Getting Started by Fr Yanni Michaelidis

“Take a deep breath. Start at the beginning.” 

The two things all Orthodox families should begin doing right away are very simple: Pray and go to church. 

Fr. Thomas Hopko, of blessed memory, famously quoted his mother’s advice regarding the Orthodox spiritual life. Before he was an ordained priest-even before he was a seminarian-the young Thomas was given this maxim as he embarked into the world as a young college student: Go to church; say your prayers; remember God.  For him, this was an incredibly deep insight on his mother’s part. Here, in a few short words, was the fullness of her instruction in the faith. What an acute and discerning statement, both simple and profound, and how empowering to parents who long to see their children grow up to serve Christ and His Church. 

When we go to church, we are among the people of God. We partake of the Eucharist, and receive the Body and Blood of Christ into our own bodies. We are individually transformed into living members of the Body of Christ, and together we become that Body and citizens of the Kingdom of God. The priest presents our offering and us to God and asks that the Holy Spirit descend upon the people and the Gifts and transforms them into the Body and Blood of His Son. When we say our prayers, we connect our whole selves in relationship to God. We speak words of adoration, praise, petition, and intercession. We bow and prostrate our bodies to show submission to our Great God and King. We cross ourselves and place the symbol of our redemption over our entire bodies. 

When Fr. Thomas spoke of “remembering God,” he was very clear that he was talking especially of that practice of the presence of God. That in all of our doings, no matter what, no matter how trivial, we must make an offering of ourselves to God. This can be as simple as crossing ourselves before we get out of bed in the morning or saying prayers before meals. It can mean repeating the Jesus prayer- Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner- with each stroke of the broom or each dish we wash. The act of remembering God at all times is transformative and strengthens the walls of our little churches, our homes. 

But where are we to start, and how are we to start? 

Begin by saying the Lord’s Prayer with your children tonight. Do it now if you’d like. Do it before meals or before school in the morning. One little prayer, which only takes a few seconds to say and your family, has begun the process of establishing the foundations of your little church. Congratulations! 

+Fr. Yanni Michaelidis

PS. if you liked this reflection and my last one, think about buying “Blueprints for the Little Church” and then reading it!