How Wonderful It Was

Yesterday... I talked with dear Romanian friends online, 

thank God for skype and such services.

A real consolation.

The trip into NYC to hear Elder Zacharias and the concert

of Arvo Part felt so miraculous to me;

I went down the stairs to the PATH train and the 33rd street PATH train

was just arriving and the last train car, where I was,

had lots of seats! At 4 PM this was a bit unusual.

Then the Subway at 34th also had various seats free; I felt like God

was smoothing everything out for me to get to NYC and 

the restaurant where Mr Husband and I were going to eat before

hearing Elder Zacharias speak. 

We had Thai food...it was good.

The gate into Wallace Hall, where we would hear

Elder Zacharias.

I was so excited....

Elder Zacharias read his lecture, he had a cold so it was

a bit of a struggle I think for him...

the lecture he read I certainly hope will be available in the future.

I saw in the second row front and centre.

I had a small journal with me and a good pen that helps me write quickly.

The Elder came, Fr. Chad H. of St Vlads Seminary introduced

Met Tikhon (OCA Bishop head) who introduced Elder Zacharias. 

And Elder Zacharias read from his lecture notes

and I felt like I was in a trapeza (the place where one eats) at a 

Greek Monastery where one reads spiritual texts while 

the others have lunch, without talking.

His lecture was on repentance and Adam's lament. 

Of Adam's grief of being separated from God 

through his own sin and his lament; it was very beautiful. 

He also spoke of Christ's love and the desire of the Saints to pray for the whole

world to come to repentance, even though not all choose to come.

On the way into NYC I was reading the book I was given in Ottawa by

dear Romanian friends of ours,

The Enlargement of the Heart: "Be ye also enlarged" (2 Corinthians 6:13) in the Theology of Saint Silouan the Athonite and Elder Sophrony of Essex written by Elder Zacharias. 

and a lot of what I read seemed to be echoed in what I heard

the Elder say in his lecture.

I took notes (it's how I really pay attention, as my mind tends sadly to wander)

but I know I could not recreate what I heard, 

other than to tell you that it was beautiful, inspiring and

like hearing a holy Orthodox book read at the trapeza by a Greek Monk

at a Greek Monastery. 

It was lovely and life-giving.

***

So I wrote the Elder a small card while on the PATH train,

asking for prayers for a very few people 

and telling him how much I like the books published by the

Monastery that he is from. 

He teased me gently when I gave it to him,

I did not realize he was teasing as I never do realize these things,

he said 'did you write it fast because I read slow?' and explained that an

Irish man said something similar about writing a letter slowly, 

knowing the person read slowly (if I remember correctly).

An autograph, even for my friend, he merely said, we would have to go somewhere

that no one would see as then everyone would want.

So I said 'whatever you want Father' and the moment passed.

It was wonderful. I got his blessing, to see his smile,

his teasing. It was a real blessing to me, I felt loved and feel loved, 

remembering it. 

***

After the lecture itself, another man Peter B, who was a main person in the concert

series and project and who has known Elder Zacharias for years, 

spoke on what the Elder said and encouraging people to see

as Arvo Part has, that to understand his music, one must 

experience Orthodoxy (i.e. the Eastern Orthodox Church) as Part is 

Orthodox and his music is deeply inspired by this.

He welcomed us all to the heart of what Arvo Part's music, esp. that which

we would be hearing soon, was speaking of... 

The Avro Part concert was deeply beautiful. 

For most of it I stood in the back, our pew being very close to the back,

 and the sound was incredible, I could watch the entire orchestra and choir

 and when I looked up, I would be seeing Christ, His holy Mother and other Saints.

 It was like seeing the desert, Christ the Giver of Living Water and the path of repentance

 that Fr Zacharias spoke of and that Avro Part's music 

sang in song and deep beautiful swelling music.

***

I hope to find the pieces I heard yesterday,

it was very moving, beautiful, astounding... how anyone

could go back to listening to music that was not so beautiful,

after hearing such stunning beauty, well, I hope I never do...

such deep beauty.... 

the beauty that L'Engle first introduced me to via her book

walking on water and has in many novels, including the Young Unicorns

which always seems deeply New York to me... 

Today I lit candles esp for two Mother friends who are

having serious struggles...

Mr Husband was at the concert and lecture with me

and worked from home today.

I made us the cream chicken pasta I made a year ago

but I changed various things (upped milk, cheese, garlic, 

spices, used chicken bone broth instead of chicken broth) and did not have

penne noodles... well... it did NOT work well... and I think also

I need to fry the chicken longer... it was fully cooked, but not 'right' as it were. 

***

Anyway, small matter, compared to the beauty we experienced last night.

***

Tomorrow I hope to do more cleaning, baking, laundry...and church bookstore/library stuff...

I started Miss Read's Village Diary and am just loving it,

it's like going to meet a dear friend in a warm loving (and often funny)

place that is familiar and delightful.

Speaking of delightful,

I began reading Tolkien's letters out loud to Mr Husband as our 

new nighttime out loud reading and it's a delight to be reading!!

***

I am thinking of making Shepard's Pie, perhaps on Friday for Sunday-Tuesday meals.

Saturday we are DV going to a toy soldier event...

Tonight I went to our local church's class, we watched videos of

St Elizabeth's Convent in Minsk Belarus... 

***

and it looks like the White Sisters will be back in NYC again this year!

I hope to go and see them!

Well, enough dreaming and happy plans for now,

I pray all is well for you who are reading this.

I know so many are in great struggles and hardships and I pray for God's mercy!