For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.
Father Dobrushin and Aksinya have decided to marry so that they can be rid of the demon. We are continuing with the Orthodox marriage ceremony. Father Makar continues with the Gospel reading appointed for marriage...
Dobrushin, “Peace to you.”
Father Makar, “And to your spirit. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, flee like a bird to your mountain, for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face. Guard us and keep us, O Lord, from this generation and for ever.”
Dobrushin, “Wisdom. Stand upright. Let us listen to the holy Gospel.”
Father Makar, “Peace to all.”
Matushka Ekaterina, “And to your spirit.”
Father Makar, “The Reading
Ekaterina, “Glory to you, Lord, glory to you.”
Dobrushin, “Let us attend.”
Father Makar read, “At that time, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the marriage. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no wine’. Jesus said to her. ‘Woman, why do you trouble me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever he tells you, do it.’ Now there were six stone water jars standing there for the Jewish ritual of purification, holding twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward of the feast. They took it. When the chief steward tasted the water that had become wine and did not know where it had come from — but the servants who had drawn the water knew — he summoned the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone puts out the good wine first, and when people are drunk, then he puts out the worse. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ This was the beginning of the signs that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and he manifested his glory and his disciples believed in him.”
Matushka Ekaterina, “Glory to you, Lord, glory to you.”
Father Makar, “Let us all say, with all our soul and with all our mind, let us say.”
The appointed Gospel is the wedding at Cana from John. This is the first miracle of Christ when he turned water into wine. You have to love a person who makes over 600 bottles worth of good wine for a wedding feast.
You might ask what kind of wedding feast will Aksinya and Dobrushin receive? You might ask what kind of miracle could attend them? Listen to the preamble to the Gospel: In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, flee like a bird to your mountain, for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face."
This is a foreshadowing in the words of the marriage ceremony. I have used much of this ceremony to give you hints. This is a broad one, but I mentioned that the ceremony itself reflects and presents one theme in this novel. As the Gospel reading concludes: "This was the beginning of the signs that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and he manifested his glory and his disciples believed in him.” Tomorrow, more of the wedding sacrament.
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