Page 48 - AlNashra issue 2 - 2023

47 Issue 2 - 2023

Often one of us drowns in the abyss of sin, loses was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and

hope in the Lord’s mercy, and becomes fatally you visited me; I was in prison and you came to

desperate. Thus, the person surrenders to the me.”(Matthew 25:34-36). If we compare what we

situation and despises every attempt to repent, quoted to St. Basil in the aforementioned with

thus rejecting God’s grace. To this man I say: this recitation, we notice that Basil’s words are

“You sinner, drowned in the mire of your sins, a clear translation of Matthew’s recitation, i.e.,

do not despair. It is enough for you to turn to the Gospel of Judgment. That is why I defined

the Lord with a mere turn and to say to Him, fasting as a manifestation of love for another

“O Lord,” and you see Him, immediately, in person. Let no one say that they are incapable of

front of you, extending His hand to you. God is giving. This is because giving is diverse; it could

our joy, God is our consolation, and God is our be a nice smile, a kind word, some money, etc.

strength, so we must not despair of His mercy. What is important is that each of us gives what

The greatest sin we commit is to despair of God’s he or she can; do not condemn each other, for

mercy”. God is the only Judge, and he judges each of

The third Sunday of the three-week period us according to our intentions. That is why our
prior to the commencement of Great Lent is the holy fathers remind us, before we enter the field
Sunday of the Meatfare, and on this day (as its of fasting, that the Lord will judge us for what
name indicates), we remove the meat from our we have done towards other human beings and
tables once and for all, in preparation for entering what we have not done.

the sacred time of the forty-day fast. And we call We now reach the fourth Sunday, the last before

it the Sunday of Judgment because the Church Lent begins. It is Cheesefare Sunday, and as the

arranged for this day, the recitation of a passage name implies, we remove all cheese, milk, and

from the Evangelist Matthew, describing the dairy products from our tables once and for

sitting of the Son of Man on His throne in His all. We call this day the “Forgiveness Sunday”

glory for judgment to be read: “I was hungry and because the Church has arranged to read on

you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me this day, the recitation of Matthew that says:

drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me; I “The Lord said: If you forgive people their