“Fr. Dustin, aren’t all
those extra services (feast days, Vespers, Matins) just for monks and retired
people?” Here’s my brief response.
Before
explaining the “why” of the services, you should know what the services of the
Orthodox Church are. We follow an ancient calendar, so the day begins when
the sun sets, so the first service of the day is Vespers. So, technically, the
Saturday evening Vespers is the first service of Sunday. Then, in the morning,
we celebrate Matins, called Orthros in Greek. If there’s a special
celebration–such as a feast day, or the day of resurrection (Sunday)–then Divine
Liturgy is celebrated. These three services–Vespers, Matins, and Divine
Liturgy–make up the cycle of services in most parishes.
In
monasteries, the Vespers-Matins-Liturgy cycle could be done all at once. In
this case, it would be a Vigil that lasts through the night. Monasteries, of
course, would add in the Hours (1st, 3rd, 6th, and 9th) as well as Compline and the Mid-night
office. This is what’s considered a full liturgical cycle.
OK, now
the answer.
Firstly, Orthodox Christians
understand the Bible to be very supportive of a cycle of prayers:
“Seven times a day I praise thee for thy righteous ordinances.” (Psalm
119:164 RSV)
”...pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 RSV)
Secondly, we believe that
prayer–including a cycle of services–is a way of sanctifying time. We’re so
used to what, in Greek, is called chronos time. This is the time set by your
watch. But sanctified time, in Greek, is kairos. This time is much different.
We believe we are called to sanctify all aspects of our life, including time.
Thirdly, each of these
services is different and has different hymns. Because we have a cycle of
feasts (celebrating biblical events as well as saints), the hymns contain much
of our theology about those feasts and saints. The best seminary education
isn’t in a classroom or in books, it’s going to all the services, every day, in
the Orthodox Church for a year (this is why we had daily Vespers and Matins at
seminary). If you want to know what we believe, see how we worship (lex orandi,
lex credendi).
Fourthly, it’s this cycle of
services that have produced thousands (millions?) of saints over 2,000 years,
so we know it works. Don’t fix what’s not broken!
Fifthly, it refocuses a very
ego-driven mindset in us. We’re forced to actually devote time to worshipping
God more than an hour once a week. It creates a pattern of prayer in us.
Sixthly, the services take us
through the crucifixion and resurrection. In the evening, we are led into the
darkness of the night (crucifixion and burial) and then, in the morning, we are
led out of death and into life. One can’t beat this theme! “For I decided to
know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2 RSV)
By Fr. Dustin Lyon
Source: http://www.dustinlyon.org/?p=1742
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