Sunday

 

On the third Sunday– “Sunday of the Cross”– the theme of the Cross makes its appearance, and we are told (Mark 8:34-9:1):
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

The third Sunday of Lent is called “The Veneration of the Cross.” At the Vigil of that day, after the Great Doxology, the Cross is brought in a solemn procession to the center of the church and remains there for the entire week– with a special rite of veneration following each service. It is noteworthy that the theme of the Cross which dominates the hymnology of that Sunday is developed in terms not of suffering but of victory and joy. More than that, the theme-songs (hirmoi) of the Sunday Canon are taken from the Paschal Service– “The Day of the Resurrection”– and the Canon is a paraphrase of the Easter Canon.

The meaning of all this is clear. We are in Mid-Lent. One the one hand, the physical and spiritual effort, if it is serious and consistent, begins to be felt, its burden becomes more burdensome, our fatigue more evident. We need help and encouragement. On the other hand, having endured this fatigue, having climbed the mountain up to this point, we begin to see the end of our pilgrimage, and the rays of Easter grow in their intensity. Lent is our self-crucifixion, our experience, limited as it is, of Christ’s commandment heard in the Gospel lesson of that Sunday: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34). But we cannot take up our cross and follow Christ unless we have His Cross which He took up in order to save us. It is His Cross, not ours, that saves us. It is His Cross that gives not only meaning but also power to others.

Monday

For every action of his, man must ask himself, “What I am doing pleases me, but does it also please God?” and must examine whether it is pleasing to God. If we forget to do this, then we also forget God. That’s why in the old days they used to say: “For God’s sake!”…Or else people would say: “God willing,” or “If God permits it.” People felt the presence of God everywhere, they kept God constantly before them and they were careful. They actually lived what the Psalm says: ‘I have set the Lord always before me…’”
(Elder St. Paisios in ‘Spiritual Awakening’)

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Tuesday

“Some such people experience religion as a kind of hell. They make prostrations and cross themselves in church and they say, ‘We are unworthy sinners’. Then as soon as they come out they start to blaspheme everything holy whenever someone upsets them a little. It is very clear that there is something demonic in this. In fact, the Christian religion transforms people and heals them. The most important precondition, however, for someone to recognize and discern the truth is humility. Egotism darkens a person’s mind, it confuses him, it leads him astray to heresy. It is important for a person to understand the truth.”
(Elder St. Porphyrios in ‘Wounded by Love’)

“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Wednesday

“… The Prophet David cried out when Nathan reproached him because of Bathsheba, “I have sinned against the Lord!” And the prophet told him, “The Lord has put away thy sin.” So, he was forgiven immediately yet he was punished throughout his life: first of all, the child that Bathsheba had, died. Then his son sinned against his sister Tamar. Afterwards his son Absalom pursued him – and he went through all of this after he had been forgiven. Do you see that even though the sin is forgiven the penance remains in proportion to the fault?”
(Elder Joseph in “Monastic Wisdom”)

Thursday

“I however, feel that I am the most sinful person in the world. Of course, whatever I remembered I confessed, and I know God has forgiven me. But now I have the feeling that my spiritual sins are very many and I ask all those who have known me to pray for me…I always made the effort to pray, to read the hymns of the Church, the Holy Scriptures and the Lives of the Saints. May you do the same.”
( St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia Final Letter in 1991)

6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them.”

Friday

“Wealth can be very destructive for man when it is not distributed to the poor for the benefit of our soul and for the souls of our departed. Giving alms to people who are suffering, widows, orphans and so on, is also very helpful for the repose of the souls of those who have passed away. For when we give alms on behalf of someone who has died, the recipients will say, ‘May God forgive him; may his relics be sanctified.'”
(Elder St. Paisios in ‘Spiritual Awakening’)

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Saturday

“… Open the eyes of your soul and see what exists beyond this life. Men of the world loved the world because they have not yet discovered its bitterness. They are still blind in soul and do not see what is hiding behind his fleeting joy. The noetic light has not yet come to them, the day of salvation has not yet dawned upon them. But you who have seen and heard so much, must realize that the pleasure from temporal things passes away like a shadow.”
(Elder Joseph the Hesychast in ‘ Monastic Wisdom’)

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?