When the Hour Came

The preparation for Forgiveness Sunday and the beginning of Great Lent depends on your willingness to dive deep into the WHY of the spiritual disciplines.

“They say hindsight’s 20/20.” Yep, that’s what they say. I don’t know anyone who, if they could and knowing what they know now, wouldn’t jump into a time machine and go back to one or two spots in their lives and do something different. We all have moments in our lives where we are blind to the unintended consequences of our choices.

And yet, even knowing what we know now, we still catch ourselves about to step into choices, relationships, and situations that seem familiar to those other regretful choices we’ve made in the past. It’s unnerving how easily we repeat what we know we shouldn’t!

What do you think drives this human habit? We humans vacillate between either being too easy on ourselves or too hard on ourselves. Both of these places keep us from actually getting to the heart of how to avoid all these familiar traps in our choices. We need a surefire way to stay ahead of the unthinking choices that keep us trapped in a pattern of bad places. And there certainly is no shortage of words of advice, counseling appointments, and self-help books out there that offer us a way out. And there’s not necessarily anything wrong with any of them. However, what if we could get ahold of the “owner’s manual” for our lives and see so far ahead that we avoided all the pitfalls? Guess what. We can.

Look at our Gospel Lesson this morning from Luke 19:29-40 and 22:7-39. We won’t quote the whole passage, but I hope you take the time to read it all:

And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of man goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” And they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do this.

Here we are, once again, approaching Great Lent. That season of the Church Year is when we make our annual pilgrimage to Pascha, the Resurrection. And once again, our Faith invites us to see with fresh eyes the familiar message we’ve heard repeatedly. In this fresh look at familiar words, the key is embracing the answer to our true life. All this week, we will be invited to have a laser-like focus on Forgiveness Sunday and the final preparation steps for Great Lent. Ready?

Of course, here, we see the Lord give us His gift of the Holy Eucharist. Here, He institutes the “meal” that Christian communities will celebrate from then on until today. He gives us the key to Great Lent when He says, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Because it is in the ability to SEE the goal of our journey AND remember WHY the journey is worth the labor that sets us free from the unthinking and automatic patterns of our choices, actions, and living that entrap us into the slavery of shortsighted lives.

This is also why Forgiveness is the focus. If I don’t allow this wisdom to uncover my own brokenness, I will miss the power of this confrontation with Forgiveness. This moment of confrontation wakens my soul to be attentive to the Gift given to me in Christ and the power of His forgiveness to heal me. If His forgiveness sets me free, imagine how free I become when I live like Him and forgive others.

On this Cheesefare Monday, we build on the gradual “cleaning” of our homes and hearts from that which feeds our slumber and inattentiveness. Last week, we said “goodbye” to meat, and this week, we started the “cleaning out” of the dairy. Not because meat and dairy are “bad.” But because these gifts are all too often treated as “my right,” If I’m ever free to receive all God gives me as His grace and kindness, I must discipline my physical and spiritual desires to hunger for God above all else. And I can’t do that while I indulge my appetites! Time to learn to say “no” to smaller things so that I can be free to say “yes” to the eternal.

Today, we journey toward Forgiveness Sunday, and the Faith allows us to see ahead toward the goal of our journey: Remembering Christ in all we do. Are you awake to this annual opportunity to see WHY your spiritual life is worth your BEST efforts? Are you clear on the goal of your life? Are you willing to humbly embrace and be embraced by the wisdom of spiritual labors to set you free to see clearly and remember well? You can be. You should be, especially with the abundant wealth of spiritual wisdom at your fingertips. All you have to do is today, at this moment, exercise your will to live a Normal Orthodox Life!

P.S. O Commanders of the Heavenly Host, we the unworthy beseech you, that through your entreaties you will fortify us, guarding us in the shelter of the wings of your ethereal glory, even as we fervently bow before you crying: "Deliver us from all danger, as Commanders of the Powers on high!