Saturday, February 13, 2010

Cheese Fare Sunday: A Sunday of Expulsion and Forgiveness

Dear all,

Here is a link to an explanation of this Sunday: http://lent.goarch.org/forgiveness/learn/

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has also created a blog specifically for young people for the period of Great Lent: http://orthodoxyouthministry.blogspot.com/ 

I am sure this will be an invaluable resource once it strarts on February 15 (Clean Monday).

"Forgiveness": A Poem by St. Nikolai Velimirovich


That God may forgive us, let us forgive men.
We are all on this earth as temporary guests.
Prolonged fasting and prayer is in vain
Without forgiveness and true mercy.
God is the true Physician; sins are leprosy.
Whomever God cleanses, God also glorifies.
Every merciful act of men, God rewards with mercy.
He who returns sin with sin perishes without mercy.
Pus is not cleansed by pus from infected wounds,
Neither is the darkness of the dungeon dispelled by darkness,
But pure balm heals the festering wound,
And light disperses the darkness of the dungeon.
To the seriously wounded, mercy is like a balm;
As if seeing a torch dispersing the darkness, everyone rejoices in mercy.
The madman says, "I have no need of mercy!"
But when he is overcome by misery, he cries out for mercy!
Men bathe in the mercy of God,
And that mercy of God wakens us to life!
That God may forgive us, let us forgive men,
We are all on this earth as temporary guests.

http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/02/forgiveness-poem-by-st-nikolai.html

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