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| Pentecost 2015, the day we became Orthodox |
My husband and I became members of the Orthodox Church through the sacrament of Chrismation last year at Pentecost. Today, I came full-circle through the liturgical year for the first time as an Orthodox Christian.
Last Pentecost, I woke up early in the morning with a feeling of great anticipation. I was so excited to finally become Orthodox after several years as an inquirer. I was also nervous about the ceremony of Chrismation itself and making sure that I "did everything right"- something I tend to worry too much about. It was similar to how I felt on my wedding day.
By the time our Chrismation ceremony started, I was already starving and slightly dizzy because I had been awake for several hours and was unused to the Eucharistic fast. I was also 3 months pregnant, a fact I had not yet announced to our church friends, and I'm sure that contributed to my dizziness. Our priest would surely have exempted me from the fast if I had asked, but I was proudly determined to DO IT RIGHT!
So I struggled to make it through the Mass, intent on not missing my opportunity to receive Holy Communion for the first time. Nathan and I were first in line for Communion, since we had just been Chrismated, and as we approached the rail I saw gray spots around the periphery of my vision. I managed to hang on just long enough to receive Communion before collapsing against the rail. Our priest later told me that he had to lean down and whisper to Nathan, "Catch Keela!" Nathan was too engrossed in the experience of receiving Holy Communion for the first time to notice that I was falling over (not that I can blame him for that).
This year was different. I was not nervous or about to pass out, so I was able to pay more attention to what was going on in the Mass and all of the special festive details: the gorgeous, bright red vestments; the colorful floral arrangements on the altar; the special music performed by our choir; the extra servers at the altar who had come to help celebrate this great feast day. Peter, who is now 6 and a half months old, was even considerate enough to sleep through most of the Mass, so I didn't miss anything.
Today was also bittersweet, since we will be moving and leaving our parish in just a couple of weeks. We may never experience another great feast day at this parish, unless we come back to visit at the right time. We are not only leaving this parish, but also the Western rite, since all of the parishes near Milwaukee (our soon-to-be home) are Eastern rite. This next turn through the Church year, we will be like newbies all over again, learning how things are done in the Byzantine style. So I am grateful that I had the chance today to soak in everything that I love about this parish and the Western rite before I have to say goodbye.
