Spiritually Unglued

Today is forgiveness Sunday. A time when we ask each other to forgive the many offenses and times we have hurt them and others. It is also St. Valentine's Day, in which we are reminded that we are to remember those whom we love. How we have both of these on the same day is questionable, except in my mind, they go hand in hand.

You cannot truly love someone if you cannot forgive them.. And it is because you love them that you can bring yourself to forgive them. How ironic! There is no better time than now to ask you to forgive me if I have offended anyone on this blog, known or unknown.

John and I went to dinner tonight, in fact all weekend it seems we ate out, beginning at our favorite spot on Friday, the "pub at 12 Crane," breakfast yesterday at Anna's, and both coffee hour this morning and at the Facing East Coffee House last evening at the church. The food at Finn's and tales this evening was fantastic.

Tomorrow we start another journey because we have lost our way and in entering the "lenten spring" we are reminded that we have become spiritually unglued, unplugged, if you will, and need to "regain the light" and to desire it. We are in need of recharging our souls, just like a battery. We are off track, so to speak. On this road of fasting and prayer, we are reminded, beginning with forgiveness, that if don't forgive others, we will not be forgiven. Next comes the poisons which deprive us of our spiritual energy. The first basic disease is "Sloth" or Spiritual Laziness. It is the root of all sin, and finds you in a state of despondency. That is when you fail to see anything as "good" and your world becomes negative, as pessimism rules the day. Or, for a better term, a sense of "hopelessness" is how you grow to become.

We are lucky to belong to a faith which teaches us how to avoid the "pitfalls" and how to get re glued when we drift away from the light as did Adam in paradise. The Light of Christ is directing us toward the Holy Pascha, illumination and rebirth.

Let us begin with the Great Prokeimenon, which announces the beginning of lent.
"Turn not away Thy face from Thy servant
for I am afflicted!
Hear me speedily.
Attend to my soul and deliver it!

He is the only way to turn your afflictions into joy and that journey begins, now!