When the Homily is about Immunology

Icons

I noticed, during our first Sunday as official OCA'ers, that the icons of Christ and the Theotokos on the Iconostasis at St. Elizabeth parish are the same as the first two icons I ever purchased.

It brought back a flood of memories of when I was seeking them to begin with - similar emotions of one's first crush I would suggest. At that time, I was a disgruntled Episcopalian looking into Orthodoxy and I had decided to get myself a couple of icons to "use" (not sure I knew what that meant) in my prayer time. But I had no idea whatsoever where I might acquire an Icon. Imagine thumbing through the yellow pages for a supplier of Byzantine style iconography?

Anyway, someone told me that an Episcopal supply store near Fremont had them and so off I went. Lo and behold, sitting all too close to the written works of the heretic "bishop" Spong sat the written works of Orthodoxy - the Icons.

I can still remember the contrast it put in my mind...it may have even further pushed me toward the Orthodox Church. Flashing back to today's issues: it is one thing to worry about hierarchs not more actively pursuing jurisdictional unity, it is another altogether to have them debating whether or not "Christ is Risen from the dead."

I was as giddy as a school girl during my long trip home to Sultan with the two Icons stowed in my passenger seat. It was a wonder that I did not wreck my car for as often as I was directing my eyes toward them.

Arriving home, I found what I thought would be a fine location for them and I sat them there in a window corner, leaning against the wall. I stood there and stared at them...and I stared at them...and then I stared at them even more.

Now what?