In Thee the Conqueror of death, I have found the Source of Life, and from my heart I cry to Thee before my end: I have sinned, be merciful, save me.
I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned against Thee. Be merciful to me. For there is no one who has sinned among men whom I have not surpassed by my sins.
I have imitated those who were licentious in Noah’s time, and I have earned a share in their condemnation of drowning in the flood.
You have imitated Ham, that spurner of his father, my soul. You have not concealed your neighbour’s shame by returning to him looking backwards.
Run, my soul, like Lot from the fire of sin; run from Sodom and Gomorrah; run from the flame of every irrational desire.
Have mercy, O Lord, have mercy on me, I implore Thee, when Thou comest with Thy Angels to requite us all as our actions deserve. — Troparia from Ode 3, Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
But you are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
It is Passion Sunday. Today we enter into the Passiontide, the two weeks leading up to Easter Sunday. On this Passion Sunday the Church’s readings remind us of several important things.
First and foremost, we are reminded of the resurrection. Jesus raises His friend Lazarus. This is the third time, prior to His own death, that Jesus has exhibited His power – and by exhibiting His power over life and death confirmed the fact that He is God’s son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. No one who is not God has power over life and death.
In Luke 8 we read of Jarius’ daughter:
And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child.
And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.”
And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.
But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.”
And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat.
And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.
In Luke 7 we read of the widow of Na’in:
Soon afterward he went to a city called Na’in, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her.
And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”
And this report concerning him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
Today we read of Lazarus:
[Jesus] cried out in a loud voice,
—Lazarus, come out!—
The dead man came out
Just before Jesus raises Lazarus He told His disciples that He will lay down His life, and that He has the power to take it up again:
—For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father.”
So Jesus has made His point. He is God. God who has power over life and death.
Regardless of the miracles, regardless of our church attendance, this is a good lesson for us. We may say Jesus, Jesus. We may say He is the Christ. Yet we may fail to recognize the simple fact – He is God.
Brothers and sisters,
Secondarily the Church reminds us that God’s appearance, God’s revelation, is one half of the equation. The other half of that equation is our response. Revelation – response. Our response must be one of faith.
In our first reading we hear God state that His actions will elicit a response from us.
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live,
and I will settle you upon your land;
thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
We who sit here have made that response. We have come to the realization that God came to dwell among us. His spirit is in us and He has settled us in our land, our land is the Church. Our response to what God has revealed, externally, and in our hearts, is that we fully recognize Him as the Lord.
Both Martha and Mary, in the midst of their grief, express their faith in Jesus – as Lord of life, with power, even over death.
Jesus told her,
—I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?—
[Martha] said to him, —Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.——¨
My friends,
Jesus has shown Himself – God among us, Emmanuel. Jesus has shown that He has power over death. In two weeks we will commemorate the fact that Jesus – who died, sacrificed upon the cross – will take up His life again, opening the gates of heaven to us. He has shown us the promise of heaven – life eternal – what life will be in perfection.
As we walk through this two week period of reflection, increased fasting and prayer, and time in silent reflection before the wood of the cross and the the tomb, let us remember what God has done. Let us remember that God touched our lives. That He shared in all we experience, except sin. Let us remember that we are called to respond to Him in faith.
Therefore, let us recommit to a life lived as the people in whom Christ dwells, that we are in the spirit, as long as the Spirit of God dwells in us. Jesus Christ lives in us. God is with us.
Amen.
Sin which stripped me of my former God-woven clothing has also sewn on me coats of skin.
I am wrapped in a garment of shame as with fig leaves, in reproof of my selfish passions.
I am clad in a coat that is spotted and shamefully blood-stained by the flow of my passionate and pleasure-loving life.
I fell under the burden of passions and corruption of matter, and from then until now I am oppressed by the enemy.
Having preferred a possessive and pleasure-loving life to spiritual poverty, O Saviour, I am now harnessed with a heavy yoke.
I have adorned the idol of my flesh with the many-coloured clothing of shameful thoughts, and I am condemned.
I have been anxiously concerned only about outward adornment, and have neglected the inner temple made in the image of God.
I have buried with passions the beauty of the original image, O Saviour. But seek and find it, like the lost coin.
Like the harlot I cry to Thee: I have sinned, I alone have sinned against Thee. Accept my tears also, O Saviour, as perfume.
Like the publican I cry to Thee: Be merciful, O Saviour, be merciful to me; for no child of Adam has sinned as I against Thee. — Troparia from Ode 2, Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
I have willfully incurred the guilt of Cain’s murder, since by invigorating my flesh I am the murderer of my soul’s awareness, and have warred against it by my evil deeds.
I have not resembled Abel’s righteousness, O Jesus. I have never offered Thee acceptable gifts, nor divine actions, nor a pure sacrifice, nor an unblemished life.
Like Cain, we too, O wretched soul, have likewise offered to the Creator of all foul deeds, defective sacrifice and a useless life. Therefore we too are condemned.
In molding my clay into life, O Potter, Thou didst put in me flesh and bones, breath and vitality. But, O my Creator, my Redeemer and Judge, accept me who repent.
I confess to Thee, O Saviour, the sins I have committed, and the wounds of my body and soul which murderous thoughts like robbers within have inflicted upon me.
I have sinned, O Saviour, yet I know that Thou art the Lover of men. Thou strikest compassionately and pitiest warmly. Thou seest me weeping and runnest towards me as the Father recalling the Prodigal. — Troparia from Ode 1, Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
The mind is wounded, the body is feeble, the spirit is sick, the word has lost its power, life is ebbing, the end is at the doors. What then will you do, wretched soul, when the Judge comes to try your case?
I have reviewed Moses’ account of the creation of the world, my soul, and then all canonical Scripture which tells you the story of the righteous and the unrighteous. But you, my soul, have copied the latter and not the former, and have sinned against God.
The Law has grown weak, the Gospel is unpractised, the whole of the Scripture is ignored by you; the Prophets and every word of the Just have lost their power. Your wounds, my soul, have multiplied, and there is no physician to heal you.
I am bringing before you examples from the New Scripture, my soul, to lead you to compunction. So emulate the righteous and avoid following the sinners, and regain Christ’s grace by prayers, fasts, purity and reverence.
Christ became man and called to repentance robbers and harlots. Repent, my soul! The door of the Kingdom is already open, and the transformed pharisees, publicans and adulterers are seizing it ahead of you.
Christ became a babe and conversed in the flesh with me, and he voluntarily experienced all that pertains to our nature, apart from sin; and He showed you, my soul, an example and image of His own condescension.
Christ saved wise men, called shepherds, made crowds of infants martyrs, glorified old men and aged widows, whose deeds and life, my soul, you have not emulated. But woe unto you when you are judged!
When the Lord had fasted for forty days in the wilderness, He at last became hungry, showing His human nature. Do not be despondent, my soul, if the enemy attacks you, but let him be beaten off by prayer and fasting. — Troparia from Ode 9, Monday of the First Week of Lent
I have sinned, O Saviour, have mercy! Awaken my mind to conversion, accept me who repent, have compassion on me as I cry: Against Thee only have I sinned and acted lawlessly; have mercy on me.
Elijah the charioteer once ascended by the chariot of the virtues as to heaven and was carried above earthly things. Consider then, my soul, this ascent.
Elisha received double grace from the Lord when he took up Elijah’s sheepskin. But you, my soul, have not shared this grace owing to incontinence.
Jordan’s stream of old was made to stand still on either side by Elisha by Elijah’s sheepskin. But you, my soul, have not shared this grace owing to incontinence.
The Shunammite woman of old with right good will entertained the righteous man. But you, my soul, have taken into your house neither stranger nor traveller. Therefore you will be cast out of the bridal hall wailing.
You have always imitated the vile mind of Gehazi, O wretched soul. Rid yourself of his love of money, at least in old age; escape from the fire of Gehenna by leaving your evil ways. — Troparia from Ode 8, Monday of the First Week of Lent
I have sinned, offended and rejected Thy commandment, for I have advanced in sins and added wounds to my sores. But in Thy compassion have mercy on me, O God of our Fathers.
I have confessed to Thee, my Judge, the secrets of my heart. See my humility, see also my distress, and attend to my judgment now. And in Thy compassion have mercy on me, O God of our Fathers.
When Saul of old lost his father’s asses, besides getting news of them he incidentally found a kingdom. But watch, my soul, lest without noticing it, you prefer your animal cravings to the Kingdom of Christ
If David, the father of our Divine Lord, doubly sinned of old, my soul, when he was pierced with the arrow of adultery and struck with the spear of remorse for murder, yet you have a sickness graver than deeds in your will and appetites.
David once joined sin to sin, for he mixed adultery with murder, yet he immediately offered double repentance. But you my soul, have done things more wicked without repenting to God.
David of old composed a song, painting it as in a picture, by which he exposes the deed he had done, crying: Have mercy on me, for against Thee only have I sinned, Who art God of all. Cleanse me. — Troparia from Ode 7, Monday of the First Week of Lent
I sincerely offer Thee with a pure intention, O Saviour, the tears of my eyes and groans from the depths of my heart, crying: O God, I have sinned against Thee; be merciful to me.
You, my soul, have revolted from the Lord like Dathan and Abiram. But with all your heart cry, “Spare!”, that a yawning gulf of the earth may not swallow you.
Like a stampeding heifer stung to madness, my soul, you have resembled Ephraim. Winged with action, resolve and contemplation, save your life like a gazelle from the noose.
Let Moses’ hand assure us, my soul, how God can whiten and cleanse a leprous life. So do not despair of yourself, even though you are leprous. — Troparia from Ode 6, Monday of the First Week of Lent
I have passed my life ever in night, for the night of sin has been to me thick fog and darkness; but make me, O Saviour, a son of the day.
Like Reuben, wretch that I am, I have planned an unprincipled and lawless act against God Most High, having defiled my bed as he defiled that of his father.
I confess to Thee, O Christ my King: I have sinned, I have sinned, like Joseph’s brothers of old, who sold the fruit of purity and chastity.
Righteous Joseph was given up by his brothers, that sweet soul was sold into slavery, as a type of the Lord; and you, my soul, have sold yourself completely to your vices.
Imitate, wretched and worthless soul, righteous Joseph and his pure mind, and do not be wanton with irrational desires, ever transgressing.
If Joseph of old also occupied a pit, O Sovereign Lord, yet it was as a type of Thy Burial and Rising. But will I ever offer Thee anything like it? — Troparia from Ode 5, Monday of the First Week of Lent
—Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?——¨
Jesus answered,—¨
—Neither he nor his parents sinned;—¨
it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.—
To our minds Jesus’ statement presents an inconceivable problem. This man was born blind – afflicted – for the sole purpose of showing forth God’s power? Yet that is what happened. Affliction, fearful trouble, showed forth God’s light.
Look at the Gospel. The parents of the man born blind tried to avoid trouble:
Ask him, he is of age;
he can speak for himself.—
His parents said this because they were afraid
of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed
that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ,
he would be expelled from the synagogue.
For this reason his parents said,
—He is of age; question him.——¨
They wanted to avoid doing the hard thing, attesting to the truth in the face of certain condemnation.
Jesus Christ proclaimed the fact that He is the light of the world. Yet, we still live in fear, fear of condemnation, fear of failure, fear of pain, sickness, misfortune, poverty, weakness. Fear… we fear it all. We fear because we forget that we have nothing to fear.
We have an opportunity today — to remind ourselves that there is nothing to fear as long as we cling to Christ and His Church.
Jesus brought the light, and His light penetrates to the depth of our being. Jesus asks that we allow His light to penetrate into our lives in the same way it penetrated into the life of the man born blind. Jesus’ light destroys all fear. His light does not provide for an easy-going existence, an existence where nothing bad will happen to us as long as we believe. Rather, His light provides for an existence, a life, where nothing, no man, no trouble, no illness, nothing can separate us from God’s love, God’s promise. Jesus’ light gives us the fulness of life – true life – where even in the face of fearful things we are free from fear, we are assured.
Brothers and sisters,
The Pharisees were all caught up in the healing of the blind man. They debated the healing. How could this happen? What could it mean? How was it brought about? They wanted the details and they missed the point, they missed the light. They missed Jesus. On the other hand the man born blind, who lived with the suffering and degradation brought about by his blindness, did not wonder at all. He didn’t curse his former life, ‘Jesus what took you so long,’ but looked at his new life with steadfast joy. He didn’t need an answer. He did not fear the Pharisees. He had the answer, Jesus.
Friends,
If we allow Christ’s light to penetrate us – if we become changed by it, we will have eternal life, a life where fear means nothing. Like the man born blind we will have the answer. We will fear nothing.
The example of our ancestors in faith, the holy saints, apostles, and martyrs, the founders of the PNCC and our parish, Bishops Hodur and Padewski, should be an example to us. There is nothing to fear if we hold true to our faith, if we join together in this holy cause. None backed down or apostatized in the face of fearful things. None at all, for they knew that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus’ light does not mean an end to suffering. In today’s world it is likely that we will suffer all the more for living in His light. But that suffering is brief – and in reality inconsequential. That suffering is nothing when measured against the promise of eternal life. A promise we are to proclaim – because by it the whole world will be healed and made whole.
Family,
Today, with our Lenten penitential service, we begin again, we renew our commitment, our decision to live in and with the light of Christ. We begin again in our decision to live in accord with our brothers and sisters in the Holy Church. We choose to reject sin and all fear, and we repent.
It is time, the Passiontide begins next week. It is time to choose the light of Christ, to reject all fear, to proclaim the cross and the resurrection. It is time to live in His light, and to reflect that light, sharing it with the world.
As St. Paul noted, we must:
Live as children of light,—¨
for light produces every kind of goodness—¨
and righteousness and truth.
It is our job. It is the truth we must proclaim. It is the struggle we must undertake. It is our work – and by it we will be victorious. Walk out of here today and be fearless. We have nothing to fear. We have chosen to live in the light of Christ.
Amen.