The Holy Apostle Archippus
According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today
Read
Joel 2:12-26; Joel 4:12-21
The Great Fast is around the corner. Today we have what is called an aliturgical day as a time of preparation for the coming week ahead. On Wednesday and Friday, the Divine Liturgy is not normally celebrated. The Liturgical prayer includes for the first time this year, Lenten prayers in a shorter form. We pray for the first time as a warm-up for the upcoming season the prayer of St. Ephraim.
Through the Book of Joel, we hear the Lord God calling us to turn to him with all our heart. The Lord desires that we offer Him our whole heart, for this is where the Lord desires to reside, but cannot unless we invite Him and make the space ready. This reading gives us a hint at what the Great Fast is all about. It is a time of renewal or a spiritual spring cleaning. Normally we do not live in filth and we certainly would not host a guest without first cleaning our home. The guest of all guests, who is the Lord of the Universe, deserves a worthy place in our heart. For this reason, the prophet Joel reminds us that we cleanse the heart by “fasting, weeping and mourning.” By fasting, we cut out anything that may be a distraction, even if it may be good and enjoyable so that we spend more time with the One who is the source of all the things we enjoy. By weeping and mourning, we wash the walls and crevasses of our hearts and souls, so that through our tears we cleanse our hearts and renew our baptismal commitment to the Lord. So let us consecrate this fast, as the Lord desires, and make it a holy and sacred time dedicated to the renewal and washing of our heart.