Every new day is a miracle and a grace of God bestowed upon man. Every day makes us feel the spirit and breath of life, tells us about God's works and creations. There is no day without something new.
\n<\/p>\n
Recently, the 5th week of Great Lent has passed, and I would like to remind you, in general, of some of the divine admonitions given in the Church during the past weeks of Great Lent, so that we may once again understand our current spiritual state and spiritual movement. Since the Sunday of the Magi and the Pharisee, the Church has been preparing believers to meet the glorious Easter of the Savior. The Sunday of the Magi and the Pharisee taught us that we must approach the Lord with humility, that \u201cthe sacrifice of God is a broken spirit, a broken and humble heart.\u201d Humility arises in us through the vision and feeling of our sins, which then moves us to repentance and good deeds.<\/p>\n
\u201eThe Sunday of the \u201cProdigal Son\u201d taught us that the Lord will again embrace the repentant child in his heart, comfort him, and give him grace. But in order to forgive and preserve all this, we need to remember that we receive the grace of sonship not through our merits and worthiness, but through the great mercy and love of God and the Father. Therefore, so that we do not lose what we have acquired through our sonship and so that we may be more careful, the Church reminds us of the terrible judgment on the Sunday of Corpus Christi and warns us once again that there is punishment for the wicked and the ungrateful, and there is reward for the good and the humble.<\/p>\n
It is with this spiritual mood that we approach the Week of Forgiveness. We ask for forgiveness from God and each other, so that we can begin Lent with a relatively clearer conscience.
\nNext Sunday, with the celebration of Orthodoxy, we will celebrate the infallibility of our Church and worship the true teaching of our Church, so that we may be strengthened in faith and fervently glorify God.<\/p>\n
On the 2nd Sunday of Great Lent, when the Church commemorates St. Gregory Palamas, she calls us to understand the content of prayer, which we must seek in our own hearts. Praying with the heart is the most important task of an Orthodox Christian. Prayer and singing to God are the bliss of the heart and soul, and whoever feels the touch of God in his heart will no longer want to stop praying and praising God... but rather, he is constantly filled with the glory and love of God, through prayer and singing. Few reach such a spiritual level, although all believers should strive to climb this level, because eternal and infinite love is \u201eHe\u201c to whom we are running. One of the reasons for venerating the cross is precisely in this formula; the longing for heaven towards God and the longing for our neighbor - towards people. The 3rd Sunday of Great Lent also teaches us this greatest commandment and the truth of the cross: \u201eLove the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind\u201c and \u201eLove your neighbor as yourself.\u201c On the 4th Sunday, we celebrate the commemoration of St. John the Ladderer, who left us the greatest guide to life and work on earth, the \u201eladder\u201c ascending to heaven, for nuns and those who choose an angelic life in this world, whose teachings nourish the world of Orthodox monks and nuns today.<\/p>\n
Last week, the commemoration of St. Mary of Egypt reminded us of God's great mercy and love for mankind. In the example of St. Mary, we see how great a fall, how great a holiness a person achieves through the grace of God, who "raises the poor from the dust and raises the bowed from the ashes..."\u201e<\/p>\n
Palm Sunday is approaching, the glorious entry of the Savior into Jerusalem, and our hearts are filled with sorrow along with joy\u2026 For we already know from the Gospel that the people who sang \u201cHosanna\u201c to the Savior when He entered Jerusalem will soon cry out against Him, \u201eCrucify Him, crucify Him!\u201c\u2026 We recall and tremble as we recall the events when our Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed by Judas for thirty pieces of silver, suffered and was buried. Holy Week is the most difficult week of the year. This week, a believing Christian should try his best to become a co-experiencer of the events that took place 2009 years ago. This is possible; through frequent prayer, fasting, attending church services, and listening to the readings that are read in church this week. (If it is not possible to go to church, one can also read at home the chapters of the Gospel where these events are described.) During the Seven Passions, a person should stand spiritually bowed under the crucified Christ and, with tears and love, utter these words: \u201eSweet Jesus, have mercy on me\u2026\u201c and forgive me\u2026
\nIt must be said that the Church does not celebrate the passions of our Savior, Jesus Christ, only in historical significance, this is not just a historical event, but it is a reality unfolding in time, which is still fulfilled in us in various ways today\u2026 Even today, Judas betrays Christ for thirty pieces of silver, even today, Judas complains and makes remarks about Mary's offering, when Mary anointed Jesus with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair, \u201eWhy was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?\u201c Oh,\u2026 In our time, don't people like Judas try to present themselves in such a \u201egood-natured\u201c way? \u201eDon\u2019t people still rebel against such offerings to God today?! When our own children, who have strayed from the church, see donations for the construction and improvement of churches, don\u2019t they say? \u201eWhy is there such an expense? God doesn\u2019t need wealth. This money could be used to build schools or charitable buildings.\u201c But we know from the Gospel that such sacrifices are good for the Lord, because they are an expression of the love and devotion of the donor\u2026 Yes, all this seems to be repeated in every era, but in a new and different way. In our time, Pilate washes his hands, Caiaphas tears his robe, and today they still hang Christ on the cross\u2026 and today Jesus still says on the cross, \u201eFather, forgive them, for they know not what they do\u201c\u2026 Following the example of the crucified Christ, we too must be able not to lose the ability to love and forgive, despite our pain, feelings, and resentment. So that \u201ewe may be perfect, even as our heavenly Father is perfect\u201c\u2026 Let us once again ask the Lord for forgiveness of our sins and the remission of our iniquities, and let us try this week, during the seven days of the Passion, to be close to Christ in compassion and fellow-feeling, so that we may rise with Him in glory and offer Him all honor, glory, praise, thanksgiving, love, joy, and worship to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.<\/p>\n
Amen!<\/p>\n
\u201e"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.".<\/p>\n
Amen!<\/p>\n
God is with us!!!
\nWith Christlike love, Priest-Nun John.
\nApril 8, 2009, 6th Sunday of Lent, Orange County,
\nHuntington Beach<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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