Ash Wednesday

Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday are foreign words to Eastern Orthodox Christians. Yet, we have one thing in common to the West, we have begun the fast. The Great fast. A time for examining ourselves for it seems, an eternity. The Roman Catholic tradition is usually one of sacrifice, and prayer. Ours is a joyful fast, keeping our eye on the mark, or end of the story, the Resurrection of Christ. A gradual leave taking of fish, meat, dairy and eggs, wine and olive oil. This is an action which will strengthen us on our journey.

The gospel stories read from scripture are meant to apply to all of us in any generation. Last week it was Judgment Sunday. A time when we will be accountable for our time here on earth. On how we have treated others.

These readings will bring us back to our proper perspective by Pascha, or Easter. A realization that we are prone to sin and to fail in our walk on earth, and that we have been given remedies for our struggles if only we give them to Jesus, the just Judge.

The sacraments are available through the church. The Church which He died for. It begins with us humbling ourselves, anything less, is pure pride. This is the biggest sin of all, because it says that we do not need God, therefore rejecting Him.

The truth is we will never change, without Him. The other truth is that He will never force us to change, or to love Him, that's up to us. It's for you to decide.