The Great Fast of Lent

The Great Fast of Lent begins on Monday, February 15th. During the four weeks leading up to the beginning of this season of the Church year, Christians are encouraged to begin to prepare for the Fast. Each of the Sundays prior to the first day of the Fast has a "theme" based on the gospel reading of the day. The "theme" for this past week, beginning this past Sunday, known as the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, was repentance.

Like the Prodigal Son, we are to reflect on our self-imposed exile caused by our sin, and to recognize that our return to the Father, to our home country, is only possible when we come to our senses, as did the Prodigal Son, and repent. The amazing thing in all of this is that the Father is waiting, and will run to meet us (such behavior, running to meet the younger person, in the context of the Jewish culture of the time was seen as unbecoming of an elder) to welcome us home, to restore us, and to make a feast of joy for us.

It is important to remember the teaching of our Lord and Savior regarding fasting, whether we undertake such discipline regularly during the week, or during the season such as that upcoming: fasting is not an end in and of itself, and it is not an excuse for poor or rude behavior, or for drawing attention to your piety (Matthew 6:16-17). It is to be a source of joy for us and others. It is a means whereby we exercise ourselves in preparation for the life of the world to come, while ministering to our neighbors through alms and other works of mercy. It is also very important to increase our prayers, to deepen our prayer life, during fasting. Fr. Alexander Schmemann said:

The Church is in time and its life in this world is fasting, that is, a life of effort, sacrifice, self-denial and dying. The Church's very mission is to become all things to all men. But how could the Church fulfill this mission, how could it be the salvation of the world, if it were not first of all and above everything else, the divine gift of Joy, the fragrance of the Holy Spirit, the presence here in time of the feast of the Kingdom?

When we fast, let us exude joy, that others seeing our joy may give glory to the Father in heaven. And let us not be like the elder brother in the story of the Prodigal Son, but let us rejoice in the welcoming home, the restoration, and the feast in honor of all who have returned from self-imposed exile.

Blessings in Christ,

Robert L. Hopper
02-10-2010