Paradigm Shift

Eight years ago I underwent a paradigm shift of the kind one can't plan or orchestrate in this life, but instead one arrives at primarily by God's hand.

Paradigm shift...

On May 15, 2005, the Feast of the Holy Myrrhbearers,* I was Chrismated into the Orthodox Christian Church.

Every aspect of my life, from school to work to family and everything in between, has been changed for the better because of it.

And I've been grateful every day since.

*This year is a year in which the liturgical and civil calendars line up almost identically to how they did that year, since today is also the Feast of the Holy Myrrhbearers. Always fun when this happens. </liturgicalgeek>

Edit: Looks like I commemorated this event last year on the blog as well using much the same language. Guess it's just that important. :)

Beginning

After thinking about what I'd want to research for the past five years, and then actually doing background research and thought work on the topic for the past year, I'm finally ready to begin the investigative work on the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom that will be the central portion of my thesis toward completion of my M.A. in Theology. 

I've actually avoided this moment for a while now, arguing to myself and others that I still need to do more background research before I've "earned the right" to work with my primary text of choice. A few weeks ago my thesis advisor disagreed, and made the good point that I won't be able to focus all of my background work unless I know what I plan to say about the liturgy, and the only way to find that out is to enter into the text... in other words, to read it. 

I hear and pray this liturgy every Sunday*, and have for eight years now. I am very familiar with it in that context. But textually analyzing it, with the end goal of articulating how the words engage our minds and hearts when the liturgy is served... definitely a first for me. And I'm both excited and humbled by the task I've set for myself.

Best get started... + Lord, bless.

*Unless it's a lenten period, in which case the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil is served.