Orth it Up

A couple of days ago, I was discussing some plans for a service of prayer and fasting that I want to have every Wednesday during the lunch hour. I hope that it will be something that brings some peace into the day—the peace of repentance and the peace of staying close to God in fasting. And I hope that there is just some peace and quiet. Bonnie MacDonald, deacon at Christ Church, would always begin her pastoral prayers with a time of silence. I took that good advice and started, too, and someone remarked to us that it was the only time of silence they had during the week.

Anyhoo, part of my plan involves some fixed praying and also some incense, both as a pleasing aroma (part of the peace and quiet) and also to symbolize the sacrifice of prayer, ascending to God. So I pulled out my censer (I have always wanted a censer, and it was my Christmas gift to me). Rosario came in and said, “All right! Way to orth it up!” So now we have a new word, “to orth,” to make something orthodox.

Even as I write, we are “orthing it up.” When the boys were first born, they came at the times when I was working on my Board of Ordained Ministry paperwork. It’s a long process and took a lot of time and effort. I would put the babies in a bassinette next to the computer and they would nap or play while I worked. I like to think it’s why they both like my set of books on the Early Church Fathers—they were right there with them from the beginning.

Anyhoo, it has been a good day for us—playing, huge naps (all four of us!) and a good dinner at a Mexican restaurant. So now, I have some stuff to write, sermons to prepare, and the boys are in bed. They seem ok that I am here in the monitor’s glow. And I have a CD of Gregorian Chant in, low volume. John says, “can this be my lullabye?” Way to orth it up, John!

A few days ago, Joseph was singing to Melissa, “You are so beautiful to me.” I thought, why is she beautiful to him? In the end, it has nothing to do with how she looks, it has to do with who she is to him, his mommy. When does that change? When does beauty quit being about the inner quality? St. Peter said, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Pet 3:3-4). Way to orth it up, Joe!