The Desert Whispers Loud and Clear

I have to confess I don’t always look at my calendar.  I mean my Orthodox calendar.  To be honest, I am always surprised (and delighted) when someone says, “It’s St. Anybody’s day today!”  Yay! Here’s to St. Anybody!!!!

It’s not that I don’t care, or that I am not “vigilant” or prayerful.  I do as much as I can, when I can, and how I can, the best I can.  But it’s awfully odd, how certain Saints creep on me and go “boo!” when I least expect it.  Today was one of those days.  I couldn’t sleep last night, and I picked up my old copy of “Early Christian Lives”.  It was midnight when I started, and around 130 am when I went finally went to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Today, everyone is blogging about St. Antony our great Desert Father.  Guess who I was just reading about last night???

I suppose he showed up to my house and I was awake, which was good.  But I am always “late” on someone’s feast day.  I’m always the last one to know about it.  I always feel like I’m “late to the party”.  But I did start on the bahkhoor I’m making in his honor, today.  So he must have whispered in my ear.  I cannot say that I was holy enough to hear him.  I can only say that the Theotokos or my angel must have nudged me awake early this morning, so that I had time to get the incense started on his day.  I’m such a sloth and I can only say that they “cover” for me.  Thank you Lord, for your mercy, and for merciful friends!

Abba Antony, you know that I mean no harm — I’m sorry I forgot…but please accept my incense and bless it with your mighty prayers to God!

Abba Antony, by your prayers, may my wretched soul be saved!