Great Lent 2020 Daily Reflections

Metropolitan

February 21, 2020

Feb 23. It is said, it takes 21 days of practice to form a new habit. If you have not made a habit of observing the hours of prayers, morning, noon and evening, I encourage you to do so every day this entire Season of Great Lent. Here is how to do it:

First: From the time you wake up till 9 AM, pray the following by yourself, alone: “Here Lord, I surrender my life to You, to live for You all day long. In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. +” (Then make the sign of the cross on yourself.)

Second: At midday, pray the same prayers, and at the end pray, “Holy Father, Holy Son and Holy Spirit, I pray give me grace and have mercy upon me to keep my heart and mind focused on You, my God. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. +”

Third: In the evening, pray the same prayers, and end with this prayer, “Thank You Heavenly Father for watching over me all day long. Now as I go to sleep tonight, may Your mercy cover me that even in my sleep, my mind will be protected by Your presence and peace. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.+”

Welcome to this exciting journey of Great Lent that leads to Pascha. And remember, you are not alone; millions are journeying with you and me. Blessings!

Feb 24. Don’t let people and activities distract you. Sit down and plan your Lent Season so that you are in control of your time.

Feb 25. Lent is a choice you make to fast, pray, humble yourself, pray the Jesus prayer every hour, and be part of the Lent services of the local parish. Together, as the people of God, we are on this beautiful journey to Pascha.

Feb 26. Harsh, sharp, wounding words spoken by gossip or even innocently bruise the hearts of children and adults alike. Many never recover regardless of how much time passes. Let this Lent Season be your opportunity to uproot all forms of evil talk, gossip, angry responses and negative attitudes. We have all failed in this area. Plead for God’s mercy. Repent and change.

Feb 27. No, you are not alone in this beautiful journey of Lent. “I am with you,” I hear the Invisible One whisper into my inner ear. I pause, and respond “Thank You Lord.” Then I think to myself, Just as you are visible to me, He is visible with you, and this is the same with millions from the Holy Church. Be glad we are never alone.

Feb 28. Any discipline is not natural. In silence, my wrist watch says, “It is time to catch your train, it is time to eat, it is time to sleep,” and so on. Lent is telling us, it is time to slow down, pray and fast. Wait. Be silent. Listen to the still small voice of God. Do what makes this Lent Season meaningful to your soul.

Feb 29. What do you think about taking a prayer walk today? Spend an hour or more, just walking alone and praying, talking to Christ who is your companion and who is with you always. Talk to Him and then listen to what He says! The walking will physically remind you of this journey of Lent.

March 1. What do angels in heaven do? They are not running around doing whatever they want to do. They wait in silence to hear the word of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit before going out to do the bidding of God. They are not independent. This is a lesson God is trying to teach His Holy Church during the Season of Lent, in which we must long to wait before God through our prayer, fasting and mediation and long all for His glory. It is a time to be near God.

March 2. God becomes most beautiful when we become nothing. Lent is a season to learn this lesson in quietness and mediation. Read the book of Psalms often.

March 3. This time is a good opportunity to read through the Bible, knowing that during this Season of Lent, you say “no” to many things and all unnecessary matters so that you can spend the maximum amount of time with God, your soul and with the people of God.

March 4. Lent is saying “No” to what causes damage to your soul; for example, listening to evil talk, gossip or saying unkind things about others. Make a covenant with your tongue and ears not to speak or listen to gossip. Remind me of this if I fail, since you are with me on this journey.

March 5. Lent is a time to renew your inner strength.
“But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

March 6. Lent is the season when your focus is on “you”—to see you the way God sees you, even the very thoughts and intentions of your heart. Without your co-operation God can’t change you. Be the clay in the potter’s hand (Jeremiah 18).

March 7. Lent is a time to develop godly habits through repeated actions in areas of improvement, such as saying ten good things about others daily.

March 8. Pray daily in the light of 2 Corinthians 3:18, for the Holy Spirit to change you inside and out to become more like Christ, especially in the area of humility. Read St Matthew 11:29 and Philippians 2.

March 9. Turn up the spiritual fire deep within through silence and being quiet before God—this is a season of slowing down for meditation and prayer.

March 10. This is a season to renew fading love that you had for others by recognizing your own sinful nature before God. No more do you focus on the publican (sinner) beside you, but you see the Holy One who sits on the throne.

March 11. Humility is the mark of a soul that has touched God. No one can remain proud or self-centered and stiff-necked after seeing the glory of the face of God (Isaiah 6). Lent is designed, by the Fathers of the Church, for God’s people to be still and see the glory of God through praying, fasting and various disciplines with the people of God.

March 12. Simplify your life from “clutter” and “noise”—life becomes beautiful in simplicity. Don’t let the world crowd in and kill your soul. Lent is meant for learning this deep truth through practice.

March 13. Although we don’t read that Blessed Mary, the Mother of God, observed Lent Season, it is absolutely obvious she spent much time listening in the presence of the living God. Through this, she became one able to listen to the most mysterious message Archangel Gabriel told her of the coming of the Lord Jesus to earth through her. And it says, she kept all in her heart, pondering over all what God told her. Lent Season is such a beautiful occasion for us to think, meditate on God’s Word not as a duty, but as our privilege for God to live and through us.

March 14. Use the money you save while fasting during this Lent Season to help the poor and hurting.

March 15. Make a list of kind things you will say to others and kind deeds you will do every day during this holy season to live as Christ lived on Earth (1 John 1:6).

March 16. Make frequent visit to hospitals, prisons, orphanages, leprosy colonies and other places with suffering people so your eyes and heart can see and feel the need, and you can be Christ to them in deed.

March 17. We are humans with faulty genes that cause us to sin and fail; only God can give us strength to overcome this handicap (1 John 1:8–9). Lent is for this new awareness.

March 18. Deep within the inner chambers of our hearts, we are haunted with memories of failures from the past. Know that God has removed your past failures and sins, by His mercy. Don’t think and live in the prison of your past. Let His mercy cleanse your thoughts and give you peace. Take time to read of God’s mercy during this season.

March 19. Most around you are wasting their lives for riches, fame, and reputation, and before they know it, the funeral bell is heard! Choose to be different. Lent is the classroom for you to think different. Stop, pause, be silent, and think.

March 20. Your friends will decide your character and future. During this Lent Season, think deep and hard of the friends you have who influence your life. Cry out to God to give you understanding. Take courage to break off friendship with people who are pulling you down instead of building you up. In the end, you alone are responsible for your life, not anyone else. This season is your opportunity to make wise decisions only you can make (1 Corinthians 15:33).

March 21. This is a season to slow down, to be alone andto think! Look at yourself, and think of all God allowed you to do. Be who you are. Your heart will then be filled with joy and courage to journey on with renewed strength. Don’t let others’ words or attitudes cause you to become blind to the great soul you are. Mediate on Psalm 73.

March 22. Before entering a church, make it a habit to stop a few feet in front of the church, and think to yourself, “I am going into the very presence of the Holy God and His holy people.” Then bow and pray, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Finally, make the sign of the Cross on yourself before walking into the church. Do this every time you go to the church for a Lent service.

March 23. Thank God daily for the love and affection you were able to give to others, whether to one person or to many. Never think it was a waste. These were the seeds of blessing and mercy God allowed you to plant. This is a season to reflect and be thankful for your life!

March 24. Develop a more sensitive spirit towards others, for all live with deep pain and secret sorrows. Only they know what they are going through. Let God use you to bring hope and healing to the cold and sad hearts around you. Your intercession, deeds and compassion are the tools God can use in their lives if you allow Him. Lent is the season for this.

March 25. There is no glory in floating down a stream; anyone living or dead can do it. But try to swim upstream against a strong current and you’ll find it takes discipline, hard work and determination. Don’t let your life simply float down in the stream of Lent without effort. Make the choice to fast, agonize in prayer, serve the poor, read, think deep, be silent and focus. You will be glad for the accelerated spiritual growth you will experience from the inside out.

March 26. Life is. You are alive. You will never die, your body will. You are your soul. To think, to feel, to decide, to love, to embrace, to be kind, to give, to forgive, to care, to have hope, to pray, and to experience thousands more life giving actions; these are the acts of the soul. Don’t wait for the grave when all will go silent. Be alert. Do it now. This Lent Season is your time to decide to be different for the better.

March 27. It is by giving that we receive. What are the things that you want? Do you want love, peace, well-being, acceptance, forgiveness, hope, kindness, mercy, material blessing, etc.? Lent is meant for you to be blessed by God and others. The means to experience this is, “give and it shall be given to you” (St. Luke 6:38). Give to others what you want to receive and the return will be more than you ever dared to imagine.

March 28. Be aware. Be responsible to do your part. Be more concerned about your inner life than your outer life.

March 29. Just like fire, thoughts burn and have the power to kill. Guard your thoughts, especially the negative thoughts of hopelessness, fatalism and fear. Don’t let them direct you or others. Mediate on Philippians 4:8.

March 30. A beautiful saying from St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa): “At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.’“ Think of this. Don’t stop; think again. This is what the Season of Lent is meant for.

March 31. If there was a silver bullet to solve all problems, or a single pill to cure all sicknesses, or just one word that would answer all the questions of the world, wouldn’t you want to have it? There is. It is called love. God is love. Let this season help us to see, think, act, dream, wish, plan, and do all things through the lens of love. Pray and ask the Lord, “God, make me an instrument of love.”

April 1. Rested eyes and hearts see clearly beyond the obvious and can feel feelings that are beyond feelings. This can only happen if we set apart seasons where we hide and go into our world of silence and quietness with God the Invisible. Lent is meant to be a time for you and me to do this. Let us value it and love it.

April 2. We cannot buy love, no matter how high a price we offer. Love can only be freely given and received. The world around us is dying for the want of love. May this Lent Season make you a lover of men, women, children, old and young. What you dream to become, you will become. Think deep.

April 3. A wood cutter spends days trying to cut down a tree. He works so hard day and night. What a waste! He could have cut the tree down in only few hours if his axe was sharp. He was blind to the dull axe head he was using. Lent is a time to stop, pause and sharpen your axe; the spiritual insights, God’s life and His life in you. Prayer, fasting, meditation, silence, choosing to be humble, etc. are all means to sharpen your inner life.

April 4. Only the foolish act as if betrayal doesn’t wound our soul. But memories of love rekindle us again. Think of love and its beauty throughout this season. Forgive, and ask for forgiveness.

April 5. This is a season to see how insignificant we are as we behold the Almighty, Holy Trinity in our prayers, as we bow and kneel before Him.

April 6. The world is filled with thousands of spoken tongues! Yet, there is one language common for all humanity and animals: kindness. Learn to be more kind during this beautiful season God has given you. You are alive. Don’t waste time.

April 7. Obedience is better than a multitude of activities. If we acknowledge that our life, our entire being, belongs to the Creator, and He bids us to stop, slow down and be with Him, is that too hard for us to obey? What is the thing that makes you so busy that you cannot stop? Lent Season is not something you are forced to keep; it is a loving invitation of the Father in Heaven for our betterment in body, soul and spirit. Humble yourself and be willing to obey Him with deep respect, fear and love. He will reward you.

April 8. I heard of a bamboo root that stays buried for years before suddenly sprouting and growing to great heights, to the shock of onlookers! Lent is the hidden season of our life, in silence and quietness, for God to build character on the inside, hidden from all, to make us mighty and spiritual. Don’t neglect the value of the hidden life.

April 9. We are damned by pride, but we experience life with glowing beauty through humility. What better season to embrace brokenness and humility than this holy Lent Season.

April 10. It is through suffering that we produce valuable and precious things—like the hammer and anvil of the goldsmith or shoemaker. The pounding and being broken is the means to beautiful things in life. Value suffering through deep thinking and meditation.

April 11. This Lent Season doesn’t have to end when this 50 days of our journey is over. The journey continues as we take a day or two as often as we can to have our own mini-lent to know God. Then too, the Holy Orthodox Church has many lents and celebrations throughout the year, which are opportunities to reenergize our inner life through living a sacramental life.

April 12. The night gets darker before the sun comes up and spreads life to hills and valleys. Lent Season is a discipline of the invisible world, but the end of it is a dawn of life and new beginnings. Be glad.