Great and Holy Lent will begin Sunday evening with the Service of Forgiveness at 6 p.m. We will gather for the Service of Holy Unction on Monday evening at 6 p.m. The Weekly Bulletin will include a schedule of Lenten services so that we can all plan our calendars accordingly.
We are fortunate to have not only Fr. Stephen Howell share in the ministry of our parish, but also Fr. William Weir from the Holy Assumption Serbian Orthodox Church in Fair Oaks. He graciously comes to the parish most Tuesday afternoons (just not this upcoming Tuesday) to assist with Holy Confession. During Great Lent, he will also prepare a brief reflection in anticipation of the upcoming Sunday. An introduction to the Sunday of Forgiveness – Cheesefare Sunday, is provided below.
We thank Fr. Stephen, Fr. William, Fr. George (in Reno), and Fr. Jon (in Modesto) for their priestly examples and ongoing service to the Church. Although a priest may "retire," his vocation continues; sometimes it takes a different form but remains an offering to the Lord for which we should all be grateful. May our High Priest and Savior of our souls continue to bless their ministries and their families.
Please bring a part of our pre-Lenten meal (just no meat) for our parish potluck. During the potluck, we will briefly discuss the role of godparents; thanks be to God. we need approximately 40 individuals to serve as sponsors at upcoming baptisms and chrismations on the Saturday of Lazarus and the Saturday before Pentecost.
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Forgiveness Sunday-Cheesefare Sunday
Rev. Fr. Bill Weir
This Sunday is known as Forgiveness Sunday or Cheesetare Sunday. The three previous weeks taught us about humility and repentance through the Publican and Pharisee, the prodigal son and the final judgment. This Sunday, the day before Great Lent begins, we call "Cheesefare" as a reminder that the time for a physical diet which excludes dairy products and meat begins on Monday. The title "Forgiveness Sunday" comes as a reminder of our spiritual "diet" for Great Lent. The Gospel from St. Matthew prescribed for Sunday begins with the words: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you." In the verses preceding this lesson, our Lord had just taught the people how to pray what we call "The Lord's Prayer", which also speaks of forgiveness of others as a condition which must be fulfilled before we will be forgiven. We all know the familiar words: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Forgiveness of others means retraining from judging others and opens the door to our thoughts and words of personal repentance to be heard and accepted by our Lord and Savior.
Our Lenten fast is much r11ore than a set of rules dealing with what we eat and drink. A true Lenten fast includes all our senses and physical being. With our eyes we should avoid watching or reading things that have no spiritual reward. With our ears we should avoid listening to sounds like gossip and idle talk, which produce no good. Our mouths should be engaged in words of prayer and praise of God and not uttering words of anger or judgement. Our feet should not be dancing or taking us to places that do good to our spiritual lives. Our hands should be engaged in the activity of serving others by doing good and almsgiving.
May our Lord and God strengthen us spiritually so we may weaken ourselves with the dietary and spiritual restraints and guidance the Church encourages during this coming Great Lent. May we be led properly and stay on the narrow path of Great Lent so that the joy of the words "Christ is Risen" resound in our hearts and spirit on the day of Pascha.