THE GREAT LENT

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD AMEN!

“Take the helmet of Salvation and the sword of Spirit, which is the word of God.” EPHESIANS 6:17

May the good Lord reveal to us His Holy word so that we can understand it spiritually, Amen.

INTRODUCTION:

The Great Lent is a fasting season of Eight weeks. Each week has its significance based on the facts described it the Holy Bible. The Church has taught Fasting following the acts of Her founder and Lord, Jesus Christ; the teachings and experiences of the Prophets and the Apostles. It is called ‘Great Lent’ because it was set by our Lord Himself and is the longest fasting period as well. Matthew4:2 “He fasted forty days and forty nights.”

FASTING AND ITS BENEFITS

Fasting is an instrument to enter into a living relationship with God through which we enrich our spiritual life. It is also a weapon to avoid the lust of the flesh and reduce the elements of material life. The depth of fasting leads the true believer into the abundant blessing of the Holy Spirit and flourishes the believer’s life with spiritual growth. The goal of our fasting is not mainly for materialistic things which the Lord knows and provides for us more than we need, but it is aimed on achieving forgiveness and blessing while seeking for eternal life. Fasting is beneficial for both the body and the soul. Moreover, it is a spiritual weapon through which we acquire victory over the temptations brought by the devil against us.

Generally, Fasting is abstaining not only from some restricted foods and not eating for certain hours or days but it is refraining from doing all evil things as well. It is a season of penitence, following the good teachings of the Church, meditate on them and apply them to our life; and our worship on building a treasure in Heaven.

Please read the following Biblical references that explain fasting and its benefits. Matthew 4:1-11 Matthew 17:21 Acts3:3 2Corinthians 6:6 Isaiah 58:6-7 Daniel 1:5-19 Jonah 3:5 Joel 2:15 Exodus 24:18

THE EIGHT WEEKS OF THE GREAT LENT

Our great spiritual fathers have set patterns of Biblical readings from the Old and the New Testament Holy Books for each week of the Great Lent that supports as to what we commemorate during the fasting season.

First Sunday: The manifestation of God in flesh. John 3:13-21.

First week: The teaching of our Lord, Jesus Christ on how to fast. Matthew 6:16-21.

Second week: The house of the Lord is a house of prayer, not of a merchandise. John 2:13-25.

Third week: The healing of the sick by our Lord, Jesus Christ. John 5:1-18.

Fourth week: The teaching of our Lord, Jesus Christ in Mount of Olives. (The sign of His coming and of the End of the world). Matthew 24: 3-44.

Fifth week: The loyal servants of God. Matthew 25:14-30.

Sixth week: The teaching our Lord, Jesus Christ to Nicodemus, (The value of Baptism, re-birth from water and the spirit). John 3:1-12.

Seventh week: The entrance of our Lord, Jesus Christ to Jerusalem sitting on the donkey and the colt. Palm Sunday (Hosaenna). Luke 19:28-44

Eighth week: This week is regarded as the HOLY WEEK. During this very week we commemorate the passion and suffering of our Lord; the conspiracy of the chief priests against our Lord; the betrayal of the Lord by Judas Iscariot; the Last (Lord’s) Supper; the fear and sorrow of the Disciples; Peter’s denial; the Cross; the crucifixion of our Lord; the miracles; Burial of the Son of God; The Resurrection of our Lord and manifestation to His Disciples. The Glorious Happiness.

Let’s discuss more about the last week of the Great Lent. It was during this very week many mysterious events took place in Jerusalem. I will just explain briefly some of the significant happenings; as we may not have the space and time to discuss in detail.

Monday - Wednesday: The conspiracy of chief priests and the scribes on how to detain and put Jesus Christ to death. Matthew 26:1-5

Judas Iscariot betrayed his Lord and met with chief priests; discussed how to deliver Jesus into their hands. Matthew 26:14-16

Thursday: The Lord’s Supper (The Last Supper); our Lord washed His Disciples’ feet; our Lord in Gethsemane; our Lord betrayed in a garden; Peter’s denial; our Lord in front of Caiaphas - the high priest. (The first trial). Matthew 26:30-68

Here we will partly discuss about our Lord, Jesus Christ washing His Disciples’ feet. John 12: 4-17.

Our Lord and Master washed His Disciples’ feet so that they became clean in all walks of life and their service; (except the one doomed to destruction). He set them an example by humbling Himself as a servant. His humility is beyond words! Even Peter refused when the Lord came to wash his feet. “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (verse6). In order to uplift the level of our understanding, one has to visualize the word of God according to the spirit not as to the flesh. This helps us to realize what the Lord’s plans towards us are. Please refer to Paul’s words, “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.” 1Corinthians 2:13

Peter’s resistance would have led him to having no part with the Lord, John 12:7-10. And so we need to wash our hearts with spiritual water that cleanse us from the evil world. “Cleans me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7. The washing of their feet helped them to follow His foot prints. Those servants who didn’t wash their feet with the holy water could mislead the followers of God with their wrong actions, as stated by Ezekiel the prophet; 34:11,19. Please read Psalm 1:1; Psalm 15:1-2.

Hence, our Lord explained to His Disciples the purpose why He washed their feet. “Set an example”. “Do as I have done for you.”  “You will be blessed if you do them.” (Verses11-17) And that is why the Church fathers wash the feet of the congregation in the church on this very day (Thursday) to commemorate what our Lord did for His Disciples. He expressed to them His humility and meekness. He set a lesson that whoever humbles himself will be glorified by God and shall be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Our Lord and Teacher is humble. He manifested Himself in the human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself. Philippians 2:7-8. He made His Birth in the manger. Luke 2:12. Our Lord declares “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29-30.

On Palm Sunday, our Lord sat on the donkey ant the colt while entering Jerusalem, to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet saying, “Tell to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King comes to you, meek and sitting upon a donkey and a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Matthew 21:4-5 Zechariah 9:9. Do you see how Humble our LORD is?! May the good Lord grant us the spirit of humility to be kind to others and obey His commandments! Amen.

It was on this very night as well our Lord sat with His Disciples and ate with them the Last Supper. After they ate the Passover Supper according to the Old Testament, He taught them how to prepare the Holy Sacrament (Holy Communion). Our Lord took Bread and Blessed it and gave it to the Disciples and said “Take, eat; This is My Body.” And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, “Drink from it all of you, for This is my blood of the NEW TESTAMENT, which is shed for many for the REMISSION of sins.” Matthew 26:26-28.

Even though the Words of our Lord are very clear and unambiguous, many get confused and gave it a wrong translation. The Lord said “ This is my Body,. . . This is my Blood.” This is not like the Passover or the sacrifices of the Old Testament. As they were mere symbols and were unable to bring any Salvation. Our Lord Jesus is the True Lamb, the Real sacrifice for the Salvation of human kind. John the Baptist declared, “This is the Lamb of GOD Who carries the sin of the whole world.” John 1:29. Saint Paul also said, “Indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” 1Cointhians 5:7. Our Lord, Jesus declared repeatedly that His Flesh (Body) and His Blood is real food and drink respectively. Whoever receives His body and His blood has eternal life. How is it possible then for those, who say ‘it is just a symbol’, to enter the kingdom of God or have eternal life? Our Lord, Jesus is not just a symbol, He is real. And His words are true and source of Life. Without Him there is no Salvation. He is our way to Salvation. He is the Truth (not a symbol.) He is the eternal life. John 14:6. Whose blood was shed on the Cross for the REMISSION of the world? If it wasn’t His Blood He gave the Apostles to drink from it, what does it worth mentioning “This is my Blood” ? What is the New Testament without the Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ? The sacrifice of His Body and shedding of His Blood on the Cross is our New Testament, through which we achieved emancipation from our hostile enemies: sin, death, and the Devil. Please read, John 6: 53-58 Lord help us to partake the Holy Communion for our Salvation. Amen. 

Friday: The second trial of our Lord, Jesus in front of the chief priests. Matthew 27:1-2

The third trial, in front of Pilate. Matthew 27:11-21.

The fourth trial, in front of Herod. Luke 23:6-12 Pilate and Herod were enemies; and became friends (reconciled) because of our Lord, Jesus.

The fifth trial, in front of Pilate for the second time. Luke 23:13-24.

 During all the trials our Lord, Jesus spoke very little. And even they were beating Him, He didn’t talk. He accepted all insults and didn’t pay attention to His rights. When our Lord never answered while being accused by the chief priests; even Pilate marveled greatly. “WHAT QUITNESS; WHAT CALMNESS!” exclaimed, our Church fathers. Isaiah the prophet declares, “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He didn’t open His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He didn’t open His mouth.” Isaiah 53:7. Our Lord been scourged, carried the Cross, mocked Him, stripped Him; put upon His head a crown of thorns; spat on him, smote Him on the head, with a reed. Our Lord falls under the Cross; Simon of Cyrene carries the Cross with Jesus our Lord. After suffering all the pains on the way to Golgotha our Lord was Nailed and Crucified on the Cross.

Why? “ For He is our peace, who has made the two ONE and has broken down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the Cross, by which He put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near, for through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” Ephesians 2:14-18.

Our Lord accepted all the pains and sufferings, and crucifixion on our behalf; to deliver us from the evil death and the cruel exile of sin. For His pains are immeasurable, we lament with the prophet to share his sorrow. “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities,. . . And by His wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:2-7.

Good Friday is the day we spend all day in the church praying and worshiping to commemorate the suffering of our Lord for us. We learn the Love of our Lord towards us no matter how wicked we are. He gave His Soul for us. Through the Cross, He defeated

our enemy - the devil. Through His death, He defeated death. “Since the children has flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death- that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” Hebrews 2:14-15

“This is how God showed His Love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is Love: Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1John4:9-10. Please read verses 11-12 as well.

While our Lord was on the Cross He talked seven words. WORDS OF GIVING, WORDS OF FORGIVENESS. During His suffering on the Cross, our Lord cared even for His enemies. “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they do.” Luke 23:34. The Lord said to the robber on the right side “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43. Who can assume the depth of Love and Forgiveness of our Lord towards man?! Is not it amazing?! GREAT LOVE INDEED!!!

Our Lord talked to His Mother, Virgin Mary, looked after Her, and looked after His beloved Disciple, John, who followed Him  up to the Cross, And said, “ Woman Behold Your Son,. . . Behold Your Mother.” John 19:26-28. Our Lord, Jesus died for us on the Cross on His own Will. John 19:30. When our Lord, Jesus Christ was on the Cross, darkness came over the land for three hours, and many other miracles occurred. Matthew 27:45,51-53. Then finally, the burial of the Son of God, in a New Tomb, by the two men- Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. John 19: 38-42.

On Sunday early Morning, our Lord and Savior rose from the Dead and revealed Himself to His Disciples. The GOOD NEWS- RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD. Luke 24:1-10, Mark16: 1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, John 20:1-19. Through His Resurrection the power of Death up on man is over. Now we have acquired victory over Death. 1Corinthians 15:10-57. Thanks and Glory be to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Let’s sing a triumphant and joy full song for this amazing achievement. Isaiah 26:19.

Blessed be the Name of our God for His Love towards us, Amen.

Nebiyeleul Aynekulu, 21 April, 2011. Edmonton, Canada.