A
journey, a pilgrimage! Yet, as we begin it, as we make the first step
into the "bright sadness" of Lent, we see- far, far away - the
destination. It is the joy of Easter, it is the entrance into glory of
the Kingdom. And it is this vision, the foretaste of Easter, that makes
Lent's sadness bright and our lenten effort a "spiritual spring." The
night may be dark and long, but all along the way a mysterious and
radiant dawn seems to shine on the horizon. "Do not deprive us of our
expectation, O Lover of man! [ Fr. Alexander Schmemann (†) ]
There
is more to Lent than Fasting, and there is more to fasting than food.
This principle lies at the heart of the Lenten Triodion, the main
hymnbook of Orthodox Lent. For the Orthodox Church, Lent is without
doubt the richest and most distinctive season of the ecclesiastical
year. The Lenten services, the spiritual lessons of the Triodion, and
the biblical readings for the season invite us to simplify our lives and
to immerse ourselves in the “bright sadness” of repentance. Orthodox Lent begins on Clean Monday, seven weeks before Pascha, when Orthodox Christians celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection. But before Lent begins, it is announced in advance. This preparation for Lent is made above all through the Lenten Triodion, which makes its appearance in the liturgical life of the Church three weeks prior to Lent, on the Sunday of the Tax-Collector (or Publican) and the Pharisee. The Triodion remains a regular feature of the Church’s liturgical life until the end of Holy Week.
Written for the devout Christian, the Triodion is full of warnings against pride and hypocrisy - the ultimate spiritual sins to which religious folk are so susceptible. Its hymns teach us the true nature and purpose of fasting and of Lent itself.
CONTENTS
6. Clean Monday
Click:
The Lenten Triodion, starting point for Easter - warnings against pride and hypocrisy
Triodion resource page
Triodion resource page
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου