509. The Church’s Last Minute Instructions as we go into Lent

I trust you to read the full texts on your own.

Epistle: Romans 13:11-14:4

“The night is far gone. Day is at hand. The day of our salvation is nearer than when we first believed”.

I can still hear my mother calling up the stairs “Bill, wake up! It’s time for school. Are you out of bed yet?” One morning I answered sleepily, “Almost…” She was not impressed. “Move it! You’re going to be late for school!”

Over seventy years have passed since my mom called me. But God is still calling: Wake up! Nor is God impressed if we say “almost” to Him. Time is passing. Here Saint Paul is saying: Move it!

Lent is our annual wakeup call. Life is short. (Believe me, brothers and sisters, it is.) We don’t have forever. Are you awake and moving forward towards the Kingdom of God? Remember Christ’s story about the Bridesmaids who were late for the wedding? They missed it.

Take another image: A Matins hymn begins “The Lenten spring has come”. “Now tell me another one…”, say we in Wisconsin. But we know it’s coming.The days are getting longer, and the sun brighter, and the snow has melted – for now, at least. March is yet ahead of us. But by the time we get to Pascha, spring will have come and the darkness of winter will be past. Our life on earth is Lent. At the End comes Pascha, the Kingdom of Heaven, the eternal Spring, “the light of Christ which knows no evening.” That’s what we are moving towards.

Or not.

There’s a catch here: As Saint Paul says, “the light of Christ” will expose the darkness in our lives. Therefore he warns: Get rid of all the dark things in your life – “revelry, drunkenness, lewdness, lust, fighting, envy” and more – now, because if we are still clinging to the darkness, then when the light of Christ appears and exposes it, we are going to be very embarrassed. Actually more than embarrassed. A lot more.

The purpose of Lent is not just to fast a little bit. It’s to work on becoming better and holier people, getting sin out of our lives and  – while we still have time –  to seek God and goodness. Then when Pascha comes we will have advanced a little further on the road to Salvation.

Listen carefully: Fasting from food without fasting from sin misses the point entirely. In fact, it’s dangerous. It leaves us worse off. As a hymn from the Wednesday before Forgiveness Sunday puts it, “If we fast from food but not from sin…we become just like the evil demons who never eat at all.”

Holy Gospel Matthew 6:14-21

“If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”. Jesus said this immediately after He had taught His apostles the Lord’s Prayer, with that horrible line – I trust you listen to yourself when you pray it – “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Father, if I hold a grudge against anyone, please hold a grudge against me. If I turn away from anyone in anger, please turn away from me in anger. This is not because God is vengeful. It’s because if we have a hard heart, there’s no way His forgiveness can break through. 

I’ve told the story often before about the monk who had led a not very exemplary life, but on his deathbed he was cheerful as could be. The other monks asked him: Considering the life you led, how can you be so happy? He answered: Because I have forgiven everyone who ever sinned against me, so I know God will have to forgive me.

But you say, “It wasn’t my fault. It was his fault / her fault.” Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t. So what? We’re supposed to forgive anyway – like our Lord Jesus Who came to forgive us “while we were yet sinners”. The real question is: How do we get past it and move on with life? That’s what today is all about.

What does it mean to forgive? Be clear about this: Forgiveness is not a feeling. Forgiving is an action, actually a two-fold action, really a two-fold lack of action. We’d better talk about this.

The First Inaction consists of not paying the scoundrel back. When someone has “sinned” against us, Christ commands us not to get even. Sometimes in Confession people say to me: “I thought I had forgiven [whoever] but I’m not sure I have. It still hurts. I’m still angry.” In response I have been known to ask, “Have you hired a hit man to wipe him out?”  And when they say “No”, I answer “Then you’ve begun to forgive. Now, just keep it up.”

I know that’s silly. But it gets the point across.  Forgiveness is not a feeling. Forgiving means continually not taking vengeance. It’s a progressive thing. C S Lewis wrote that when the Lord told Peter to forgive his brother seventy times seven times, that applies to each sin. We’ve got to forgive it, not pay back again and again and again and again and again and again and again…  which brings us directly to the second point.

The Second Inaction consists of not cultivating the hurt. When someone has “done us wrong”, it is so easy to rehearse the event in our minds over and over, to “wallow” in it. I hope you don’t know what I’m talking about, but probably you do. When you have been badly hurt by someone, every time you finish thinking about something else, here comes the pain again. It eats away at you,

My advice to you is simple: Cut it out! Stop it. For one thing, it keeps the desire to get even ever in your mind. And for another, it interferes with your worshiping, your praying, your thinking, even your sleep.  If we keep it up, it can harden our hearts and destroy our souls – unto ages of ages.

However, getting rid of this pain is extremely difficult to do, because every time we remember to not think about it, we’ve thought about it again! What’s the cure?

I’d suggest:

1 Every time you remember how that rat hurt you: Make the sign of the Cross. Say “God bless [whoever it is]”. And quickly, very quickly move on to something else, almost anything else that’s decent. Pray. Read the Scriptures. But if you can’t do that without the distraction, bury yourself in your work, or a compelling book or watch a TV program (not the news!) or a respectable movie, if you can find one. Almost anything to get your mind off the hurt.

2 Much prayer – not prayer to get rid of of the hurt because, “Whoops! I just remembered it again.” No, much prayer to God for His own sake, morning, noon and evening, however you can manage it. Scripture reading. Regular worship in church, focusing on the Lord. And then patience. Much patience. In time the remembrance will fade away.

And you, likewise: If you are carrying a grudge, if you haven’t forgiven, then, please, for the sake of your soul’s salvation, forgive. Lay down that heavy, heavy burden and be free.

Lest, at the end of life, at the End of all things, you be told: You could have been free to rise. But instead you’ve already made your hell on earth. Now you must carry that burden to the place where misery is welcome. .

Forgiveness Sunday

Therefore, the Holy Orthodox Church in her wisdom brilliantly gives us an easy way to forgive as we enter into Lent. It’s called Forgiveness Sunday. All over the Orthodox world this Sunday, people will be apologizing, saying “Forgive me, a sinner”, and forgiving: “God forgives, and I forgive”. I’ve read that in the old days in some old world countries, people would walk down the street saying to total strangers “Forgive me a sinner”. * (Don’t try that here! They’ll have people come and take you away!)

• Just today I received an email from a good Bishop I haven’t seen in years: “Forgive me, a sinner.”

If there is anyone you truly need to apologize to, if there is anyone you need to forgive, this is the day to do it: Say it, phone it, write it, email it, text it, Viber it, or let the angels take it to those who have departed: “Forgive me, a sinner”. There are people in my past whom I offended, some intentionally, some by forgetfulness and inattention, – some departed, some I’ve lost track of. So every day in my intercessions I ask their forgiveness. Whatever you need to do, do it: Say “forgive me”.

A word of advice: Do not forgive people ostentatiously. Out the clear blue you walk up to someone you’ve been at odds with and say “I forgive you”. Uh uh. However, today you can gently take the first step. Or, depending, you may want to wait a while. You know by experience that if you try to make up with someone while they’re still in the throes of anger, that will likely make the situation worse.

What if people who have hurt you are not sorry? what if they could care less? Then don’t waste your e-mail on them. But you must forgive anyway in your heart. You must let it go. He has hurt you enough. Why should you let that unrepentant jerk continue to have power over you? continue to make you miserable? For your own sake, you must forgive, lay it down, be rid of it.

Forgiveness Vespers. On this Sunday, the Church offers us a service which has long been used in the Slavic tradition, and is now becoming common in our Antiochian and Greek tradition.

Forgiveness Vespers is our transition into Lent. In the middle of it, the priest changes into violet Lenten vestments, and the hymns go Lenten.

At the end all come forward and, beginning with the priest, we say to each other, each of us to each of us: “Forgive me a sinner”, “God forgives you and I forgive you”.  It’s enough just to say “Forgive me a sinner”.  Properly we should at least bow to each other. (Some prostrate.) But don’t worry about the formalities. It’s the forgiveness that matters. In the background you’ll hear (what? already?) the Paschal canon: “It is the day of resurrection… shine, shine, O Jerusalem, the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” That is where Great Lent will take us: into the Resurrection. That is where our life in Christ should be taking us, through the shadows of sin and despair and confusion and hurt, into growing light of the true Spring, as we follow our Lord Jesus into the Resurrection.It’s a beautiful service, and not long; it can be held to about 45 minutes if the chanters behave themselves. I hope you’ll participate.

2 “When you fast do not be like the hypocrites [play actors] with sad faces who do it so they appear to be fasting. They have their reward. When you fast anoint your head, wash your face so you do not appear to be fasting, but to your Father in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Jesus says if your purpose in fasting (or praying or giving or anything) is so people will notice, then that’s your reward. “No cream in my coffee! it’s Lent.” “ I can’t eat that! I’m fasting.” You’ve had your reward.

3  Finally and most important “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroy and thieves do not break in and steal, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Lent is the time to get our priorities straight again. Of course we need food and shelter and money. Of course, work and support yourself and try to be self sufficient and not be a burden on others.  But if your bank account and your food and your car and your house are your real treasure – then, good luck. You know you can lose them in a minute – because of fire or thieves or the stock market, or if you lose your job or your health insurance. And surely you know that before long you’re going to leave all these things behind.

Is this really a secret? “You can’t take it with you.” 

Though actually you can “take it with you”. What can I take with me into eternity? The Gospel reading concludes by listing them. Three things and three only: My love for God, my love for people, and me, my immortal soul. That is why the chief commandments for, lo, these 3000 years have been: Love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. You’d think we’d all catch on, it’s so obvious… but theres’s not much sign of it.

Therefore during Lent, re-prioritize. Go for the gold. Build up true security, treasure that will last.

Some of you work twenty five hours a day, I know, but during Lent, if you can, try to cut back on something -. entertainments, distractions, TV, computer, whatever and find some way to focus on God and on people,.

Love God

Worship regularly. If you aren’t able to make Sunday Liturgy, come to Saturday Vespers or another Lenten service. You can find a way.

Pray morning and evening – according to your situation. Those of us who are retired should have time for an extensive prayer life – meditation, Scripture reading, intercessions. On the opposite extreme, if you’re a mother with a “paying job” (either away from home or at home) and little kids to look after, I think it’s often sufficient to occasionally cry “Help, Lord”. Work it out for tyourself.

Read the Scriptures either by book or online. The easiest way: Go to: https://www.antiochian.org/liturgicday  The Church’s daily readings will pop up immediately. Old Testament during Lent. New Testament during the rest of the year.

Love Your Neighbor

Give time to “neighbors” closest to you: your family and other loved ones. Make a phone call or send an email to someone who is shut-in.

Give to the needy. I’m sure you have many local worthy charities. Feeding America here at home. International Orthodox Christian Charities is on the ground in Ukraine, the West Bank, Gaza and many other places. With the closing of our American USAID program *, many whom they assisted will be hungry, sick or dead.

• USAID  brought help to the hungry, sick and dying in over 100 countries. It trained people of those countries how to become self-sufficient and how to establish democracy. It promoted good will towards America. The instantaneous closing of USAID without explanation or further provision was unconscionable and incomprehensible. As we depart, China will move right in.

How do you find you? Love God and love people, and you will without effort find your true self. And you will find yourself on the road into God’s eternal Kingdom.

Next Week: We begin a series on Saints who get lost during Lent.