Great Lent is quickly approaching for Eastern Orthodox Christians. For me at least, it always seems to come at the time I most need it, and I'm grateful for that. It is foremost a time of spiritual rededication to God and a renewal of our baptismal vows of course, but it also gives me a chance to refocus and examine my priorities and examine myself a little closer.
Entering Great Lent this year, our family has the knowledge that by the time Pascha comes, we will join the many families out of work. It's a time of uncertainty. Because of this, the temptation to make frenzied changes in a panic is great, and then you have the many financial gurus giving their opinions on how much worse the economy is in such-and-such an area; that people who have put down roots for generations should pick up and move, as if other areas of the country are somehow unaffected by this global recession and are thriving and prospering in abundance.
In reading today's reading of The Prologue, St. Nikolai has some enlightening insight on the idea of moving from one place to the next, and it's worth sharing. I have heard the idea of "grow where you are planted!" reverberated in Orthodoxy many times. It is a command to try to make things work out wherever it is that God has placed us, and not only that, but to be fruitful. Now, "fruitful" may not necessarily mean in a material way—we may struggle to eke out a meager existence within a financial perspective—but certainly, in a spiritual way, we can control that 100%, and we can be abundantly fruitful in our spiritual lives. It's not good to wander from place to place searching for "something better"—even monastics going from monastery to monastery, when they couldn't find the kind of life they desired within the monastery, were often chastened for moving from one place to the next, and were advised to stay in one place to work out their salvation.
"Why do men leave one place and settle in another place? Primarily because they hope that they will be more fortunate in the other place. And in truth, from the worldly point of view of life and contentment, places can be different; better or worse. He, who does not hope in a better life after death, seeks a better sensual pasture in this life. But if we listen to the hearts of those men, who were able and capable to live in the so-called best places on the globe of the earth, we will detect dissatisfaction, sorrow and despair. They did not find that which they were seeking. They ate to over satisfaction in every place, and finally, still hungry, they gaze death in the eyes. But look at the Christian saints! They sought places with the least earthly pastures; places that were 'arid, impassible and devoid of water' isolated places and terrible places that attracted the least attention and for which no one competes. They considered every place on earth equally worthless, but they chose those places solely because they wanted to draw nearer in the spirit and mind to their eternal homeland. And, if one were to listen to their hearts, they would sense joy and contentment."
I am truly thankful that Great Lent comes and will be nearly finished by the time employment ends for our family; it was the greatest gift God could've given us. I believe that we can dedicate ourselves more to the purpose of Great Lent, and come out stronger and with firmer resolve. We are not alone in our situation—not in the unemployment situation, nor any other situation in our lives. Many others share our same crosses, and in all things, Emmanuel...God is with us, so we are never truly alone. And Pascha is Pascha, no matter what happens, no matter where we find ourselves in life. There is truly no greater joy for a Christian than the Resurrection of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, that He has overcome death, the devil, and the world; that He loved us so much that He laid down His life for us, and despite our sinfulness, continues to love us and care for us, and patiently awaits our repentance. Echoing the joy of the Resurrection versus the despondency of things of this world, St. Seraphim of Sarov stamped his foot and said "with vigor and rapture", "We have no need to despond; for Christ has vanquished everything, raised Adam, released Eve, and slain death!" (Archimandrite Lazarus Moore's "St. Seraphim of Sarov-A Spiritual Biography", page 50). So through whatever it is we are facing in these dark times, even while we are awaiting entering Great Lent, the Light of Pascha is already shining at the end of the tunnel so to speak for us—dimly now, of course, as we have not even begun to run the race of Great Lent yet, but as we enter into Great Lent and proceed, that Light will grow stronger and brighter, until the greatest Light of all shines on April 19, Holy Pascha. No matter where we find ourselves, Pascha will come, THANK GOD, and GLORY TO GOD.
Icon of Annunciation
As Gabriel comes to announce God's plan for the Mother of God, she is depicted industriously mid-project of some type of needlework (knitting, perhaps?) I just love that!
