March-April 2024

To paraphrase an old song: “Lent – what is it good for?” The answer, broadly speaking, is simple: our salvation. The themes that are woven through the Lenten period remind us of the many aspects of that salvation. Let us briefly look at some of them.

Lent begins with the service known as Forgiveness Vespers, which takes its name from the forgiveness ceremony which takes place at the end. In that ceremony, the faithful, beginning with the priest, ask for forgiveness individually from each other. This is a practical embodiment of the line in the Lord’s prayer which says “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It is a reminder that one of the most important things that we can do for our salvation is to forgive. It is tempting to hold on to wrongs done against us (real or imagined).  Forgiveness Vespers brings us face to face with that temptation and offers us the opportunity to conquer it.

The other side of the interaction at Forgiveness Vespers is the asking for forgiveness, which requires both humility and repentance. Repentance is heralded to us starting three weeks before Lent during Sunday Orthros, when we ask God to “Open to [us] the gates of repentance.” Why do we need God to open to us the gates of repentance? Because repentance requires us seeing ourselves as we really are and that is often a tall task - so much so that St. Isaac the Syrian said that “he who see his own sins is greater than he who raises the dead with his prayer.” The theme of repentance stays with us throughout Lent and is given added focus as we contemplate The Ladder of Divine Ascent on the Sunday of St. John and the life of St. Mary of Egypt the following Sunday.

Humility is set before us in one of the most recognizable parts of Lent, the prayer of St. Ephraim. The second request of the prayer is “grant me, Your servant, the spirit of prudence, humility, patience and love.” In some ways, we can look at humility as that which facilitates the other three elements of the request. Humility allows for the possibility that we are mistaken, thus leading to prudence. Humility helps us be okay with the world not running on our schedule, thus leading to patience. And humility makes space in our lives for the other, thus fostering love. In addition to all this, “[t]o the man who knows humility life is smooth and joyous, and the heart finds all things pleasant. Only to the humble does the Lord reveal Himself in the Holy Spirit, and if we do not humble ourselves we shall not see God” (St. Silouan the Athonite). 

As we prepare to behold the risen Christ, humility, then, is one of our leading guides. The last element for this month is the one placed in the middle of Lent: the Cross. The Cross is set before us on the third Sunday of Lent as a means of strengthening us for the struggle which still lies ahead. It is a reminder that the Cross is the symbol of God’s love for us, the means by which death was conquered, and the strength of us, the faithful. One of the hymns chanted that week says:

As now we venerate the Cross, let us all cry: Hail, Wood of life; hail, holy sceptre of Christ; hail, heavenly glory of mortal men; hail, pride of kings; hail, strength of the faith; hail, unconquerable weapon; hail, vanquisher of enemies; hail, radiant light that saves the world; hail, great glory of martyrs; hail, power of the righteous; hail, splendour of the angels; hail, precious Cross! “Hail, strength of the faith” – if we find our resolve weakening, let us draw strength from the Cross. “Hail power of the righteous” – let us complete the course of the faith in the power of the Cross, in which, through the weakness of His crucifixion, Jesus conquered death.

Through Lent, let forgiveness, repentance, humility, and the Cross be our companions and guides and prepare us for the glorious Resurrection.