:00.003-04:002012-06-22T11:08:40.024-04:00A FarewellSometimes decisions come after a lot of painful deliberation and ambivalence. Others seem to present themselves naturally, all at once.I've decided to shut down the blog, though the words will remain up. I should say that this has nothing to do with anyone other than myself; no authority figure in the Church has discouraged or prohibited me in any way from blogging. Rather, it just comes from Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-10905484661242205342012-05-30T00:21:00.000-04:002012-05-30T00:21:32.626-04:00Thoughts on the last two monthsGreetings from the ever-sparser apartment in Crestwood.
Craigslist has been claiming one piece of furniture after another so as to make room in the POD for the move. Boxes take their places; all the while we're helping dear friends from the last three years load up their belongings as well. Good-byes, together with sober glances that confirm that, yeah, we're all getting ready to Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-58994989489179389232012-03-19T11:09:00.003-04:002012-03-19T11:11:59.152-04:00From yesterday's liturgy -- we're here listening to a brief word from Metr. JONAH. It was a beautiful service.Thank you to any and all who've expressed kind words and offered prayers. Please continue to keep us in prayer.Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-81679132817441406432012-03-18T15:51:00.002-04:002012-03-18T15:59:24.630-04:00The Commandments of St. Basil the Great to PriestsStudy, O Priest, to make yourself a blameless worker, rightly dividing the word of truth.Never stand at the synaxis having hatred toward anyone so as not to banish the Comforter.On the day of synaxis do not judge, do not argue, but remain praying and reading in the church until the appointed hour in which you will accomplish the divine and sacred ceremonies; and thus stand with compunction and Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-52454071396858693162012-03-06T11:06:00.003-05:002012-03-06T11:48:43.340-05:00Ordination, MissionIn your kindness, remember me in your prayers; on March 18th, 2012 (Sunday of the Cross), I am scheduled to be ordained to the holy priesthood by Metropolitan JONAH here at St. Vladimir's in Three Hierarchs Chapel. Lent is a difficult time for all of us; we have to face demons regardless of any title that might or might not be in front of our name. Dealing with your shortcomings when you're a Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-23285783018801611192011-12-17T09:36:00.001-05:002011-12-17T09:38:35.603-05:00"When one undertakes to examine Scripture in an idle, intellectual way, he creates hatred and quarrelling. Why? Because the intellectual approach to Scripture does not help us to turn and reflect on our sins, but instead makes us focus on problems and concepts related to the study of Scripture, with the result that our logical and intellectual faculties are aroused to no real purpose. “Knowledge”Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-42509959590354399082011-10-29T07:50:00.000-04:002011-10-29T07:50:31.184-04:00Be Thou My Vision by The Purple HullsOne of my favorite groups (a trio of siblings) plays my all time favorite song (and lullabye to all three girls).Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-22423219676137900252011-10-07T18:27:00.002-04:002011-10-07T18:29:37.004-04:00The Intolerant Tolerant"...some of those who once called for tolerance and individual freedom have adjusted to the success of their programme and decided to shift the boundaries. But their new goal cannot be achieved by appealing to tolerance, freedom, or even diversity because they now seek to impose their own implicit moral system upon the whole of society."From HERE. H/T to Fr. Gregory Jensen.Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-20478040164886222742011-10-04T10:21:00.005-04:002011-10-04T10:24:21.626-04:00A Bit of a DiversionThe original was HERE...I added us in.Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-18393586457571234712011-09-28T10:59:00.003-04:002011-09-28T11:24:29.702-04:00Balance, Boundaries, Black HolesI said I wasn't "inspired" to write about seminary. Perhaps one should make that claim after the year has begun.The year has gotten off to a roaring start, much more than in previous years. The main word of the year seems to be "homilies," with three of them already written, critiqued, rewritten, and delivered within the first month of classes. In between all this, we've just taken a trip downFr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-91500674255907834862011-08-28T16:25:00.009-04:002011-08-28T23:11:17.127-04:00An Update for August, Abp. DMITRI, and "Psalms of David," RevivedGreetings from the ravaged leftovers of a post-Hurricane-Irene Crestwood, NY.
Seriously: the photo to the right is the worst of our part of campus, as reports were (mercifully) overblown and the worst we got was a little wind and rain. Grateful for the mild evening. In anticipation for the worst, Divine Liturgy this morning was cancelled, but tonight's Vespers for the Beheading of John the Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-38470271898978513762011-07-26T20:57:00.014-04:002011-08-07T00:09:12.483-04:00Parish Assignment, Teaching, Conversion StagesFirst off, a blessed beginning of the Dormition Fast to all on the Revised Julian Calendar.A week ago today we went up to New Haven, CT and communed at Holy Transfiguration (OCA), which will be my parish assignment for the Senior Year. Good night, has it been two years already?! How bizarre to think that we'll be the "big men on the totem pole" in the student body. Audra says she doesn't want Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-78008804398499974352011-07-02T21:01:00.001-04:002011-07-02T21:02:54.002-04:00Worship Like You Mean It?I just...don't know. Really?!Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-25585688495048334422011-06-28T09:16:00.002-04:002011-06-28T09:22:01.888-04:00LeoForgive the lack of updates; just a brief note to ask any and all to lift up Leo DuMoulin and his parents Justin and Anna, who attended seminary with us and graduated after our first year here. Leo was born with hydrocephalus and underwent surgery yesterday to correct massive swelling in his head present since birth (months ago). He has experienced brain development that no doctor had predictedFr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-38149881031052999812011-05-29T23:31:00.003-04:002011-05-30T00:52:11.348-04:00ServiceThe final few days of school, followed by the last week or two serving here and there, the final days of hospital internship...travel over the past few days.Ordination was, all at once, glorious and ordinary. Never have I been in a service which required less brain power. Deacons in the altar led me here, pointed there, told me to bow here, kiss this, kneel like this, go here, etc. In the end,Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-33871263980003631272011-05-11T21:01:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:59:07.778-04:00OrdinationGod willing, this Saturday, May 14, 2011, I will be ordained by Metropolitan JONAH to the Holy Diaconate at St. Sergius of Radonezh Chapel in Syosset, NY.Please keep us in your prayers.Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-36699713590049050392011-05-05T09:47:00.009-04:002011-05-05T10:15:13.252-04:00Raised for Judgment - A HomilyThe following is the gist of the homily I delivered this morning in chapel; this is a speech-to-text version from last night.The gospel reading can be found HERE.in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Christ is risen!We've worked our way through about a week and ½ of Paschal celebration. We’ve heard beautiful hymns like "The Angel Cried," wherein words such asFr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-15115977225239751712011-05-01T23:29:00.011-04:002011-05-06T08:11:13.661-04:00Wonder and Truth, Fair and Balanced?The following is the second written contribution for my Systematic Theology class. It is almost double the maximum word count; I apologize in advance to my professor. However, as with the first entry, comments have been turned off until the entry can be graded.----------------------------------------------Much in Orthoblogdom has been devoted to two often-competing blogs, OCANews and OCATruth, Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-89910426164310439932011-04-23T18:28:00.004-04:002011-04-23T20:10:11.261-04:00Ten YearsI was chrismated into the Orthodox Church ten years ago today (liturgically speaking; as Pascha is a moveable feast, the actual calendar date doesn't matter so much). My family came up to Tulsa from West Texas, and a cute, petite blonde sat in a pew a little ways back (holding my then-baby cousin through the whole liturgy--one of the longest of the year!). She would be chrismated that December,Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-53684949309991760432011-04-21T15:45:00.003-04:002011-04-21T16:00:59.473-04:00"What Do I Do / When it Seems I Relate to Judas More than You?"An old fav popped into my head at liturgy this morning. Poor Old Lu, anyone?Two stichera from today's Matins Praises:"Judas the transgressor at the supper dipped his hand into the dish with Thee, O Lord / yet sinfully he reached out his hands to receive the money. /He reckoned up the value of the oil of myrrh, /and yet was not afraid to sell Thee who art above all price. /He stretched out his Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-61113699913532025372011-04-10T22:54:00.004-04:002011-04-11T01:31:09.138-04:00The Mystery of Bodies and WordsA full week. The seminary community put forth a relatively strenuous effort this past week with, in addition to the normal lenten daily Matins/Vespers and Wed. Presanctified, a reading of the entire Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and a reading of the life of St. Mary of Egypt on Thursday morning (beginning at 6am), followed by another Presanctified Liturgy at noon the same day. Akathist to the Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-61076949164032057252011-04-05T09:20:00.004-04:002011-04-05T09:48:26.990-04:00Lift Up Your Eyes on High and See -- A HomilyFrom this morning in chapel...one of the difficulties for me in putting this together was the fact that seminary guidelines constrain us to five to seven minutes. We have a pretty short morning service--20-30 min. each weekday morning--and this is sort of a short sermonette (I call it "spiritual breakfast") that is given by second- and third-year seminarians at the conclusion to accompany the Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-19319216461189184242011-03-26T07:17:00.003-04:002011-03-26T19:04:27.078-04:00"Listen to what the angel says: Therefore also that Holy Thing Which is [being begotten -- γεννώμενον] of thee, in other words, that Holy Thing Which is growing within your womb in extraordinary manner, and does not at once exist in completed form. Here the mouth of Nestorius is sealed. For that man said that the Son of God did not take flesh by dwelling in the womb of the Virgin, but that a Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-64815527660621402632011-03-06T22:23:00.002-05:002011-03-06T22:26:23.012-05:00Children GrowMy eldest did this today.(Taken from my project, here.)Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-57217469071338647852011-03-06T21:40:00.012-05:002011-03-08T23:20:26.378-05:00A Word on Metropolitans, Then to the FastMy wife told me about the OCA Truth blog the other day which means to serve as a corrective to the OCA News blog, which I sensed was kicking over the traces back in the "AOCANA bishop 'demotion'" days. I just rolled my eyes and said that none of this is helpful, that we can't ever really know anything with regard to these goings on...none of which stopped me from actually going to said blog and Fr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com8