My podcast this week is on a minor character in an article on Fr. Rick Frechette and his ministry in Haiti, by Matt Labash in a recent Weekly Standard <http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/love-among-ruins>.
When Labash asks the group of Haitians, "Who wants to eat lunch?" one of them says "I will." <http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/frederica/i_will>Labash thinks he must be the one who speaks English, but it turns out that is the only English he knows. Unexpectedly, I found a lot to ponder in that brief exchange. Tonight Orthodox churches will be offering the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, in complete form (during the first week of Lent we offer a quarter of it four nights in a row.) This is the beautiful, Scripture-filled hymn from the 8th century that I broke into 40 devotions in my book *First Fruits of Prayer*<http://www.paracletepress.com/first-fruits-of-prayer-a-fortyday-journey-through-the-ancient-great-canon.html>. Since this service is offered only once a year, tonight's the night to hear it. And on Friday night Orthodox churches will offer the complete Akathist to the Theotokos, written by St. Romanos in the early 6th century; this is the third of the texts I translate and annotate in my book *The Lost Gospel of Mary*<http://www.paracletepress.com/the-lost-gospel-of-mary-the-mother-of-jesus-in-three-ancient-texts.html>. During the past four weeks we offered a fourth of it each Friday night, but this Friday is the whole thing. This is, likewise, a once-a-year service, and this is the time to catch it. Those services means that this is the fifth week of Lent! On Wednesday of next week, we will have the last Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts for this year. This liturgy, attributed to St Gregory the Great (probably he edited it from an earlier version) in the 6th century, is for many Orthodox the favorite service of the whole year. There is something sweet and humble about it that is profoundly moving. Friday of next week begins the march toward Pascha. From then on there will be a service every night, throughout Holy Week and right up to the Pascha service on Saturday night. Many of these once-a-year services are also well worth absorbing. Check local listings--and have a beautiful conclusion to Lent. ******** Frederica Mathewes-Green www.frederica.com
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