Rite of forgiveness begins Great Lent

rev. John Harvey

This is one of those rare years in which all of Christendom has a common date for celebrating Easter (Pascha) and a Lenten period that coincides.

The Catholics and Protestants of the Christian West, begin this period of spiritual reflection and repentance on Ash Wednesday.

Depending on which tradition is followed, usually solemn services mark the entrance into the holy season and the most striking aspect is the imposition of ashes to the foreheads of worshippers by the priest or minister.

Daubing one’s head with ashes and even wearing sackcloth was a sign in Old Testament times of a declared fast either for one’s own sins or that of the community as a whole.

This is an outward radical sign that life has passed out of the normal manner of living and that an intensity of repentance, even mourning, has taken its place.

On this day it is not unusual to see a number of Christians sporting a cross of ashes on their brows.

Traditionally fasting and abstinence marked the Roman Catholic Lenten journey, although these practices are much circumscribed in current practice.

Still, whether Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopalian or other tradition, Lent is a period of intense prayer and repentance during which a certain amount of introspection is made.

A good many denominations may no longer actually distribute ashes, but the idea remains that this particular Wednesday opens a season apart from life as normal.

Man is so often prone to sin and all of the human foibles and weakness of character, that a special season, that is Lent, is set aside to get spiritual priorities straight, with a conscious effort to live a life in Christ.

In the Eastern Orthodox church, several Sundays of pre-Lent occur.

There is no special fasting yet, but each Sunday has a theme that is intended to impress upon one that for there to be a good result to Lenten observance, a change in attitudes is necessary from the start.

These days also point up the fact that, looking upon oneself, a realization is made that one has strayed quite a bit from good Christian living.

Missing the mark, so to speak, of living an exemplary life in Christ.

If one learns to seek God, is humble about the reality of their spiritual failings and realizes that their lifestyle exhibits a life in exile away from God through sinful compromise with the evil one, then one is ready and mature enough to make a giant step forward.

Great Lent for Orthodox Christians begins on Sunday (rather than Wednesday) with the rite of mutual forgiveness.

The Orthodox take another tack or emphasis.

The idea comes from the New Testament and that those fasting should look happy and proceed with an intensity that is visible to God.

At vespers, or more commonly at the end of the Divine Liturgy, the priest begins by making a prostration to the congregation, begging their forgiveness.

This is done individually between priest and each congregant and continues between each member until all have forgiven one another.

What happens? Among all of us, sometimes things are rashly spoken or maybe just thought.

But, the reality is that we often sin against one another.

In the Our Father prayer, we are assured that our trespasses (sins and faults) against one another are forgiven by God, but only if we extend such forgiveness to our neighbor.

So, forgiveness is a divine quality.

If we can forgive one another (thus imaging the divine love and forgiveness of Christ) we then drop resentments, toxic feelings and the spiritual baggage that drags our spirit down.

Love and forgiveness lighten all.

If we would fast in an ascetic manner, increase our prayers and do all manner of observance during Lent and yet neglect the aspect of forgiveness, then Lent would be a total spiritual delusion for us.

It would be a form of hypocrisy, a veritable self-delusion.

If we have been hurt by someone, forgiveness can seem almost an insurmountable task.

If we at least try to forgive, we are lightened of our spiritual burden and feel light and clean.

This is why, if the rite of mutual forgiveness is entered into with sincerity, great spiritual gain is achieved.

This is also why, while the rite of forgiveness is going on, that the choir sings the victorious chants of Pascha (Easter).

To explain this, by making the profound choice to forgive, one has short-circuited the agonizingly slow way to repentance.

By love and forgiveness, being divine, we are ready to enter directly into the Paschal joy of the risen Lord.

East and West come with different approaches.

Whichever tradition you follow, may you use this time of sorrow for one’s sins wisely and may you experience the great Paschal joy of the risen Lord, Jesus.

XThe Rev. John W. Harvey is pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Youngstown.