HOLY AND GREAT LENT: A TIME TO CHOOSE LIGHT OVER DARKNESS

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

HOLY AND GREAT LENT: A TIME TO CHOOSE LIGHT OVER
DARKNESS.

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I AM THE LIGHT
OF THE WORLD. He who follows Me shall NOT WALK IN
DARKNESS, but HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE” [John 8:12].

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city that
is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a
lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand,
and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let YOUR
LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE
YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN
HEAVEN” [Matthew 5:14-16].

“LIGHT” is a Christian symbol of God Who is the True, Uncreated Light. Prophet Isaiah writes, “Shine, shine, O Jerusalem, for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. Behold, darkness and gloom shall cover the earth upon the nations, but the Lord will shine on you, and His glory shall be seen upon you. Kings shall come to your light, and the Gentiles in your brightness” [Isaiah 60:1-3]. 60:1 is the hymn we chant at Pascha in the liturgical services, “On the day, the whole creation rejoices and exults, for Christ is risen and Hades despoiled.” In the New Testament the Son is called “Light”. “In Him was life, and the life WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN” [John 1:4]. In the Gospel of Saint Matthew, the followers of Jesus Christ “are the light of the world;” and believers shine as light in the world. In the epistle of Saint Paul to the Philippians it says, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom YOU SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD” [Philippians 2:14-15]. In these and other references in the Gospel of Saint John, God IS THE SOURCE OF THIS UNCREATED, LIFE-GIVING LIGHT.

Saint John writes: “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through Him might believe. He was NOT that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That WAS THE TRUE LIGHT WHICH GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN COMING INTO THE WORLD” [John 1:4-10]. As the Divine Logos/Word INCARNATE, Christ IS ALSO THE SOURCE OF “LIFE” and ENLIGHTENMENT. Because the Logos/Word IS GOD, He IS LIFE: ONLY GOD HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF. By seeing and participating in Christ’s “life” believers become LIGHT AND CHILDREN OF LIGHT. In chapter 12:36 the Lord says, “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” The theme of Jesus as the “light” receives renewed emphasis. The crowd wants to know the identity of the Son of Man. But Jesus challenges them to come to the Light while there is still time to become children of light. Christ is “Light of Light” (Nicene Creed): “Φώς εκ Φωτός, Θεόν αληθινόν, εκ Θεού αληθινού..” “Light of Light. True God of True God..”. In such UNION WITH Him, we partake of His Light, becoming children of Light.”

Therefore, the Orthodox Christian believer during this spiritual journey is reminded that he or she is a “child of light,” who believes in Jesus Christ as the Incarnate Logos/Word, and Son of God Who is the Light of the world. Believes in His Divine miracles and His Divine Mission to save the human race from the evil one and his darkness. Failure to believe in Jesus and His countless miracles is attributed to a person’s willful blindness and hardness of heart. The world and humanity is still rejecting our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ and Divine Light and therefore willfully has chosen to live in eternal darkness. There is absolutely no reason for the world to be engulfed in darkness, evil and apostasy from God. Our Lord revealed to mankind “the light of Life” and sacrificed His life on the Cross to save it. But mankind is obstinate and unwilling to change from its path of destruction and death.

Jesus Christ is the ONLY hope that mankind has. If humanity wanted a world free of evil, wars, violence, hatred, darkness, hopelessness, injustice, and death the answer is before it, and to believe in the Son of God and Savior. Who knows better what the world and mankind ought to be than the Almighty God Who created it from nothing. Man’s pride has become his downfall! During Holy and Great Lent we are taught the importance of humility and obedience to God’s commandments. Also how vulnerable humans are to evil influence. There are two ways “the devil” influences the human heart (1) through ideas or Logismoi (evil thoughts) and (2) through conceptual images suggested by the devil–the moment they occur. Judas Iscariot cooperated with the devil’s will and carried it out. Far from being a victim, Judas was the devil’s willing co-conspirator. We are constantly taught through the Holy Scripture, the hymns, divine services, throughout this holy season to be vigilant and watchful and to reject any evil thoughts , and fight against the passions. It is up to us to choose either to be instruments of goodness and of God or to betray Him and choose to be instruments of evil and the devil.

“Lord of the Powers, be with us; for other helper have we not, in tribulations but You. Lord of the Powers have mercy on us,” we chant in the divine service of the Great Compline during Holy Lent. Our Holy Mother Church through the divine services teaches her children how to implement all which God has instructed all of humanity through His Commandments. There is nothing too difficult or impossible to accomplish as long as we act in the spirit of faith and love. The message of our Holy Orthodox Church is clear that we depend entirely on the mercy of God and not our human abilities for everything. Unlike human experience where a young person looks forward to becoming independent of his/her parents as he/she reaches adulthood. Spiritually speaking, the more a believer grows in Christ, the more he/she becomes childlike, i.e., innocent, trusting, pure,godly, obedient; and his/her dependence on God becomes greater and greater. As our Beloved Lord and Savior said, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God AS A LITTLE CHILD WILL BY NO MEANS ENTER IT” [Mark 10:15].

Psalm 69 {70]

O God, come to my assistance; Lord hasten to help me.
Let those who seek my soul be shamed and reproached.
Let those who wish me evil turn back and be disgraced.
Let those who say to me: Well done! Well done! turn
away in shame.
Let those who seek You, O God, rejoice and delight in You;
and let those who love Your salvation always say: The Lord
be exalted!
But I am poor and destitute, O God; help me.
You are my helper and my deliverer, Lord; do not delay.

The Prayer of Saint Ephraim

O Lord and Master of my life!
Take from me the spirit of sloth,
despair, lust of power and idle
talk.
(Prostration)

But give rather the spirit of chastity,
humility, patience and love to Thy
servant. (Prostration)

Yes, O Lord and King! Grant me to see
my own transgressions and not to
judge my brother (and sister), for
blessed art Thou, unto ages of ages.
(Prostration)

_____________
“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George