Judgement Sunday
The day is upon us; the judgement is now at the door. Be vigilant, my soul. Kings and princes, the rich and poor are gathering, and each shall receive the due reward for what he has done. (Ode 4, Sunday Matins)
Dear Beloved,
This week we continue our preparation looking forward to entering into the proper Great Lent season. Judgment Sunday continues organically the theme of the Saturday of Souls when we prayed for the souls of the departed, making us reflect on what happens with us after we leave this earthly life.
The Judgment scene, as depicted by the Gospel is scene is overwhelming. "And all nations shall be gathered before Him. And He shall separate them from one another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats." "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life"
Coming in front of a judge is a difficult experience. Even when we are there as witnesses or just for a traffic ticket the whole solemnity of the tribunal gives us chills of terror. If this earthly experience terrorizes us as much, how much more terrifying could be the Last Day Judgment? This thought alone ought to be enough to make think carefully next time when we consider sinning.
But what are going to be the criteria by which we are going to be judged? Surprisingly according to the Gospel we heard today these will not be our sins, nor the amount of fasting, nor the amount of prayer, but the exercising of what I would like to call active love.
Let me explain in more details this concept by contrasting with another type of love, the platonic love. In the common understanding of the term the platonic love is a love in which admiration exists for a person but no action is really taken. The platonic lover contends him/herself with a distant appreciation not willing to engage into an actual relationship.This is the general attitude many Christians have versus God: I love God but I love Him in my way, within my heart. But this platonic love remains an unfulfilled love, a love that bears not fruits, no joy, just ever-longing and pain.
The active love that Christ recommends us comes from an important particularity of our God. He is not an undefined entity, He is not a force or energy field but He is a Trinity of persons: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. This unique perspective makes Christianity different from all other religions because it promotes developing relationships, building bridges between us and God but also between ourselves. Bridges that we are called to cross in order to fulfill the active love I was talking about.
The gifts we received from God cannot be repaid to Him other than by acting as responsible lovers, realistic lovers that want their relationship to end in a marriage, a permanent union with God and through Him with all the other people. From this perspective we are called to show our love to everyone and especially our little brother in need, that can be any one and which represents Christ. Any beggar with an extended hand, say the Fathers, can be Christ.
It is said that at the Holy Patriarch John of Alexandria came once a beggar and asked for his mercy. Not long after he came back again and he received again. Than he came again and so seven times and he received each time. And St. John gave him despite the protest of the people around. And after the beggar received the seventh time he transformed himself into a bright angel and ascended into heaven. And St. John was called henceforth John the Merciful.
At the gates of the Great Lent we are called to remember that how we treat our brother, Christ's brother, is one important criterion for the decision regarding our final eternal resting state. Besides fasting, prayer and repentance charity, the love of the poor is an important means that will enhance the spiritual experience of our journey toward Pascha.
It is also important to remember that charity is not just giving money to the poor, because there is also a spiritual charity. A phone call to a sick friend, a hand extended to a spiritually fallen brother, these are all as important. Many times people don't need our money but our heart.
As Saint Theophilact says: "if we should see someone who has become a stranger to his heavenly fatherland, take him with you; if we see one that has been casted out of the garment of incorruption he received at baptism: cloth him, if you see one infirm in faith help him and visit him who is shut up in the dark prison of his body and give him counsel which is like light to him."
Another important aspect is related to our attitude toward others. Sometimes when one follows the Lenten prescriptions of the Church, fasting, prayer charity and so on there is a great temptation waiting: the vain pride. It is very easy to get into a judgmental mode See that one does not come too church, the other one has tight pockets and so on. In an instant our self called virtue has promoted us from humbly accused into proud and merciless judges. But the Fathers say the shortest way to heaven is this: do not judge and you will not be judged.
Judgment Sunday comes now to remind us that the end is coming: today, tomorrow, in ten years, only God knows. But thinking of it is putting us in a state of permanent watchfulness that keeps us from making mistakes. Or at least do less J
A brother went one day to an avva and asked him: Avva when should the man repent for his sins. The father answered: one our before the end. But when is the end. That I don't know.
Our end dear brothers is not up to us to know, but we should be prepared because we don't know when the Master will come and ask us what we did with our lives, with the gifts He has given us. We should be prepared for this the time to act is now, not tomorrow. Tomorrow may be too late in many instances.
In the lawyers world the first thing one does is assessing the situation: what has been done, who has done it and what are our prospects. Same thing we are called to do today: analyze ourselves through deep and honest introspection and see where we are so you can decide on a course of action. Acting and not knowing where you are is not going to lead to good results.
Let us use therefore this coming period to look deep into our souls and bring to surface the filth of sin and get rid of it through the 4 pillars of the lent: fasting, prayer, charity and repentance so at the end of our lives we'll hear the words of Christ the Judge: "Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."