Good Night Hospital

photo by JBP 2011

Good Night Hospital

By Rev. Fr. John-Brian Paprock

Night Chaplain

University of Wisconsin Hospitals

August 2011

Good night Hospital, may peace come upon you by the gentle hands of the loving God who holds the whole world and still embraces the sorrowful seeking comfort

Upon your tired and weak and infirm, may the gentle night bring healing rest, may pain and suffering be diminished, may sorrow and distress be comforted, and every fear and shadow be abolished from this place

Upon those whose situations may became dire and tragic this night, give vigilance, wisdom, gentleness to the medical teams of emergency care, send them angels to keep their feet and their hearts light in triage decisions of life and death

Upon those wounded by the necessity of surgery, may the gentle night bring healing rest

Upon those whose life is held by the mercy of machines and the attentive care of night staff, may the night be uneventful and the machines function smoothly and attentive staff not weary in their care

photo by JBP 2011

Upon those whose life is coming to its end, may mercy, light and love fill those rooms with the fragrant prayers rising as on wisps of incense and gentle songs and lullabies fill those rooms with soft sounds soothing farewell tears

Upon the surgeons, with all the attending staff in operating rooms, if these room must be used, guide with wisdom and skill the necessary corrections so that healing and health can be secured

Upon those whose life is changed by traumatic occurrences, may they feel secure, safe, and welcomed to this place of refuge and healing - may whatever pain they have endured be left behind and a new course of health be clearly marked

Upon those that have rightly chosen to keep watch over the facility, to protect and secure all those abiding within its walls, may peace prevail and may the angels keep harm far from this place

Upon the hospital housekeeping and maintenance crews, may they feel proper inspiration in their work, knowing in their hearts the good work that they do in the night benefits all

Upon on-call staff, the doctors, the medical technicians, the administrators, may this night be one of peace and rest so that they may arrive refreshed in the morning for the new day of health care

Upon night nurses on the units that were busy during the day, may love be their guide as they watch over their patients put to bed for another day of treatment and rehabilitation

photo by JBP 2011

Good night, dear Hospital and all those within your walls, may peace prevail during this night - may the angels attend to healing, comfort and safety.

Rest, dear Hospital, for tomorrow brings another day of active care across your threshold.

Still Following Material Things?

Still Following Material Things?


"Beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees" says Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew (16:5-12) and compares their teaching to leaven or yeast.

Yet in the same passage, He reminds His disciples that He provided bread for the 5,000 and again for the 4,000 - bread is made with leaven/yeast. So what is Jesus telling us?

In this week's lessons from the scriptures, Fr John Brian walks us along with the readings appointed for Sunday to reveal what these teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees are.

The evening and morning readings are from the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 15 - and in Chapter 15 there is a pivotal interaction with the Pharisees, which is helpful in our understanding.

Then, in this Sunday's reading in Acts, St Peter is confronted by the High Priest who we are told is of the Sadducees - also helpful in our understanding (Acts 5:17-32).

Then, Fr John Brian takes us to St Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians (2:14-3:90, to bring the fullness of the spiritual teaching for this Sunday. St Paul gives clarity for spiritual discernment.

Fr John Brian using the words of St Paul asks if we are "still following material things" since we are still in strife and envying and divided.

But the Lord has given us a different way, different from the material and worldly religiousness of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

"For we work together with God; you are God's work and God's building." (1Cor 3:9)

This sermon uses and refers to scripture readings appointed by the Syrian Malankara calendar and was give on Sunday, September 25, 2011 by Fr. John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.
"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us." 2 Corinthians 4:7.

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http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
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OPF Conference - Fr. George: The Harvest of Forgiveness

OPF Conference - Fr. George: The Harvest of Forgiveness

Involved with a weekend conference on peace and forgiveness put together by the Orthodox Peace Fellowship, Fr. John Brian opened the conference with prayer and introduced a couple of speakers. On Saturday morning, Very Rev. Fr. George Morelli of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America spoke on the topic forgiveness and the church fathers. His presentation was in a Powerpoint slideshow which will be made available online soon. In addition, video was recorded of most of the major speakers. Post-production takes a little bit of time, but look for these as well.

This bit of audio (about 5 minutes) was captured at the end of Fr. George's talk. He mentions a couple of ideas on beginning to forgive and then quotes several fathers including St. Isaac of Syrian and the Good Friday hymn: "Hades ruled the race of men, but not forever..."

Fr George - "The harvest of forgiveness is theosis."

Fr John Brian will return next week.

This audio of Fr George Morelli was recorded on Saturday, September 17, 2011 by Fr. John Brian Paprock at the Bishop O'Connor Center, Madison, Wisconsin.

"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us." 2 Corinthians 4:7.

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http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
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OPF Conference Opening Prayers came be found here:
http://frjohbrian.blogspot.com/2011/09/opening-prayer-forgiveness-finding.html

A Reflection on Forgiveness by Fr John-Brian after the conference:
http://frjohbrian.blogspot.com/2011/09/prose-reflective-prayer-on-forgiveness.html

A Prose Reflective Prayer on Forgiveness

     It was an honor for my wife, Teresa, and I to act as host to the OPF Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. It was a very good conference that almost doubled as a retreat. The topics, speakers and movies were not just though provoking, but emotional experiences and inspirational opportunities. I doubt anyone who attended conference, left the conference with the same ideas of forgiveness they came with. If not radical change, then an evolution of the very notion of forgiveness.
     Working as a night chaplain the Sunday night after the intense and full conference on forgiveness, I sat to write down a few thoughts and ended up writing a prayer.
    Pray for me.
   Fr John Brian



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A Prose Reflective Prayer on Forgiveness 09-18-2011


Lord, release the heavy burdens of the past. They are nearly too much for me to bear.

Lord, unlatch the belted, unlock the chained and loosen the double-tied knots.

At one time, or one moment, long ago, it seemed important for me hang on to an event or two - but now there are too many, taking energy from the present, taking joy from good times ahead of me, robbing me of strength to persevere.

Before, I thought I could bear the world upon my shoulders, endure every hardship, and overcome any obstacle

Now, I am crying with fear and exhaustion: my heart, my back, my legs, even my neck is strained with the weight of wounded moments and haunting intimidations.

Now, I am crying with despair and anxiety that Your forgiveness and Your healing of my body mind and soul may only be temporary and I will always bear this heaviness - and that even Your Holy Angels cannot protect me from further injury, injustice, infirmity; that the enemies of my soul will prevail and I will be lost.

Lord, release the pain of my childhood, the heartache of my youth, the despair of middle-age. Lord, so often I have failed in relations, failed in projects, failed in ministry to others, failed in the practice that could bring me closer to perfection. I have let the injury and wounds of others bind me. I have allowed their callous disregard to justify my shortcomings; their intentional back-biting and gossip to encourage my fear and anxiety, exacerbating the pain of sensitive scarring from deep wounds of the past.

Lord, release me from the trivial and the intense bound to me by heavy chains and by light fiber strings. Help me to feel Your healing breath upon my soul, Your single and simple breath can bring my whole being to refreshment and the aches of my bones and of my heart shall melt away.

The burdens I have taken and the burdens that have been given shall be released with the subtle whisper of Your loving-kindness. My fears and anxieties will be crushed under the wings of Your mercy.

And in my mind and in my heart, I know I am wholly Yours - everything is from You and nothing could exist without your allowance. You have given me the free exercise of mind and body and will. I have felt Your tears as You have waited for me to ask for Your divine assistance; as You waited for my surrender to the eternal springs where I will never thirst; to reach for that which You have graciously and freely given for me to truly partake of the eternal bread so that I will be sustained - forever.

You have waited, O Lord, but You do not need to wait any longer. Please, Lord, come to my aid and help me. Send Your angels to have charge over my life so that everything I may do may be for the glory of Your Holy Name. Heal me O Lord so that I may have strength to continue the course of the journey You have set before me. Fill my mind and my heart with Your love, so that Your ministry may be received by Your servant and that Your will may be fulfilled.

Lord, give me a forgiving heart and help me to be forward looking, letting the past bury the past. Help me to keep my eyes on the gates of Your kingdom so that every step I take moves me in the proper direction.
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Opening Prayer - Forgiveness: Finding Wholeness Again

Bring No More Vain Offerings (Isaiah Chapter 1)

Bring No More Vain Offerings (Isaiah Chapter 1)

In Isaiah Chapter 1 is a clarifying teaching of True worship and devotion to God. In light and memory of the tenth anniversry of September 11th and the day of New Year's in the Ethiopian calendar, the teaching is rather poignant. Fr John Brian discusses this prophecy with the filter of the Gospel reading from Matthew Chapter 5.

Fr John Brian uses these to talk about the difference between a real sacrifice offering and a vain offering.

Which do you give the Lord?

"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." Isaiah 1:19

This sermon uses and refers to scripture readings appointed by the Syrian Malankara calendar and was give on Sunday, September 11, 2011 by Fr. John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us." 2 Corinthians 4:7.

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http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
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Letting Go - It All Gets Done

Letting Go - It All Gets Done

Fr John Brian begins this Sunday sermon talking about comittment to spiritual life and then moves into the difficulties of living by spiritual principles in the world.

This sermon uses and refers to scripture readings appointed by the Syrian Malankara calendar and was give on Sunday, September 4, 2011 by Fr. John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us." 2 Corinthians 4:7.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD: http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
Listen on-line here: