Akathist by Mykhayl

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(STAND)

CHRISTMAS EVE MEDITATION 2 … 1-1 (1250)
VARIATION 7

(CHANTER:)
The ***.

CHANT 7

(CLERGY:)

Attention! A reading from Saint John.

(ALL:)
Glory be to You O Lord, glory to You,
Alleluia, alleluia!

(CLERGY:)
“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and are dead. The bread that comes down from heaven, so that you may eat of it and not die. I am that living bread that came down from heaven If anyone eats of this bread, you will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (John 6:48)

(ALL:)
Glory be to you Our God glory be to You

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

(MAY SIT IF FATIGUED)
(ALL:) (A HOLY SUPPER MEDITATION)
1 Wonder as
children spy as did the ancients
in awe to see the first star
piercing the evening sky.
So begins our Holy Supper.
Wonder as
This prehistoric agrarian feast
predates the Apostolic mission
of St. Andrew to Kyiv (Kiev),
predating even the Scythians.

2 Wonder as
In honor of their solar life force
the table becomes their world.
Their aged table cloth was spread
as to blanket the family’s ancestors.
Wonder as
In furrows hay was strewn atop,
and a sampling of every seed from
the homestead is there sown,
to stimulate new abundance.

3 Wonder as
Another table cloth is laid on top,
as white as the ground covering
snow to nurture the living of the
family, who are to all dine together.
Wonder as
A place for each plus one is set,
so to accommodate the spirits.
If an unexpected pilgrim comes
there they sit while another set.

4 Wonder as
Garlic like sentries are set at
each corner to ward off the
evil ones from joining the
family circle this holy eve.
Wonder as
All centers around a bread
into which a candle plucked.
When lit it emulates light like
the energy of the solar disk.

5 Wonder as
Out of these customs of old
a new focus did arise.
The sun-god gave way to
the Christ, the Son of God.
Wonder as
The candle is Bethlehem’ star,
the braided bread the Holy Babe.
The Son of the Holy Trinity
and the table His manger bed.

6 Wonder as
A dozen foods are prepared,
only from the earth’s bounty.
Once honoring lunar phases,
now the Apostles twelve.
Wonder as
Only one food is mandatory,
others are but staple favorites.
The fare varies as the families,
unique with their individuality.

7 Wonder as
The common rubric is to sample all,
as to show God your willingness
to accept His will that life brings,
the pleasant along with the not.
Wonder as
In some homes the feast begins
with communion bread in honey
dipped with a clove of garlic.
As in life accepting what comes .

8 Wonder as
The honey recalls the sweet,
and garlic the bitterness in life.
This bread is simply profound
of flour, water and leavening.
Wonder as
Entre’es may or may not include
mushroom stock borsch soup,
boiled vareneky dumplings and
baked pyrohy buns with fillings.

9 Wonder as
Fillings can be sweet cabbage,
flavored potatoes, or various
fruits or vegetables. For digestion
always remember prunes.
Wonder as
Popular buckwheat or sometime
rice with mushrooms simmer in
a cabbage leaf wrap, often
garnished with mushroom sauce

10 Wonder as
Other entrées vary greatly, from
cooks varying cooked beans to fried
mushrooms dishes, but if
sauerkraut is offered, beware.
Wonder as
After all taste of this once sweet
vegetable turned sourer, from the
table it is removed with a jeer
under the breath “Judas”.

11 Wonder as
Staples of prehistory are included,
shelled nuts are ever popular.
Often twelve dried fruits are boiled
into a stewed composite
Wonder as
From this cooked fruits many make
a spiked drink of the juice, or sweet
kosher fruit wines are served to
elevate the spirits.

12 Wonder as
All must serve this grandmother fare
but not twist other dishes.
Many may serve this first while
others save their kutya for last .
Wonder as
This primal recipe is a porridge
of cooked grain, often wheat
mixed with nuts and honey and
garnished with the poppy’s seed.

13 Wonder as
Always a venerable bowl is used
to bear this revered sustenance.
Afterward many will smash it so
no other use may be put to it.
Wonder as
So esteemed is this ancient dish
that some take its cooking water
from the grain to ferment with
caraway, making a zesty gravy.

14 Wonder as
The kutya is covered thrice by
breaded wreaths of ritual breads
crowned with a double cup,
one with mead the other water.
Wonder as
Why? No one’s left to remember.
The joined cups are from our wedding
and breads our memorial rituals.
Mead God’s drink, water man’s

15 Wonder as
Maybe kutya is for our ancients,
breads forerunning generations and
wedding cups our posterity,
our cosmic genealogy uniting us.
Wonder as
1c shucked wheat pressure cooked
in 5 cups water 45 minutes, drain, cool,
mix 1 jar prepared poppy seed
1 cup sliced almonds, 3 cups honey.

16 Wonder as
Christmas Eve is no fast until the
first star appears to honor the labor
pangs of a virgin mother of God;
Mary the birth giver of Jesus.
Wonder as
The hay strun table becomes a
manger bed with a centerpiece
of a candle pierced bread is for us
the Bethlehem Child with His star.

17 Wonder as
Honoring the Apostles twelve foods
are made from nature free of all animal.
Vegan to honor the Supernatural’s
hand altering nature.
Wonder as
We sample all as a testimony
of our willingness of acceptance,
whether in the natural or mystical
realms of God He so destined.

18 Wonder as
Each family is free to interpret their
menu according to their tastes.
But sea foods are a non-organic
influence from our colonial masters.
Wonder as
Regardless, of importance is our
interaction with past, present and even
future generations through this sup.
Come my brethren eat kutya.

19 Wonder as
In the dark temple all come to chant
our God is with us all you people.
As the shadows play on the darken walls
light comes from one lamp to another.
Wonder as
“God Eternal” is sung by us today
as salutation and epilogue
from the incarnation to the
ministration of the Trinity .

20 Wonder as
Visiting family, friends and neighbors
we follow a star as did the sages
this time with songs of ancient lore
and our enlightened gospel stories.
Wonder as
From this night to the tapers blessing
let us greet each other with wishes
and song of old and new in harmony
“Khrystos rosdyetcha, slavyte yeho!
(for Christ is born, glorify Him!)