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PaperclipPerfector  16hr ago (text post)   494 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 12, 2026

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Did you know that Christ is risen from the dead, putting down death by death?

Aren't you a week late?

There are a ton of neat paradoxes in Christ's life and death and resurrection: "He became sin who knew no sin"

The orthodox are late to every holiday.

Pope Gregory and his ripping days off the calendar gets us all in the end.

And every service, and every event, and every informal gathering...

My parish has a custom of celebrating the Ascension every year by going up to the top of our local ersatz Mount Tabor. The first time I participated, I paid attention when the priest went to great lengths to make sure we all knew exactly where to park and what to do, and how long various routes would take, such that we could all be there on time and not miss the service. I was a single father at the time and did my best, but was sweating because I could tell I was gonna be about 20 minutes late.

When I got there, no one else was around. Had I missed it entirely?

The first other parishioner arrived about an hour after that. They trickled in over time, and we did the service about two hours after we'd all agreed we would. No one seemed the slightest bit surprised by this.

Punctuality is about the only thing I miss about Protestantism.

...

My priest told me not long ago that he has such different experiences counseling (ethnic) Americans and Greeks. The Americans, he says, are perpetually-terrified about their own salvation, but generally seem to rock it in life. The Greeks have no concerns about salvation, but he has to work extra hard to get them to do things like hold down gainful employment or make smart decisions about the future. Since I don't know what to say about that I guess I'm presenting it without comment.

Didn’t know you were orthodox.

Byzantine Catholics start services late(but usually use the Latin calendar for feasts in the US), too, it’s just an eastern rite thing- but our stereotype is for technically a Latin mainstream Americans who go there to be the ones who can’t manage their personal lives, and the ethnics to be successful diaspora types.

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