One question I get often is: How do Orthodox Christians start Lent? Do they have an Ash Wednesday like Catholics and Protestants? The answer is: nope, no Ash Wednesday. Instead, we follow an ancient Eastern practice that guides us into a closer relationship with Jesus.
GREAT LENT IS VERY ANCIENT
Metropolitan Kallistos, in his introduction in The Lenten Triodion, states that the period leading up to Christ’s resurrection can be divided into three periods, 1) Pre-Lenten Period, 2) The 40 days of The Great Fast (Lent proper), and 3) Holy and Greek Week.
This cycle is very ancient. For example, we know that the Holy Week cycle was already in place by the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
The other periods developed after that, but what’s important is that Orthodox Church has faithfully preserved all these traditions in a beautiful whole, and it takes us on the journey of salvation!
To see how this works, let’s take a look at the Pre-Lenten Sundays individually.
SUNDAY OF THE PUBLICAN AND PHARISEE
The hymnology and the gospel lesson on this day revolves around Luke 18:10-14, the story of the Publican and Pharisee.
If you don’t know this story, it’s a very simple one. Two men enter the Temple to pray. The Pharisee exalts himself in his prayer, while the Publican prays a sincere prayer of repentance and asks for God’s mercy.
The meaning is very simple: in prayer, we should be sincere, humble, and repentant.
This Sunday teaches us how to pray, how to approach Lent, and how to change our lives by turning to Jesus.
SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON
The next Sunday is all about the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).
This is one of the most well-known stories from Scripture. It’s the story of a son who asks his father for his portion of his inheritance. The father agrees to give it to him, but the son soon squanders it.
In the end, the son returns to his father begging for his forgiveness and mercy. The father’s response is to welcome his son with open arms.
The lesson of this Sunday is clear. No matter what we’ve done in life, or how faithless we’ve become, if we return to Christ and the Church in repentance and ask for mercy, we will be received with open arms as the Prodigal Son’s father received him.
We’ve now had two images of true repentance: the Publican and the Prodigal. Both set the stage for our journey through Lent.
SUNDAY OF THE LAST JUDGMENT
Of all the pre-Lent Sundays, this one is the scariest. It’s called Judgment Sunday and the readings come from Matthew 25:31-26.
You probably have heard of this passage; it’s the one about the sheep and the goats. Jesus asks his followers if they have fed him, given him drink, welcomed him, clothed him, and if they visited him while his was sick or in prison.
Those who did this are placed at Jesus’ right and called sheep. They are the righteous ones who have inherited eternal life.
Those who didn’t do this are placed on the left and are the goats. They are whisked away to eternal punishment.
This is probably the closest the Orthodox Church gets to “fire and brimstone” preaching. It functions as a wake-up call.
We’ve had two Sundays that show us that Jesus is merciful and caring – all we need to do is turn to him with sincerity and love.
But, if our hearts are hard, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
SUNDAY OF FORGIVENESS
Finally, the last Sunday before Lent begins is Forgiveness Sunday. The reading from this Sunday comes from the Gospel of Matthew (6:14-21).
There are three main lessons. The first is that as we fast during Lent, we should be humble about it. The second is that we are reminded that our ascetical struggle is one of building up for the kingdom of heaven, not earth.
The third lesson is probably the hardest for us to learn.
Here Jesus says,
“If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
In other words, Christ will forgive us as we have forgiven others.
It’s a plea for us to be humble, merciful, and charitable towards those around us.
On the evening of this Sunday, we have a service called Forgiveness Vespers. At the end of this service, everyone personally goes up to everyone else and asks for forgiveness.
In asking for forgiveness, we will say, “Forgive me a sinner.” And each person will be forgiven with the words, “As God forgives, I forgive.” Then they embrace.
It is with these Sundays and this action that every Orthodox Christian begins Great Lent.
P.S. THE SUNDAYS BEFORE LENT MOLD US INTO BETTER CHRISTIANS
It’s easy for us to celebrate these Sundays without much thought. But when we are attentive to the liturgical cycle of the Church, we realize that it is guiding us towards union with Christ.
It’s guiding us towards salvation.
The Church takes us by the hand and shows us how to pray with a sincere heart (the Publican).
The Church tells us that Christ is always welcoming to us when we sincerely turn – or return – to him (Prodigal Son).
The Church lovely warns us that if we have hardened our hearts, we have made our own bed (Judgment Sunday).
Then the Church gives us the opportunity to forgive so that we may enter Lent cleansed (Forgiveness Sunday).
I now invite you to enter deeper into the mystery of Christ with the Orthodox Church!
St. Elias Services
Saturdays, 5 pm (at St. John’s Parish House, 1458 Locust St, Dubuque, IA)
Sundays, 9:30 am (at Hillcrest Chapel, 2001 Asbury Rd, Dubuque, IA)
Or find your nearest Orthodox Church by clicking here.