Comments on: The First Week of Great Lent – Clean Monday. An Anthem for Great Lent and all of Life. http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2010/02/15/the-first-week-of-great-lent-%e2%80%93-clean-monday-an-anthem-for-great-lent-and-all-of-life/ McKinney TX Homilies, scripture commentary, spiritual reflections Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:35:39 +0000 hourly 1 By: Deborah http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2010/02/15/the-first-week-of-great-lent-%e2%80%93-clean-monday-an-anthem-for-great-lent-and-all-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-2908 Deborah Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:05:08 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=1818#comment-2908 I don't think it is so much that we are not yet sons and daughters, but hirelings, as it is more like we are sons and daughters that still think and behave like hirelings. Great Lent is the time to struggle out of our sleepy delusions, to really wake up to the fact, the Reality, that we ARE, through Christ, the adopted sons and daughters of God! As St. Paul described it, children in the household are basically treated as underlings until they grow-up and come of age: "Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." Galatians 4:1-7 I don’t think it is so much that we are not yet sons and daughters, but hirelings, as it is more like we are sons and daughters that still think and behave like hirelings. Great Lent is the time to struggle out of our sleepy delusions, to really wake up to the fact, the Reality, that we ARE, through Christ, the adopted sons and daughters of God!

As St. Paul described it, children in the household are basically treated as underlings until they grow-up and come of age:

“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:1-7

]]> By: Natalia Arzhantseva http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2010/02/15/the-first-week-of-great-lent-%e2%80%93-clean-monday-an-anthem-for-great-lent-and-all-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-2900 Natalia Arzhantseva Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:14:29 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=1818#comment-2900 "Great Lent is especially a time for careful washing". Indeed, it's a time for us to prepare (each in his own spiritual measure) for appearing in front of God every moment, as we don't know when we are going to be called. It is so evident, but we tend to forget about it in our daily life. to be more exact - prefer not to think about it, as it's very binding, and presupposed great responsibility for all our actions & thoughts - which is very hard... The Lent is the time when there is "no way out", no avoiding the evident. and this is again God's gift to us, and for us! The Great Lent is the time when we place ourselves in front of God - all our words, actions, thoughts, intentions, all movements of our soul should be as if He is very close to us. And He really is, He looks at you and either approves, or disapproves. This is a deed - to stand, to walk in front of God, in our special consideration of Him, in our attitude to Him. Strange as it might seem - is it a heroic deed? It is happiness, the highest privilege, the execution of the most incredible dream - to be in front of Him & so close to Him! But is is fully felt by the righteous...For me it's still difficult & too responsible...As I am not yet His son, but still a "hireling". The Great Lent is the time when we are given a chance to become closer to God, and to try to become closer to the state of His sons. Asking for your blessing & prayers for me.... “Great Lent is especially a time for careful washing”.

Indeed, it’s a time for us to prepare (each in his own spiritual measure) for appearing in front of God every moment, as we don’t know when we are going to be called. It is so evident, but we tend to forget about it in our daily life. to be more exact – prefer not to think about it, as it’s very binding, and presupposed great responsibility for all our actions & thoughts – which is very hard…

The Lent is the time when there is “no way out”, no avoiding the evident. and this is again God’s gift to us, and for us!

The Great Lent is the time when we place ourselves in front of God – all our words, actions, thoughts, intentions, all movements of our soul should be as if He is very close to us. And He really is, He looks at you and either approves, or disapproves. This is a deed – to stand, to walk in front of God, in our special consideration of Him, in our attitude to Him. Strange as it might seem – is it a heroic deed? It is happiness, the highest privilege, the execution of the most incredible dream – to be in front of Him & so close to Him! But is is fully felt by the righteous…For me it’s still difficult & too responsible…As I am not yet His son, but still a “hireling”.

The Great Lent is the time when we are given a chance to become closer to God, and to try to become closer to the state of His sons.

Asking for your blessing & prayers for me….

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