My beloved brothers and sister in Christ God,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
THE PRE-LENT PERIOD
THE SUNDAY OF ZACCHAEUS:
One week before the TRIODION enters into use, there is a Sunday Gospel reading which looks forward directly to the coming fast – Luke 19: 1-10, describing how Zacchaeus climbed a tree beside the road where Christ was to pass. In this reading, we note Zacchaeus’ SENSE OF EAGER EXPECTATION, THIS DESIRE TO SEE OUR LORD, AND WE APPLY THIS TO OURSELVES. If we prepare for Lent, there is real eagerness in our hearts, IF WE HAVE AN INTENSE DESIRE FOR A CLEARER VISION OF CHRIST, THEN OUR HOPES WILL BE FULFILLED DURING THE FAST, INDEED WE SHALL, LIKE ZACCHAEUS, RECEIVE FAR MORE THAN WE EXPECT. But if there is within us no eager expectation and no sincere desire, WE SHALL SEE AND RECEIVE NOTHING. And so we ask ourselves: What is my state of mind and will as I prepare to embark on the Lenten journey?
THE SUNDAY OF THE PUBLICAN AND THE PHARISEE [Gospel reading: Luke 18: 10-14]. On this and the following two Sundays, the THEME IS REPENTANCE (METANOIA). REPENTANCE IS THE DOOR THROUGH WHICH WE ENTER LENT, THE STARTING POINT OF OUR JOURNEY TO PASCHA. And TO REPENT SIGNIFIES FAR MORE THEN SELF-PITY OR FUTILE REGRET OVER THINGS DONE IN THE PAST. The Greek term METANOIA means ‘CHANGE OF MIND’ TO REPENT IS TO BE RENEWED, TO BE TRANSFORMED IN OUR INWARD VIEWPOINT, TO ATTAIN FRESH WAY OF LOOKING AT OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD AND TO OTHERS. The fault of the Pharisee is THAT HE HAS NO DESIRE TO CHANGE HIS OUTLOOK; HE IS COMPLACENT, SELF-SATISFIED, AND SO HE ALLOWS NO PLACE FOR GOD TO ACT WITHIN HIM. Unless we learn of the Publican’s INWARD POVERTY, we shall not share in the Lenten springtime. The theme of the day can be summed up in a saying of the Desert Holy Fathers: ‘BETTER A MAN WHO HAS SINNED, IF HE KNOWS HE HAS SINNED AND REPENTS, THAN A MAN WHO HAS NOT SINNED AND THINKS OF HIMSELF AS RIGHTEOUS.’
THE SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON (Gospel reading: 15: 11-32). The Parable of the Prodigal Son FORMS AN EXACT ICON OF REPENTANCE (METANOIA) IN ITS DIFFERENT STAGES, SIN IS EXILE, ENSLAVEMENT TO STRANGERS, HUNGER. Repentance IS THE RETURN FROM EXILE TO OUR TRUE HOME; IT IS TO RECEIVE BACK OUR INHERITANCE AND FREEDOM IN THE FATHER’S HOUSE. But repentance IMPLIES ACTION: " I WILL RISE UP AND GO…" (verse 18). TO REPENT IS NOT JUST TO FEEL DISSATISFIED, BUT TO TAKE A DECISION AND TO ACT UPON IT.
On this and the next two Sundays, after the solemn and joyful of the words of the Polyeleos at Orthros (Matins), we add sorrowful verses of Psalm 136. ‘By the waters of Babylon, we sat down and wept…"This PSALM OF EXILE, chanted by the children of Israel in their Babylonian captivity, has special appropriateness on the Sunday of the Prodigal when we call to mind OUR PRESENT EXILE IN SIN AND MAKE THE RESOLVE TO RETURN HOME.
THE SUNDAY OF THE LAST JUDGMENT (Gospel reading: Matthew 25: 31-46)
The two past Sundays spoke to us of God’s PATIENCE and LIMITLESS COMPASSION, of HIS READINESS TO ACCEPT EVERY SINNER WHO RETURNS TO Him. On this THIRD Sunday, we are powerfully reminded of a complementary truth: NO ONE IS SO PATIENT AND SO MERCIFUL AS GOD, BUT EVEN HE DOES NOT FORGIVE THOSE WHO DO NOT REPENT. The God of LOVE is also a God OF RITHTEOUSNESS, AND WHEN CHRIST COMES AGAIN IN GLORY, HE WILL COME AS OUR JUDGE. ‘Behold the goodness and severity of God’ (Romans 11:22). Such is the language of Lent to each of us: TURN BACK WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME, REPENT BEFORE THE END COMES. In the words of the Great Canon:
"The end drawss near, my soul, the end draws near;
Yet thou dost not care or make ready.
The time grows short, rise up: THE JUDGE IS AT THE DOOR.
The days of life pass swiftly, as a dream, as a flower."
This Sunday sets before us the "ESCHATOLOGICAL’ dimension of Lent: the Great Fast IS A PREPARATION FOR THE Second Coming of our Savior, for the Eternal Passover in the Age to COME. (This is a theme that will be taken up in the first three days of Holy Week.) Nor is the JUDGEMENT MERELY IN THE FUTURE. Here and now, each day and each hour, in hardening our hearts towards others and in failing to respond to the opportunities we are given of helping them, WE ARE PASSING JUDGMENT UPON OURSELVES.
THE SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
The last of the preparatory Sundays has two themes: IT COMMEMORATES ADAM’S EXPULSION FROM PARADISE, and it is also THE SUNDAY OF FORGIVENESS. One of the primary images of the Triodion is that of the RETURN TO PARADISE. Lent is a time when we weep with Adam and Eve before the closed gate of Eden, repenting with them FOR THE SINS THAT HAVE DEPRIVED US OF OUR FREE COMMUNION WITH GOD. But Lent is also a time when we are preparing TO CELEBRATE THE SAVING EVENT OF CHRIST’S DEAITH AND RISING, WHICH HAS REOPENED PARADISE TO US ONCE MORE (Luke 23:43). So sorrow for our exile in sin is TEMPERED BY HOPE OF OUR RE-ENTRY INTO PARADISE.
The Second theme IS FORGIVENESS, is emphasized in the Gospel reading for this Sunday (Matthew 6: 14-21) and in the special ceremony OF MUTUAL FORGIVENESS at the end of Vespers on Sunday evening. Before we enter the Lenten fast, we are reminded that there can be no fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, UNLESS WE ARE AT THE SAME TIME RECONCILED WITH ONE ANOTHER. A fast WITHOUT MUTUAL LOVE IS THE FAST OF DEMONS. As the commemoration of the ascetic Saints on the previous Saturday has just made clear to us, WE DO NOT TRAVEL THE ROAD OF LENT AS ISOLATED INDIVIDUALS, BUT AS MEMBERS OF A FAMILY. Our ASCETICISM and FASTING should NOT seperate us from our fellow men but LINK US TO THEM WITH EVER STRONGER BONDS. THE LENTEN ASCETIC IS CALLED TO BE A MAN FOR OTHERS. {Source: The Lenten Triodion)
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 