There is a good picture of Fr. Steven Beloncik and the family after the 8th day Naming Prayers from this afternoon.
Blessings,
FJM
Sunday, April 29, 2007
New Hayden photos
There is a good picture of Fr. Steven Beloncik and the family after the 8th day Naming Prayers from this afternoon.
Blessings,
FJM
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Hayden Innocent Mathews is born!
Hayden was born on April 21st, 2007 at 12:53am at home. He is 8 lbs 15 oz. and 21 inches long! We are thanking God for a perfect little baby boy and a healthy mommy! More to come...
With love,
FJM
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Restoring the Velo SoleX!
As some of you may know I am working on restoring a Velo Solex like the one pictured above (yes that is a french priest riding his velo solex in a cassock!). I have uploaded some photos of the restoration progress starting with a few pictures from today when, with the help of a Solex expert named Brian, I finally got it up and running. It was perfect!!
The photos can be found on www.flickr.com/photos/jmorthodox/sets
Last week I ordered and replaced the unique 1.75 X 19" Solex tires and tubes. After trying for 2 hours to get the new tires on the rims I decided to make a trip to the bike shop in Yonkers for some other tools and a special tire wrench to help pry the new tires onto the rims - very hard!
Today we cleaned out the old corroded carbon and oil from the gas tank and the fuel lines (this required carberator cleaner and rubbing alcohol with a lot of time and a long paperclip), replaced the fuel filter in the bottom of the gas tank and at the air intake before the gas return line, and replced a gasket and diaphram from the guts of the fuel pump. Next we tightened some brake lines, fixed some springs (on the light switch and on the choke/frontbrake mechanism). Once all of this was done it ran beautifully and I got to ride it around for the first time! It was much quiter than I expected.
Anyone interested in more info on the velo SoleX start here:
http://solexin.free.fr/us/index.html
or here:
http://solexin.free.fr/us/history/histo/index.html
The solex is not only a more ecomomical way to travel to and from my parish and around town but since it gets over 100 miles per gallon I can do my small part to reduce our family's environmental impact. (not much but its a start...)
A friend at the seminary gave me a wonderful wicker 2 bottle wine basket with a wicker hinged top for the rear rack and I plan to get some other accessories as I can afford them over the years (leather vintage Solex saddle bags, Solexine spare gas can for longer rides, a Solex tool kit and bike pump that mount under the rear carrier rack, original 3800 Solex rear light lens, etc.)
Its not 500 lbs Triumph like Jodi's brother's got but hey a priest in a cassock just wouldn't look very cool on that.
Enjoy!
FJM
Friday, April 13, 2007
Jodi tries to induce labor
Hey folks,
Hayden's due date was yetserday. Jodi has been... well waiting... I think she's done waiting. We're off to the natural history museum with the kids for a distraction but this morning I caught thie gem of a video as we were getting ready!
click here or copy and paste this in your browser:
www.justinmathews.com/Blog/Jodi.mov
Blessings,
FJM
Hayden's due date was yetserday. Jodi has been... well waiting... I think she's done waiting. We're off to the natural history museum with the kids for a distraction but this morning I caught thie gem of a video as we were getting ready!
click here or copy and paste this in your browser:
www.justinmathews.com/Blog/Jodi.mov
Blessings,
FJM
Saturday, April 07, 2007
O Life Immortal!
Troparion - Tone 2
When Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal,
Thou didst slay hell with the splendor of Thy Godhead,
and when from the depths Thou didst raise the dead,
all the Powers of Heaven cried out,
O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to Thee!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Feast of the Annunciation celebrates a Proud Mary
My friend Fr. Alixis Vinogradov sent me this link to a great NPR commentator speaking on the feast of the Annunciation and Mary.
Click here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9145469
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Happy Birthday ASHER!!
Well, our little Asher John is now 3!! It is hard for me to believe that he is moving from being our baby to being our little boy. The big day was actually on the 9th, but I am just now getting around to posting some pix. We were headed out of town the weekend of his birthday so we decided to keep the partying simple. It actually ended up being a blast to have our little family celebration. We got up that Friday morning and Justin ran out to Dunkin Donuts and got some yummy chocolate frosted donuts. He occupied the boys while I arranged them into a lovely donut pyramid with THREE very tall candles atop. We sang "Happy Birthday" and he was delighted to blow out the candles on his tower of donuts. We ate our fill of donuts and milk (and D&D coffee for Mom and Dad) and then we opened presents. It was stress-free and we got to stay in our pajamas. Could this be a new tradition in kids' birthdays? I sure hope so. Here are a couple snapshots of Asher on his big day.
SAY CHEESE!
Here you can see the remnants of his chocolate donut feast!
AARRRGH! A pirate's life for me!
Love to all,
Jodi
SAY CHEESE!
Here you can see the remnants of his chocolate donut feast!
AARRRGH! A pirate's life for me!
Love to all,
Jodi
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
TENNESSEE!!
Well, the good news is we have a contract on a house ... The bad news is that we can't move tomorrow. Honestly, I will be doing my best to make the most of what little time we have left here at St. Vlads. Our friendships and deep spiritual and familial growth have been worth these past three years. Our house is great, or at least Justin keeps telling me. No really, it looks fabulous from the photos I have seen. You see, he spent most of last week visiting in person many of the places we had been viewing in cyberspace. And with the help of our delightful "Southern" real estate agent, he accomplished the great feat of scouting out and buying a house for his family without his wife ever stepping foot on the property. My greatest assurance in all this is first, that God is in control of this move. It also helps to know that Justin is actually probably more picky about his environment than I am. However, the nesting bug has a death grip on me right now and I am looking forward to my own space!
Speaking of nesting, I am five weeks out from my due date and am getting anxious to meet this next little guy! We are still praying about a name for him. We honestly are having a hard time coming up with it. Perhaps we will just have to see him to know what to call him!
Also, this week my "baby" Asher is turning three!! He keeps reminding me that he isn't a "little guy" anymore. Here are my little men with the Tennessee shirts Justin brought them and here is their Mom with a very large belly!
Love to you all!
Jodi
Speaking of nesting, I am five weeks out from my due date and am getting anxious to meet this next little guy! We are still praying about a name for him. We honestly are having a hard time coming up with it. Perhaps we will just have to see him to know what to call him!
Also, this week my "baby" Asher is turning three!! He keeps reminding me that he isn't a "little guy" anymore. Here are my little men with the Tennessee shirts Justin brought them and here is their Mom with a very large belly!
Love to you all!
Jodi
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
SNOW, SNOW, GO AWAY!!
Just when I had decided I hated winter and wanted nothing to do with it anymore, it SNOWED. Yes, a few days ago we got our first real snow that you can actually play in and I hope it is our last. We did make a snow Mom and her baby with the help of some of the neighbor kiddos! Here's a pick of her and my guys with fresh haircuts!
Today, on the other hand, was beautiful! it was in the mid 40s and sunny! We even rode bkes on the patio. Bring on the SUN and the SPRING!!
Today, on the other hand, was beautiful! it was in the mid 40s and sunny! We even rode bkes on the patio. Bring on the SUN and the SPRING!!
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Friday, February 02, 2007
Big Rig!
Well thank God that Phil didn't see his shadow today. We are sick of what I call "ugly winter." You know what I'm talking about--freezing temperatures, grey skies, high winds, but no SNOW. Nothing white and fluffy to soften the landscape of leafless trees and brown foliage, nothing to play in or build with, nothing to make it worth your while to venture out into the cold. We have yet to see snow that doesn't rise above the dead blades of grass. So, bring on the Spring! Snow has had its chance with us and we have given up on seeing it this winter.
Here are the boys taking turns driving Aidan's remote-controlled semi truck. They had a blast managing this "big rig."
Blessings to all!
Jodi
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Here's a Recap...
Well, we had an eventful holiday break! We flew with the boys to KC on the 13th of December, 2006. Then Justin and I left the next morning for TN to visit a parish in Knoxville. We had a blessed time and are waiting on the Lord to see if that is where we will end up. Right now it looks promising!
Then we had a great time with family and friends when we returned after our long weekend without the kiddos. It was almost like a vacation ... Almost!
We visited Justin's family while we stayed in KC, traveled up to Iowa to visit our good friends the Fjellmans, and even got to see my grandparents and parents. My parents made the long journey from CA after Christmas to stay in Laredo over New Year's! After we arrived home in NY on Jan. 3rd, we turned around the next day and left for NC to visit our friends the Foleys in Greensboro. We spent a lovely Theophany weekend with them and got to see their mission church in action. They are doing a fabulous job!
It is a strange thought to imagine that next year our Christmas will be celebrated in our own house, in our own town, and in our own way. Okay, so we don't really know how we will celebrate Christmas if we are in our own place. You see, in our eight years of marriage, Justin and I have never had Christmas in our own house! Now that he is a priest, our Christmases are taken from here until retirement. We so enjoyed our "last" Christmas in KC with family, but are hopeful that many of our loved ones will make the trek to see us over the holidays from time to time in the future.
So here are some pix from our journey. One is of Justin's Dad and the boys at breakfast. The others are from our road trip to NC. The boys are actually pretty great travelers. And, as you can see, we try and make it nice and comfy for them. And here we are: the Foleys and the Mathews (Evon wasn't home from school yet!).
Blessings to all!
Jodi
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Back in NY ... Is it time to leave yet? ...
Well we have landed back on the HILL here at St. Vlads, and I must admit that we are anxious to see this term come to a close. Our sights are set on what is coming in the next few months: the birth of a thesis, the birth of our third son, and the birth of a life-long-living-out of this new clergy family.
We spent Christmas in KC with family. The theme for the year was knights and castles, and they received various accessories for both.
We got to hang out on the farm with Nana Hazel and Papa Virgil (and Nanny and Poppy were there too!), and it was unseasonably warm. The boys played outside without coats. Asher had fun tying his rope to the petrified wood in the front yard until that pesky cat wandered past (note the kitty creeping into the right side of the first "cat shot"). Then he just HAD to chase after it! He also had fun chasing the geese. Turns out he is quite "brave" according to his older brother. You see, the large gander took off after Elias and Eli bolted. Well, Asher wouldn't stand for his brother being threatened by the big bird so he decided to charge the old fellow. He chased after the gander yelling, "I'll save you Elias." To which Elias replied, "My brother Asher is very brave."
There will be more to come about our holiday adventures (I PROMISE!).
RIght now we are settling in after traveling to Kansas, North Missouri, Iowa, Tennessee and North Carolina ... WHEW!
Blessings!
Jodi
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Pictures from Justin's ordination to the priesthood by +BENJAMIN Oct. 22nd, 2006
Friends, sorry for the delay but thank you for your patience. Click here to see photos from my priestly ordination.
FrJM
(Thanks Emily, Sophia, Gary, Jonathan, Roman, and Dave for the INCREDIBLE photos!)
Friday, October 27, 2006
OCF Winter Retreat - "Be Still and Know that I am God"
In years past I was honored to participate in this wonderful event. This year I am not speaking or giving a concert but I may be able to attend. The line up of speakers looks incredible!
Download this flyer (http://www.ocf.net/collegeconf/cc06_poster.pdf) and spread the word.
I hope you can come!
Fr. Justin
PS- Yup, I wrote my name correctly believe it or not... I was ordained last weekend! More on that awesome event to come - with some photos of course. Thank you all who have been praying for my family! Blessings!
I hope you can come!
Fr. Justin
PS- Yup, I wrote my name correctly believe it or not... I was ordained last weekend! More on that awesome event to come - with some photos of course. Thank you all who have been praying for my family! Blessings!
Monday, October 16, 2006
daily vitamins
"For him who is perfect in love and has reached the summit of dispassion there is
no difference between his own or another’s, or between Christians and unbelievers,
or between slave and free, or between male and female. But because he has risen above
the tyranny of the passions and has fixed his attention on the single nature of man,
he looks on all in the same way and shows the same disposition to all. For in him there
is neither Greek nor Jew, male nor female, bond not free, but Christ who 'is all, and
in all' (Col. 3:11; cf. Gal. 3:28)."
St. Maximos the Confessor
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to
us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness
and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is
Where our love for each other must start.
Mother Teresa
no difference between his own or another’s, or between Christians and unbelievers,
or between slave and free, or between male and female. But because he has risen above
the tyranny of the passions and has fixed his attention on the single nature of man,
he looks on all in the same way and shows the same disposition to all. For in him there
is neither Greek nor Jew, male nor female, bond not free, but Christ who 'is all, and
in all' (Col. 3:11; cf. Gal. 3:28)."
St. Maximos the Confessor
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to
us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness
and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is
Where our love for each other must start.
Mother Teresa
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Sermon on Luke 6:24-30
Luke 6:24-30
+
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
Jesus came down from the mountain to the level plain, and sat in the midst of the large crowd that had gathered from all of Judea and Jerusalem, (jews) and from Tyre and Sidon, pagan costal towns – jews and gentiles gathered together. This crowd, including his disciples, was pressing into Jesus, gathered to HEAR him and to be healed of their diseases and cleansed of unclean spirits. And they were healed.
As the miracles multiplied the crowd pressed in with even greater determination in order to touch Jesus, get as close as they could, for the power of God was coming from Him. And the scripture tells us that ALL of those who had gathered to hear Him were healed that day. Jesus then looks up from his place seated on the earth, the earth which He made with His own hands as a footstool, but upon which he now sits in order that His disciples might hear Him if they have ears to HEAR.
This morning we also gathered like the disciples, standing, pressing in with each other around choir stands with the word in song, in front of icons with the word in paint, in order to strain OUR ears to try to HEAR Jesus speak - that we might be healed of our dis-eases (whatever they may be this morning) and be given a new and right spirit.
For in each of us there is a war raging - A war between the faithful disciple and the woeful sinner – which will win is our lifelong concern. For the Lord said woe to the rich, the full, the laughing, and the well spoken of.
As Christ’s disciples, I imagine that we can all recognize the woeful sinner…
For in as much as we are faithful disciples we are poor in this world, preferring the consolation of the treasure that is the Kingdom and not parish assignment stipends, nice apartment or worldly possessions.
In as much as we are disciples we are hungry in this world, preferring to be filled by God with Good things, the strong food of righteousness, and not sugar coated eye candy from the Internet or other manmade temptations that are nothing but empty calories.
In as much as we are disciples we weep actual tears for our sins and are not carefree and content with our successes.
In as much as we are disciples we rejoice when are hated, excluded, and reviled, for so were our fathers and mothers in the faith, those who took seriously the Christian’s prophetic calling to ‘go therefore to all nations’… only to be cast out for Christ’s sake.
In as much as we HEAR Christ Jesus we are his faithful disciples and we know the woeful sinner and the judgment that awaits him– the one who hates, curses, and spitefully uses the body of Christ for his own good pleasure.
However, in as much as we are NOT faithful disciples perhaps we recognize the woeful sinner all to well.
And the world would say to us in that moment: you are not poor; look at your vast wealth and school loans. You are not hungry; you eat every day after morning prayers. You have never once wept for your sins; and we have seen you sin so often. And even all speak well of you and your seminary.
So how could you count yourself as one of the faithful disciples?
Often this voice of the enemy is from those we know best. But perhaps this voice of the enemy comes just as often from within some of us…
Either way, Jesus replies, “But I say to you…” Love, do good, bless and pray for the ones who hate, curse and spitefully use you… Your enemies: whether from without or within.
We all try our hand at murder in our moments of doubt, when were not sure the pain of our faith is worth the plunder.
God will Judge us all in the day we are resurrected to life in the likeness of Christ’s resurrection or death if that is what we have chosen. But we are never allowed to sit as judge in this life, neither over others nor over ourselves. We are to love our enemies and to withhold nothing, to be utterly transparent in the world.
In as much as we listen to our Lord we are His faithful disciples, like the Theotokos who is our most blessed example of one who heard the word of the Lord and said amen. We even take her words as our own. In fact the Theotokos’ Magnificat that we just sang upholds the same teaching as the Gospel we have heard:
“He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree, He has filled the hungry with Good things and the rich he has sent empty away…”
So how then can we count ourselves as faithful disciples when we stand accused as woeful sinners? For Christ made us alive, even though we were dead in trespasses and sin, walking according to the course of this world, conducting ourselves in the in the lust of the flesh and the mind.
For what is a Christian but one who gets up after he has fallen? Knowing that he has already been given his second chance, the Christian does not judge his efforts or that of others, but tries once again to press in closer this time to Jesus, from whom the power of God is made manifest, and who alone can heal us - if only we can remain the ones who have ears to Hear His word.
AMEN
+
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
Jesus came down from the mountain to the level plain, and sat in the midst of the large crowd that had gathered from all of Judea and Jerusalem, (jews) and from Tyre and Sidon, pagan costal towns – jews and gentiles gathered together. This crowd, including his disciples, was pressing into Jesus, gathered to HEAR him and to be healed of their diseases and cleansed of unclean spirits. And they were healed.
As the miracles multiplied the crowd pressed in with even greater determination in order to touch Jesus, get as close as they could, for the power of God was coming from Him. And the scripture tells us that ALL of those who had gathered to hear Him were healed that day. Jesus then looks up from his place seated on the earth, the earth which He made with His own hands as a footstool, but upon which he now sits in order that His disciples might hear Him if they have ears to HEAR.
This morning we also gathered like the disciples, standing, pressing in with each other around choir stands with the word in song, in front of icons with the word in paint, in order to strain OUR ears to try to HEAR Jesus speak - that we might be healed of our dis-eases (whatever they may be this morning) and be given a new and right spirit.
For in each of us there is a war raging - A war between the faithful disciple and the woeful sinner – which will win is our lifelong concern. For the Lord said woe to the rich, the full, the laughing, and the well spoken of.
As Christ’s disciples, I imagine that we can all recognize the woeful sinner…
For in as much as we are faithful disciples we are poor in this world, preferring the consolation of the treasure that is the Kingdom and not parish assignment stipends, nice apartment or worldly possessions.
In as much as we are disciples we are hungry in this world, preferring to be filled by God with Good things, the strong food of righteousness, and not sugar coated eye candy from the Internet or other manmade temptations that are nothing but empty calories.
In as much as we are disciples we weep actual tears for our sins and are not carefree and content with our successes.
In as much as we are disciples we rejoice when are hated, excluded, and reviled, for so were our fathers and mothers in the faith, those who took seriously the Christian’s prophetic calling to ‘go therefore to all nations’… only to be cast out for Christ’s sake.
In as much as we HEAR Christ Jesus we are his faithful disciples and we know the woeful sinner and the judgment that awaits him– the one who hates, curses, and spitefully uses the body of Christ for his own good pleasure.
However, in as much as we are NOT faithful disciples perhaps we recognize the woeful sinner all to well.
And the world would say to us in that moment: you are not poor; look at your vast wealth and school loans. You are not hungry; you eat every day after morning prayers. You have never once wept for your sins; and we have seen you sin so often. And even all speak well of you and your seminary.
So how could you count yourself as one of the faithful disciples?
Often this voice of the enemy is from those we know best. But perhaps this voice of the enemy comes just as often from within some of us…
Either way, Jesus replies, “But I say to you…” Love, do good, bless and pray for the ones who hate, curse and spitefully use you… Your enemies: whether from without or within.
We all try our hand at murder in our moments of doubt, when were not sure the pain of our faith is worth the plunder.
God will Judge us all in the day we are resurrected to life in the likeness of Christ’s resurrection or death if that is what we have chosen. But we are never allowed to sit as judge in this life, neither over others nor over ourselves. We are to love our enemies and to withhold nothing, to be utterly transparent in the world.
In as much as we listen to our Lord we are His faithful disciples, like the Theotokos who is our most blessed example of one who heard the word of the Lord and said amen. We even take her words as our own. In fact the Theotokos’ Magnificat that we just sang upholds the same teaching as the Gospel we have heard:
“He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree, He has filled the hungry with Good things and the rich he has sent empty away…”
So how then can we count ourselves as faithful disciples when we stand accused as woeful sinners? For Christ made us alive, even though we were dead in trespasses and sin, walking according to the course of this world, conducting ourselves in the in the lust of the flesh and the mind.
For what is a Christian but one who gets up after he has fallen? Knowing that he has already been given his second chance, the Christian does not judge his efforts or that of others, but tries once again to press in closer this time to Jesus, from whom the power of God is made manifest, and who alone can heal us - if only we can remain the ones who have ears to Hear His word.
AMEN
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)