He Dwells Between the Cherubim; Let the Earth Be Moved! the Lord Is Great in Zion, and He Is High Above All the Peoples
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Volume III, Number 9 A friendly Orthodox Christian ‘Zine SEPTEMBER 2008 PSALM 99 The Footstool of the Lord The Lord reigns, let the people tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved! The Lord is great in Zion, And He is high above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name—He is holy. The King’s strength also loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His footstool*—He is holy. Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those Who called upon His name; They called upon the Lord, and He answered them. He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; They kept the testimonies And the ordinances He gave them. You answered them, O Lord our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, Though you took vengeance on their deeds. Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His holy hill; For the Lord our God is holy. NKJV Orthodox Study Bible *see p. 3. THE FRUIT BASKET Edited and published monthly by AnOrthodox Christian The goal of this publication is to provide a friendly, light , Orthodox Christian ’Zine (a mini-magazine) that contains a blend of “some- thing to exercise our minds, something to make us laugh, and some- thing to make us meditate on spiritual matters.” It is also a venue for sharing our insights and interests. Articles or comments from our readers are welcome. We reserve the right to edit for suitability, clarity and space. Printing of items does not imply endorsement by the church or the priest or even the editor of this publication. Send comments or articles by phone to Margaret 440-238-7867 after 6 pm. Email to [email protected] or by snail mail to The FRUIT BASKET, 18893 Howe Road Strongsville, OH 44136 © 2008 The FRUIT BASKET www.sttheodosius.org Click Parish Publications for back issues. 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The Editor 2 THE FRUIT BASKET September 2008 *Comment from Orthodox Study Bible The footstool of the Lord is seen by most patristic and liturgical sources as His Cross. Thus this Psalm, highlighted by v. 5, is sung at the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross commemorated on September 14. Meditation He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose —Jim Eliot Father, give me the courage to give myself—my life— to You to gain eternal life. Amen. from Bless Your Heart Each New Day calendar. donated by Kathy Z. of Parma DEAR EDITOR... Thank you so very much for your monthly “The Fruit Basket.” I enjoy it so much and so does my daughter. I am feeling better and am back to my daily chores. Thank you again! Lovingly, Marie Kalchoff I really enjoyed the CD you gave me of the Church Choir. Sure do miss being in church. I am also grateful for receiving The Fruit Basket every month. Very inspirational. Sincerely, Dorthy L. Really appreciate all of your dedication and work in this ministry. Tom and Maria Broslawik I do really appreciate feedback from you folks. As I have said many times, that is what keeps me going. Thank you so much. The Editor 3 Invocation O Trinity, beyond being, beyond divinity, beyond goodness, the Christians’ guide in the knowledge of divine things: Lead us in a straight path to the highest summit of the mystical scripture, which is beyond unknowing, and beyond brightness, where the simple, absolute and unchangeable mysteries of God lie hidden, in the hidden mystery of silent, dazzling darkness. In the deepest darkness they enlighten with overwhelming brightness that which is beyond manifestation, they fill our unseen minds with a splendor that is beyond beauty to plenitude beyond plenitude. —Dionysius the Areopagite COMMUNION: THE DAILY BREAD Holy Communion illumines, brightens, and sanctifies all the powers and senses of man’s soul and body, and strengthens the soul in doing the commandments of the Lord and every other virtuous act. It is the true food of the soul and of the body, as our Lord says, “My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.” Common bread is improperly called our daily bread, because it strengthens only our body and not our soul. Properly and principally the term “daily bread” denotes the body of our Lord and the word of God, because they strengthen the soul as well as the body. For this reason, those of us who have received spiritual regeneration through the divine Baptism must continually eat this spiritual food with warm love and a contrite heart. Just as breathing is necessary for life, and just as food is necessary for the sustenance of the body, so is frequent communion necessary for the life of the soul and for the sustenance of its substance, or rather it is incomparably more necessary —St Macarius of Corinth 4 THE FRUIT BASKET September 2008 The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos Commemorated on September 8 The Nativity of the Virgin is one of the oldest of the Marian feasts. It’s celebration stems from the Protevangelion of St. James, a 2nd century apocryphal book supposedly written by James the Brother of the Lord, which describes the birth of Mary to her elderly parents, Joachim and Anna. The story runs much like the biblical account of Abraham and Sarah or that of Zachariah and Elizabeth; two elderly people considered cursed by God because of the woman’s barrenness were suddenly promised a child by God. Although the Church probably placed this feast in its official liturgical cycle between the 7th and 8th centuries, a kontakion written by St. Romanos (6th Century) indicates the celebration of the feast began much earlier. This feast reminds us that the Virgin Mary is one of us, a human being, born like us in original sin. It refutes those who, like the Collyridians, who attempted to deify her and desecrate her dignity by calling her something she is not. The feast reminds those, such as the Docetists, who believed that Christ was only a phantom, having no real human body, that His Mother was a real human being, born of the generation of David; there- fore, the one born of her must in the same way partake of her nature. http://www.antiochian.org/ Nativity of the holy Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary Icon from http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp 5 FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE MOST HOLY AND LIFE-GIVING CROSS S E P T E M B E R 14 Troparion - Tone 1 O Lord, save Your people, And bless Your inheritance. Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians over their adversaries. And by virtue of Your Cross, Preserve Your habitation. Kontakion - Tone 4 As You were voluntarily raised upon the cross for our sake, Grant mercy to those who are called by Your Name, O Christ God; Make all Orthodox Christians glad by Your power, Granting them victories over their adversaries, By bestowing on them the Invincible trophy, Your weapon of Peace. Before Your Cross Before your Cross we bow down in worship Master and your holy resurrection we Glorify. 6 THE FRUIT BASKET September 2008 Today the Cross Armenian Chant Tone II J.G. Today the Cross is raised on high, and all the world celebrates in its saving power. For You who are enthroned with the Father and the Holy Spirit have spread your arms upon it and drawn the world to know You, by Your Holy Cross, O Christ. The Cross is the Guardian Znamenny chant Motifs The Cross is the Guardian of the whole world! The Cross is the beauty of the church! The Cross is the might of Kings! The Cross is the strength of the faithful!The Cross is the Glory of Angels and the Resurrection of the fallen. Elevatin of the Cross Lord, I Call: Stikhera Special Melody: Tone 6 “Having laid aside all...” O Most Venerable Cross! Angelic orders joyfully surround you, and on this day we elevate you for by divine command you axalt all things that through the stolen fruit were driven away and given over unto death. Wherefore in embracing you with hearts and lips, we the faithful gain our holiness as we cry out unto you: Exalt Christ the Most Gracious God and fall down before His divine footstool! O Marvellous Wonder From the Litia for Elevation of the Life-Giving Cross Znamenny Chant Model Melody ‘O Preslavnago Chudesa’ O Marvellous. Wonder! The most holy cross, the life-giving tree is lifted up on high this day and shown to the world! All the ends of the earth give glory; All the demons are driven away.