It was a special evening. Litya in commemoration of St. Nicholas celebrated by Deacon Gregory, Fr. John Jillions and Bishop Seraphim. Everytime the deacon intones the long list of saints (which Fr. Lawrence abridges at St. Herman's) I am moved by the remembrance of God's faithfulness to his Church. All of these saints, men and women from the Cappadocia to Brooklyn, have sought God and he has answered them and in answering them, he has answered us. That list of names is like a kind of history of salvation, of God's abiding and powerful presence within his Church.

Because God is with us, St. Nicholas is with us. St. Xenia is with us. St. Herman is with us. I am reminded of St. John of Kronstadt who says something like , "When you are praying and God feels far off, remember that he is as close to you as the holy icon standing before you - no - God is even closer." It is the same with the saints. They are near. They pray for us.

I thought I was going to write about ecclesiology but I don't think I will. God's saints are far more interesting and much more helpful than boring dissertations on what the best way is to ecclesiastically and liturgically relate to the "Orthodox in communion with Rome," i.e. Ukrainian Catholics. I will write about it sometime but not right now. The memory of St. Nicholas and Jesus Christ is much better.

Oh yeah, Sunday was my patron saint's feast day! St. John of Damascus! Maybe someday people will start calling me John - Cheryl says there's no way she'll call me John. Whatever the case may be, St. John of Damascus pray to God for me.