Our Lenten journey this year began back at the first part of March, but we still have about half of it to go until we reach our goal of Great and Holy Pascha. While we face the struggles that other Orthodox Christians have faced for centuries, making these struggles in the world in the 21st Century seem to be a daunting task. This is especially true in the age of technology, where we can get distracted from our true calling. Which is the worship of God, and asking for His mercy on us.
Increased Vigilance
During Lent, we seem to be attacked by the evil one more often than we are at any other time of the year. Dear brothers, I urge you all to stay vigilant and on your path of repentance. God calls us to Himself and we must do all we can to be redeemed in his sight. During the year, we all fall ill to sins of all sorts, but it is now that we come to the hospital to receive that medicine which cures both our physical and spiritual ills, repentance of sins.
Fasting & Confession
With Great Lent, there is a more acute focus on both fasting and confession as a way to heal the body and soul alike. This has been the teachings of the Fathers of the Church for centuries. They knew that the physical passions that we all struggle with couldn’t survive being exposed to the curative nature of the sacrament of confession. It is for this reason that during Lent we put our passions to flight as we take on these ancient of ascetic struggles within our own lives.
End of Our Journey
In the middle of Great Lent, it looks like there is a long way to go yet, but remember it’s not just the end goal of Holy Pascha that we are traveling towards, it is that we are making the journey in the first place. Are we moving our lives towards God? Have we repented of our sins? As Christians, we will be knocked down from time to time, but we must get ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and continue the journey. It is for the end of our journey that we celebrate the glorious Resurrection of Our Lord. It is for this reason we all continue to struggle against our passions.
Encouragement
Keep the faith Brothers and God will reward your struggles. We are all struggling with the journey that our Church calls for us to accomplish. Moreover, while there are many obstacles that are put in our path, have the courage to overcome them. Your reward for this struggle is great, as compared with the struggles that we have to overcome. Have courage to overcome them, no matter what form they come in.
May God bless you all who read this and gain courage to continue the struggle.
Thank you very much for your wise words of encouragement brother, as I broken sinner myself, this Lent has been especially hard for me.
Temptations which I previously had no difficulty overcoming, now feel like giant boulders.
It is as if the years go by the spiritual struggle gets harder.
All I try to do is remind myself of the Jesus prayer, something that I often forget to use, either due to my pride, laziness or simple lack of will.
Keep me in your prayers brothers, our Lord know I need them.
God bless