Great Lent

With Vespers of Forgiveness on Sunday evening, Great Lent has arrived.

Vestments are in purple; bells taken off the censor, music becomes more somber in tone. More fasting, more prayer, more alms-giving.

The Lord did say, "When you fast...", (Matt. 6:17) "When you pray..." (Matt. 6:5), "When you give alms..." (Matt. 6:3). I notice He did not say "If".

From the website of the Orthodox Church in America:

The season of Great Lent is the time of preparation for the feast of the Resurrection of Christ. It is the living symbol of man's entire life which is to be fulfilled in his own resurrection from the dead with Christ...In the Orthodox Church, Great Lent is not a season of morbidity and gloominess. On the contrary, it is a time of joyfulness and purification.

Let us begin the lenten time with delight … 

let us fast from passions as we fast from food, 

taking pleasure in the good words of the Spirit, 

that we may be granted to see the holy passion of Christ our God 

and his holy Pascha, spiritually rejoicing.

Thy grace has arisen upon us, O Lord, 

the illumination of our souls has shown forth; 

behold, now is the acceptable time; 

behold, now is the time of repentance 

(Vesper Hymns).