Category Image The Sunday of the Prodigal Son



I may repost this later, as I'm waiting to see if my usual suspect bloggers post anything about todays feast. In the meantime, as a neophyte, I'll make a few comments.

Today, everyone but Catherine has some sort of disease. A spate of viruses have been invading the house throughout the week. So, we're going to miss out on attending the Divine Liturgy, on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son (here is the Gospel reading for today). We will, however, experience it virtually, which raises all sorts of interesting questions, but no it is really not the same thing as being there. This morning, we did gather for morning prayers, and we read the canticles from the Lenten Triodion for today. Here is one such:

The wealth of grace that Thou has given me, in my wretchedness I have wasted sinfully; all to no purpose. I have left my true home, and as the Prodigal I have scattered my riches deceitfully among the demons. But now on my return accept me as the Prodigal, merciful Father, and save me.

Most of the Matins prayers for today are of this sort. Definitely of a penitential flavor. As of last week, the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee , which was focused on a proper repentant attitude by virtue of the comparison between the two characters in the parable, we entered into the Lenten Triodion, or the three Sundays before Great Lent. Next week continues the theme of repentance by focusing on the Last Judgement. The whole theme of Lent, of course, is a time of preparation for Pascha (Easter), and the Resurrection of Our Lord. This greatest of all events, and greatest of all Christian Holydays (regardless of Hallmark or pop culture's view), is our only means of attaining to eternal life, and a blessed life in the presence of God. Lent is about repentance, fasting, really focusing on reigning in our passions. The ascetical life, which all Christians are called to, is the process of our sanctification, such that being in the presence of God will be a good thing. Many Fathers of the Church understand that, while all Christians, and maybe all people, will be in the presence of God throughout eternity, it won't necessarily be a good thing for all. Consider the response of the Israelites to the Pillar of Fire. They needed Moses to go be with God, because they understood that they would die if He spoke with them:

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it , they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die (Exodus 20:18-19).

So, the less pure you are, the more dangerous and painful being in God's presence will be. I am reminded of a statement by Metropolitan Anthony Bloom: "...a meeting face to face with God is always a moment of judgment for us. We cannot meet God in prayer or in meditation or in contemplation and not be either saved or condemned". The consuming fire will either be warmth to bask in, or unbearable torture, or somewhere in between, based on our state.

So, we spend Lent purifying ourselves. We fast to help us learn to govern our passions. It is not that food is evil, Scripture prevents that interpretation, or that merely eating less somehow purifies us. It is through the governing of our passions that we become purified. Volumes have been written on this subject, and by people who know of what they speak, and who have experienced this (i.e., not me).

So, we prepare for Lent by focusing on repentance for three Sundays. Interestingly, the first Sunday of Lent is Forgiveness Sunday, where we seek to forgive, and be forgiven by, those around us.

To those who might be reading this who belong to Western Churches, a blessed Septuagesima (or 70 days before Easter). Although this is mostly forgotten in the West, there are three Sundays of preparation before Lent begins in the West as well. Unfortunately, since the discipline of a full Lenten fast has long since disappeared, there is little point in preparing for it. But, for those who are preparing, be blessed.

The icon is from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and is of the Prodigal Son.

Posted: Sunday - February 04, 2007 at 09:35 AM          

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