Nazareth House Apostolate Blog: Taylorsville Kentucky

St. Simeon Skete, Taylorsville Kentucky USA

With St. Simeon, the God receiver, as our patron, the skete seeks to practice the ideals found in our Rule, The Thousand Day Nazareth. In simplicity and poverty, the skete embraces the struggle of inner life through the practice of the Prayer Rope.

See our website at www.nazarethhouseap.org

Donations should be addressed to: Nazareth House Apostolate, 185 Captains Cove Drive, Taylorsville, Kentucky 40071.

Important Notice: All writings, posts, graphics & photographs in this blog are the copyrighted property of (unless otherwise indicated) Nazareth House Media, a division of Nazareth House Apostolate and cannot be copied, printed or used without written permission from NHA Media, Taylorsville, KY.

Showing posts with label Taylorsville Kentucky. Show all posts

Monday, December 24, 2018

I HAVE A NAME

"Where God also hath highly exalted Him,

and given Him a Name which above every Name." -Phil. 2:9

During one of Seraphim's first visits to Sierra Leone during the war, he visited Grafton Camp - a displacement camp for those who lost their homes and limbs from the atrocities of war. The RUF rebels were hacking off arms and legs with machetes in a cruel and inhumane effort to gain control of diamonds and power. Notice in this photo that even the baby's hand has been hacked off.

As Seraphim visited with the people in Grafton camp, he delivered food (rice) and clothing. As he got ready to leave the camp they all wanted to know his name. He told them his name and turned to board the transport only to hear the words that continue to haunt him to this day:

"I have a name."

He turned and saw that food and clothing were not enough. There was something called dignity - the recognition that this is a person and not just flesh to be covered and fed!

A lifetime of repeating the Name of Jesus had suddenly gone super-nova, exploding with the blinding light of understanding. It was God Himself crying out: "I have a Name!"

Rudy and Os lying on a prayer rug studying the Name of Jesus

"I have a name."

God has a Name

The Mass of Christ-Mass is this Name. "A Name which is above every Name"

God has a Name

Matthew 1:18-25
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Puddles, Border Collies, Denominations

Republished from 2012:

Yesterday, many areas of the Eastern United States experienced severe and dangerous storms.

There were those who lost their homes and things ...and those who lost their lives.

At St. Simeon Skete in Taylorsville, Kentucky a *wall cloud approached from the South. The Warning Sirens began to sound.

As the bellowing cloud crossed Taylorsville Lake it gently swirled into the form of a funnel cloud that stayed in the sky and crossed directly over the Holy Trinity Kellia.

Large hail pelted the roof, sounding like artillery fire as it hit. Within minutes the threat had passed.

Our border collie is terribly afraid of storms and had been shaking in the basement most of the morning as the storms came through, one bout after another.

The Warning Sirens ceased and I ran the dog outside to do his business as the sun began to peek out of the clouds and brighten the sky.

Looking to the East, I noticed a rainbow.

As my dog ran around finding and gobbling up the remaining unthawed hail left on the ground,

I noticed the rain puddles and I remembered Seraphim’s thoughts on seeing rain puddles, some years ago.

I asked him to share those thoughts again. --

“One day after a large thunderstorm in Louisville, I walked out towards the pond and noticed there were rain puddles all over the ground. It seemed as if most of the ground was one small lake.

As I walked around I noticed each puddle reflected a different part of the sky. One revealed a sky with two clouds, one with only one cloud and yet another contained a glimpse of the sun passing through the clouds - but they were all reflecting the same sky.

I thought of our different denominations, each saying that this is the sky (this is God), but forgetting that they are reflecting part of the sky, not the whole sky.

As the ground began to dry up, the more separation there was between the rain puddles. The distance between the puddles and the dry land was great. Like the land between the puddles, denominations become territorial, the more there are - the further the distance between us. Finally, there was just a few tiny pools of water, here and there.

God will send a “rain” on earth and blend all the “rain puddles” and we’ll be one body of “water”. But for now God unites us in our hearts.” - Seraphim+ -recalling thoughts after a rainstorm

+++++++++++++++++++++++

“Throughout his life he (Lev Gillet) continued to display a fixed aversion for all forms of ecclesiastical aggression and polemics. He did not believe that reunion could be achieved through theological confrontation through controversy and formal discussion.” -“The Jesus Prayer” by A Monk of The Eastern Church. pg. 8.

“The Monk of the Eastern church concluded that the “Communion of Saints” transcended confessional and institutional barriers and that a genuine and intense spiritual life is the shortest and safest way towards reunion.” - pg 277 of "The Biography of Lev Gillet”, by Behr-Sigel

“If I can unite in myself the thought and the devotion of Eastern and Western Christendom, the Greek and the Latin Fathers, The Russians with the Spanish mystics, I can prepare in myself the reunion of divided Christians. From that secret and unspoken unity in myself can eventually come a visible and manifest unity of all Christians. If we want to bring together what is divided, we can not do so by imposing one division upon the other or absorbing one division into the other. But if we do this, the union is not Christian. It is political, and doomed to further conflict. We must contain all divided worlds in ourselves and transcend them in Christ. - Thomas Merton: Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, pg 21.

*A wall cloud (or pedestal cloud) is a large, lowering, and rotating base of a cumulonimbus cloud that potentially forms tornadoes. It is typically beneath the rain-free base (RFB) portion of a deep cumulus cloud (normally cumulonimbus but on rare occasion cumulus congestus), and indicates the area of primary and strongest updraft which condenses into cloud at altitudes lower than that of the ambient cloud base. Most strong tornadoes form from wall clouds.

Monday, March 30, 2015

The Savior's Last Appeal "Behold your mother"

"Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus, his mother" John 19:25

This is a vital part of the ongoing spirituality of St. Simeon Skete, not just for Lent.

We are in process of making new booklets but until they are ready, we thought it appropriate to share this devotion with you for use during Holy Week.

The original 19th Century retablos in this post are housed at Anna House,

St. Simeon Skete, Taylorsville, Kentucky

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

A Day at the Skete

Daily Prayer Rule (The Eleven)

Our Mornings begin very early at the Skete. The First three of "The Eleven" begin at 3:20 AM in our individual cells. It is the stepping into the stream of prayer, one Office flowing into the other.

1. Prayer Rope (first strand): 3:20 AM EST – free

2. Prayer Rope (second strand): free

3. Prayer Rope (third strand): free

As the ongoing prayer flows throughout the wee hours of the morning; at the Fourth Office, Lauds with the Lord's Supper, the community comes together at 4:40 AM in the Chapel. ...and the prayer continues

4. Lauds with the Lord’s Supper: 4:40 AM EST. – fixed

5. Little Office of the Incarnation: 6:00 AM EST – free

6. Little Office of the Incarnation: Noon – free

7. Prayer Rope (second strand): 3:00 PM EST – free

8. Vespers (Prayer Book Office) and Prayer Rope (third strand): 5:00 PM EST -fixed

9. Little Office of the Incarnation: 6:00 PM EST – free

10. Compline: 7:30 PM – fixed

11. Prayer Rope (first strand): 8:15 PM EST – free

Notes:

1.The First Five of “The Eleven” is a continuous flow, a stepping into an ongoing river of prayer. (Ps 46:4; Ezek. 47:1-12).

2.In addition to “The Eleven” the Nazareth Rosary (third strand of the Prayer Rope) is prayed daily. The Nazareth Rosary is praying all 20 Mysteries at one setting whereas the Prayer Rope following Vespers is the chaplet of the day.

3. Hesychasts of the Skete spend what time left in manual labor and study.

4. Those who are able observe the Typikon of the Eleventh Hour, one meal a day after 6 PM Office.

By request from those in various areas of the world who want to be in prayer with us at the Skete but are unable to be physically present, we have posted the above schedule. Please note we are in Eastern Standard Time (EST) and adjust accordingly.

It is is important for people to know that there is a place where prayer is going on continually for them as they go about their daily activities in the world. When they are distracted, struggling, rushing from place to place, laughing or crying – there is someone here remembering them in prayer – praying them through their day.

Those living in residence at the Skete are required to attend The Eleven. “Free” means, “on your own in your cell”. ”Fixed” means, “together in a fixed area – The Meeting of the Lord Chapel”.

Those visiting the Skete are expected to attend the “fixed” Offices beginning with Lauds at 4:40 AM. FIXED Offices are opened to the public.

Thursdays are "Desert" days in which we remain in silence and contemplation until the shared Evening Meal meeting together only at the Fixed Offices.

Fridays at the Skete, the Jesus Prayer Office (400 Rule) begins at 4:40 AM EST rather than Lauds and The Lord's Supper.

At 3 PM EST, every Friday we participate in the Stations of the Cross. This is ongoing year round and not only a Lenten Devotion.

Friday, December 30, 2011

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

I took the following photographs tonight at St. Simeon Skete in Taylorsville, Kentucky. The sun was dropping behind the clouds, slipping into position to set for the night. It was time for Vespers. Consistently, evening after evening, here at the skete, the setting sun and rising moon manage to amaze us with a spectacular view.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands

Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.

They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.

It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;

nothing is deprived of its warmth. -Psalm 19:1-6

Revelation 4:1
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:

Revelation 12:12

Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! ... Therefore, rejoice,
O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! ...

Habakkuk 3:3

... Selah His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. ... His brilliant
splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise. ...