Dear Friends
We have arrived! We have arrived at the threshold of the Great Fast. We have arrived whether we have prepared or otherwise, whether we want it or think we could do without it, whether we are sinners or saints.
We are brought, perhaps kicking and screaming, to words that seem so familiar, which roll off the tongue without our even thinking. We regularly say,
… and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us …
Yet this is a sobering thought. God himself gives us the words to tell us how much he will forgive each one of us. To the extent I forgive those who wrong me, to that same extent God will forgive me. And I remember all those grudges I hold onto, all those justifications of my own superiority, all those places where I have been wronged. And those words we repeat so often convict me: “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
I must make a start, I must forgive, but this is hard: no one promised the Christian life would be easy. It’s challenging to forgive, difficult to forgive, perhaps even impossible to forgive! These things are true if I go it alone, if I believe I can do it myself. Yet if I turn to the Lord and ask him, “teach me to forgive, guide me how to forgive, help me to forgive,” he will not leave me to my own power but will place within me the power to forgive. This may not be instant, we may need to work at it—even over an entire lifetime—but now is the time to start, to grow in forgiveness.
The Church calls us, though, to an even higher standard: for I can forgive with superiority, looking down on my neighbour I condescend to grant my forgiveness. To humble myself truly I must not only forgive, I must ask forgiveness. For when we ask forgiveness of another we place ourselves below that person and we place power in their hands: when we ask forgiveness we place ourselves as the servants, rather than the lords, of others.
Immediately after the Liturgy on Sunday we will also serve Vespers which is the first service of Lent, the Great Fast. And at its conclusion, we will place ourselves as servants of each other we will ask each other for forgiveness. I strongly encourage you all to be present and to take part in this beautiful service as we begin our journey to Jerusalem, to the Cross, to the tomb, to Resurrection.
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By all my thoughts, words, acts and failures to act in which I have offended and wronged you, I ask your forgiveness. Forgive me.
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Sermon
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
We are all mixed together in this life, my brothers and sisters—poor and rich, men and women, righteous and unrighteous, sinners and saints—and we interact with each other, rub up against each other affect each other. We may have good things which happen to us without our deserving it, likewise bad things can happen without our having done anything wrong. Our world is a mess of rights and wrongs, goods and evils, blessings and curses.
“When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.”
Judgment is at hand, my brothers and sisters in Christ: the Lord is coming, and coming soon (Revelation 22:12). And whereas his first coming was in dishonour—in poverty, in a cave, in secret—now he comes with great honour and glory with all the holy angels: this will be a fearful and dreadful sight. And the mess of this world, the mess of righteous with evil-doers, sinners alongside saints, will be separated, divided one from another. Notice how even at the division, though, their experience is the same: not until the judgment of each human being is there a difference in state.
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Read last Sunday’s sermon, How have I robbed my neighbour?
Archive of Past Sermons.
Services this week
Friday 4th March
Discussion on the book of Exodus, 8 pm
Online only
Saturday 5th March
Vespers, 6.30 pm
At St Francis’ Hall, Eastleigh
Sunday 6th March
Divine Liturgy, 9.30 am
At St Francis’ Hall, Eastleigh
Online session is via Google Meet: please get in contact for the details.
As part of our measures against Covid-19, we strongly request all who attend our services to take a lateral flow test prior to attending.
Please join us: all are welcome, come and see.
Attending Church
We will be meeting at St Francis’ Hall, Nightingale Avenue, Eastleigh, SO50 9JA. We request you wear a mask unless exempt. Come and See.
Can I help you?
I am here for you, you need only ask. Is there a way I can support your life of faith? Get in touch.
Can you help the mission?
Yes, absolutely. Offer yourselves to the Lord: pray! Make available to him all your talents and ask him how he would like you to use them — listen for his reply.
Your prayers!
With love in Christ
Fr Alexander
[email protected]