Future Presvyteres Retreat, Notes, Part 3

"Tomorrow" evidently means, "whenever I get around to it." Meh. No complaints that I know of anyhow, just that little voice, "but you said."

So. Presbytera Katerina.

Things important to being a presbytera:

• hope:
  • in the Resurrection
  • in things to come
  • in Jesus
• pray a lot
• confess sins
• repent, repent, repent*

*in my short-hand, "repent³"
Then things will fall in order.

Sounds awfully like the things that every Christian is supposed to do. She asked us to think of team sports. Do all the team members have to run laps? (Yes. Do all the team members have to practice free throws? (Yes.) Do all the team members have to think about what the other teammates are doing? (Yes.) Do all the team members have to take responsibility for their actions? (Yes.) Do all the team members get to play center or quarterback or a starting position in every game? No. That's the difference. "The presbytera is always in the game. Usually." (Your kids might get sick or something.) But the athlete who is always in the game has to practice that much more.

She paused. "It's not so hard. It's harder when we don't practice, when we don't pray." Sometimes all we can do is light a candelia, which is a simple reflection of the Light of Christ in the world; talk to the saints; or make the sign of the cross before we eat, before we open the door, before we start the car, before we answer the telephone.

All of a sudden this reminds me of taking voice lessons, and how just breathing properly would take the entire body. Every single part had to be paid attention to: knees bent, ankles relaxed. Are your thighs relaxed? You can't sing properly, or breathe properly, unless you are preparing your entire body for the effort, readying it to be called upon to perform.

More ... um ... later. (Intended, as always, for "tomorrow," but we'll see.)