In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit. Glory to Jesus Christ. Isn't
it wonderful that today is Forgiveness Sunday?
Some people approach Lent with trepidation. Going
off on a journey, for example. Not sure exactly
how the journey is going to go. If you're going
to get through it, okay. But Lent is not that.
Lent is a time of healing. Lent is a time when
the hymns say we should set out with joy. Listen
to what St. Basil the Great says. Don't make
being healed gloomy. This is just what Jesus
just said. When you fast, don't look gloomy.
Why? Because what you're doing is entering into
a whole new realm when you fast. Jesus says,
don't spend a lot of time working for things
that are just going to rust away and be of no
use at all. Put your effort into something that's
eternal. So, that's God. That's God. We should
be joyful. So St. Basil says also, don't be made...
Don't make being healed gloomy. It's outrageous,
he says, that you don't rejoice over your soul
being healed, but you mourn over changing food.
It's a little bit of change in our diet. St.
Basil says, you seem to be giving more concern
to your stomach than your spirit. So we have
trepidation. The Lord, in this gospel, lays out
three things. So the church on this day, which
is called by us, forgive this Sunday. The Lord
lays out these three things. He says, forgive.
Forgive. If you want to be forgiven, forgive.
If you don't forgive, you can't be forgiven.
It's not because God is some tyrant and he's
put his foot down and he has some temper tantrum
and says, you're not going to play with me, I'm
not going to do it. That's not what it is. It's
because if we can't forgive, we are unable to
receive. I'll say something more about that in
a minute. The second thing he says is to fast.
Jesus says, to fast. So our Lenten effort is
going to start with forgiveness today. After
the liturgy, we'll have lunch. We'll come back
here, we'll have the vespers, and we'll ask forgiveness
of one another. The third thing that the Lord
says is, put your effort, and I made reference
to this already, put your effort in things that
matter. St. Paul, insistently, with urgency,
he says to us today, this is high time. It's
high time to awake out of sleep. Our salvation
is nearer now than when we first believed. That's
true. Every day we are closer to the coming of
Christ in glory, to the resurrection. And that's
for sure one day closer to our death. It's high
time to awake out of sleep and to put our effort
in things that matter. We waste. So much time.
And time is a gift from God. St. Paul says the
night is far spent. The day is at hand. Wake
up. Let's walk properly in the day. Not in revelry
and drunkenness and all this stuff. But put on
the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me say two things
about today. And I'll keep it short. It's a joyful
day. Because we remember. When we heard those
psalms at the beginning of liturgy, Bless the
Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless
his holy name. What he has done for us. This
is a great song reminding us what God does for
us. And the first thing he does is shown right
there on that blessed cross. Father, forgive
them for they know not what they do. Do you think
he's just speaking to the Roman soldiers that
put the nails in? Or to those authorities that
arranged for the crucifixion? He's speaking to
us. About us, rather. To the Father. We don't
have a problem with God forgiving us. We come
to the church. It doesn't matter what sin we
might have. I have to say, though, I'm reminded
somebody asked me once, what sin do I have to
ask God to forgive me for? What have I done to
him? He put me in this world which is a mess.
There's sickness. There's anger. There's wars.
What do I have to ask God for forgiveness for?
For not being a human, that's what. For not being
how God has created us to be. Which is like him.
We come to the church, any sin can be forgiven.
I can stand here in front of this altar, an unworthy
priest, an unworthy person. What gives me, as
one priest said in a sermon I heard some time
ago, he said, St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil
are wondering, why do they let this priest, Lawrence,
stand in front of the altar at a divine liturgy?
He has so many sins. But I can go to the Lord.
and confess them and receive not just tearing
up a piece of paper, but the cleansing of my
heart, the grace of God to be put in there, to
be forgiven, to be joined, to be united to him,
to become a little bit like him. You can come
to confession any time. God forgives. It doesn't
matter what the sin was. But there's one, that's
the church. Whatever sins you forgive on earth,
they're forgiven in heaven. Whatever sins you
retain on earth, they're retained in heaven.
Jesus says to the apostles, this is the church.
But if you want that forgiveness, there's one
requirement. One only. And it has to do with
love. And that is, you forgive those that have
sinned against you. Many of you, I know, have
experienced terrible betrayals. Your wounds are
still bleeding from those sins against you. Not
all of you, some of you. And it's very difficult
to forgive. But forgiveness is not a psychological
act. In the Bible, as far as I can find, Jesus
never said anything about how we might feel about
forgiveness. There's not a word in there. So
forgiveness is an act, not a feeling that our
enemy is going to be our friend and everything's
going to be okay. Again, I direct your attention
to the cross. That was a forgiveness that wasn't
offhand. No problem and easy. We were bought
with a price. So, we have the church, we come
to be forgiven, and we have our relationships
with one another, which are founded on love.
That's why today is such a joyful day. Because
it's the restoration of God's love in us. And
our sharing that love with one another. Not in
an emotional way. Might be. Not in a sentimental
way. Not in a way that maybe even feels good.
But in a godly way. Following the way of the
cross. Which is our pathway now as we start Great
Lent. making our way to Holy Friday and the day
of resurrection. May God give you strength. As
you fast, this is not something we do optionally.
As you pray more, and you go to your room secretly,
God will reward you openly. How? You'll be smiling.
You'll be glad because the Lord will be with
you. And finally, The effort you put into that.
Brothers and sisters, if we don't remember that
it's kind of getting late for us, then we're
not going to do anything. But if we remember
every year the Lord saying when we get to Lent,
it's high time awake out of sleep, then the effort
we put in is going to be for our salvation and
God's glory. And then, no one's going to say
to you, why should I ask God for forgiveness?
Because you will be the sign of God's mercy and
love on this earth. And show him that. That's
beautiful. That's the truth of to be a temple
of God, baptized and anointed with the Spirit.
May God help us all as we struggle through these
40, well, 50 days. God giving us strength to
do it joyfully with faces bright and full of
expectation. Amen.