Writer's Diary #5
An Anglican homily, an Anglican(?) king, and other teacher stuff
*** EDIT: In my original post, I incorrectly stated that the Anglican homily tells the story of Ss. Perpetua and Felicitas when in fact the story is about the martyr St. Blandina. I don’t know why or how I made the error. I know the homily well and know the story is in fact not about Perpetua and Felicitas. Alas, the mistake was made, but it’s been corrected now. I still recommend the homily.
Mayhem. That’s how I’d describe Quarter 3. Everything has been under immense strain since the beginning of the semester in January: routine, student morale, academic diligence, social behavior. It’s felt like everyday my classes are one step away from completely unraveling and degenerating into abysmal, unsalvageable chaos. I believe my sanity has been held together by nothing more than a fragile, tenuous sense that I’m somehow leaving a genuine, lasting impact on (some) students.
The sense comes to me from random note, an unexpected email, an impromptu visit or kind word, a gratuitous gift, an occasional ‘thank you.’ These random student-acts reassure me that all is well and that I am not laboring in vain. They reinvigorate my languid, teacher’s heart. It’s helped me push on forward and keep teaching, keep working, and keep writing despite falling short of my daily writing habits.
From the Church Calendar
Wednesday after Septuagesima Ss. Perpetua and Felicitas, Martyrs 2024 A.D.
This Anglican homily dates back a couple of years, but I go back to it often. It was delivered around the time of Hallowtide, so I usually listen to it around that time. For some reason the story of Ss. Perpetua and Felicitas remind me of this homily from the then-priest Stephen Hall (who coincidentally enough converted to Orthodoxy) tells a brief version of the story of St. Blandina, a young martyr.
I consider the homily so quintessentially Anglican in the all best ways: simple, contemplative, and beautiful. I recommend the 9-minute listen and promise it’ll be worth your time. (I usually tear up a little.)
From My Reading
I have a personal affinity for the Crown despite not being British. My interest (and love?) for the Crown comes from…
My two years as an Anglican
My love for the ancient and medieval spirituality of the Isles which has formed so much of who I am and what I do as an Orthodox Christian
The objective fact that the Crown is one of the most important institutions in the world. (I didn’t say important for good or bad reasons. I said important, i.e. significant, influential to the geopolitical world as we know it today. That’s undeniable.)
Admittedly, I have an tendency to look back on the times of monarchs in Catholic Europe as a time of allure. I romanticize and beautify this epoch more than I probably should. Regardless, I think, as an Orthodox there is something worth honoring in what’s left of Britain’s monarchy. As I see it, it’s a remnant of an enchanted European imagination, a religious Western world we can only imagine in our current secular times. Also, the Crown is simply interesting to learn about.
King Charles in particular has drawn my attention since I first learned that he was such a religious man. His quasi-Orthodox, Anglican coronation only increased the curiosity and wonder I had for his spiritual journey. (Makes sense. Anglicanism was, in large part, my avenue into Orthodoxy, so it was personally moving to see the merging of East and West in an Anglican rite. It felt like home.)
The piece linked below gives light to several parts of King Charles’ spirituality over the years. I read it some weeks back and enjoyed it thoroughly. Give it a read!
On the topic of West and East joining together: this article, Orthodox and Catholics in the Seventeenth Century: Schism or Intercommunion?, by the late Metropolitan Kallistos Ware (may his memory be eternal) is a long but worthwhile read for anyone interested in Catholic-Orthodox relations. It’s good food for thought.
Some Thoughts & Stories
I’m finally closing out my unit on Fahrenheit 451. Here’s the lesson I’m walking away with: A society opposed to and disinterested in the very hard work of learning, thinking, wondering about the world and instead content and obsessed with the passive pleasures of entertainment, convenience, and comfort will forget what is truly virtuous and worthwhile. It will eventually become indifferent to what is true, oppressive to what is good, and destructive to what is beautiful.
A story: It was early in the school-day when I was walking down the hallway a couple weeks ago. I have the habit of walking rather slowly down the halls, and I look around at all the rooms and all the things on the wall. I never considered that students (or anyone) would pay enough attention to notice.
As I neared a corner, one of my (favorite) students came around the turn quickly and was about to speed past me — but she stopped. She looked at me.
Fajardo…why you always be walking so slow?
Her raised brow and dynamic tone queued me into both the joking nature of the question (we give each other a hard time constantly) and the seriousness of a genuine, curious observation.
And wha’chu be lookin’ at all the time? Like someone finna catch’u…
I laughed.
I'm Strolling Home
After seven years of living in Chicago, I’ve realized slow walkers are quite uncommon around here. Not that it takes that long to notice, but it takes time to become conscious of it, to slow down enough and realize that the people around you (and you yourself) are speeding on through …
Writing Updates
I’m one step closer to rolling out some changes to my Substack. I’m building up a store of writing, both prose and poetry, and I’m planning out a series of pieces to put out sequentially once I’m ready for the total overhaul of Orthodox Pilgrim. I still have a long way to go, but the progress is encouraging. I can see a vision taking shape evermore clearly.
Closing Out
A consecutive series of warm, sunny days in the past few weeks heralds the ever-nearer Chicago spring. With each year that passes I find that my capacity to endure the cold and grey of a Midwestern winter grows, but it’s still a challenge. I’m definitely glad to be approaching spring. However, I’m trying not to get ahead of myself.
Septuagesima Sunday (this past weekend) reminds me that I must still pass through that great spiritual winter of Lent. It’s a beautiful road toward the Paschal spring full of flowers, sunlight, exultant hymns; but, it’s also dark and heavy. I must persevere, by God’s grace. And to persevere, I must prepare.
That’s all for this Writer’s Diary. May God bless you all.