This Sunday, February 25, 2024 begins the Triodion, the ten week period from the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee to the Saturday of Holy Week. This period includes the three Pre-Lenten Sundays, the forty days of Great Lent and Holy Week up until Holy Saturday. This entire Triodion Period is a journey to Pascha, a spiritual pilgrimage, a time of cleansing and renewal, a reaffirmation of the liberation from the power of sin and superficial unimportant frivolities which have no importance in our lives.
This Sunday’s message about a tax collector and a self-righteous Pharisee is one of humility, humbleness and a penitent heart instead of a proud self-satisfied and self-glorifying heart which is an abomination to God. You see, Jesus praises the humble repentance of the Publican and condemns the self-righteous pride of the Pharisee. This parable is a vivid reminder to us as Orthodox Christians to put away pharisaic pride, which is the most detrimental and infectious disease of Christianity.
Our faith is not a faith of privilege but of sincerity and truthfulness of our own sinfulness and need for salvation. We must never succumb to the sin of pride or superiority just because we are Christians but humble ourselves and always seek forgiveness from Christ Our Savior.
