Ch..Ch..Ch...Chan...ges!

I had the following email exchange with a friend of mine concerning the post about Pascha. She is a cradle Episcopalian whose father was an Episcopal minister. I love her sense of humor...

I really enjoy your blog about the Orthodox Church.

I was intrigued by the expression "flesh-meat". As a history teacher, I can tell you even as late as the American Revolution, "meat" was a generic name for food - e.g., Thou givest them their meat in due season. "Sauce" was anything that accompanied the main dish - vegetables, bread, etc. but not necessarily gravy! So flesh-meat would be an archaic (but entirely correct) way of announcing the end of Lent without specifying ham, beef, lamb, and so forth.

Very nifty.

Dani


Too funny, Dani. You always have such a different perspective - do you mind if I post your comment in the comments section of my blog?

And as far as flesh-meat being archaic, that's Orthodoxy in a nut-shell. The joke goes

Q. How many Orthodox Christians does it take to change a lightbulb?

A. (insert your favorite ethnic accent) Change? What is this thing you call change?!

We are indeed enjoying "Bright Week" with the consumption of lots of flesh-meat!

Blessings,
Mary

"Change? Why?! my grandmother donated that light bulb to the church!"

Someplace around here I have a thing about how many Episcopalians it takes to change a light bulb, and the answer is 306, or some such number.

One organist to write a cantata "Phos Luminate", and a choir of twenty to sing it, plus the secretary to type up the bulletin, the rector to lead the service, a crucifer and two acolytes, and a congregation of two hundred to sit in the pews and wonder if this is ever going to end.

And the sexton to actually change the bulb!

And, yes, you may add my little history lesson to your comments section!

D~