Saint Peter's Youth Club

The Philadelphia Chapter of MGSOSA.

The Great Lent (Retreat)

at Sunday, April 05, 2009

A Passion Week Retreat by Reverend Dileesh Alias

  • most important days for a Christian
  • fasting is not found just for the Malankara Syrian Orthodox but for ALL religions.
        • Brahmans fast when they get their beaded necklaces.
        • Muslims fast until sundown.
  • used for mental AND spiritual growth.
  • is a method to clear our body of impurities.
        • Before we used to die from not having ENOUGH food but now we are dying because of TOO MUCH food (cholesterol, sugar, etc.).
        • only a CLEAN body can host a CLEAN soul.
  • we partake in special prayers during the Lenten days EXCEPT on Saturdays and Sundays.
        • Why not on these days?
          Holy Qurbana is usually celebrated on these days during the Lenten season and our Holy Fathers do not permit us to bow down when we pray on the days Qurbana is celebrated. Therefore we pray special lent prayers on every day EXCEPT Saturdays and Sundays.
        • Side Note: When we partake in these special Lenten prayers or in ANY prayer we MUST complete them. We DO NOT have the right to stop in the midst of prayer. The only time we have the right to stop in the midst of prayer is if a starving man comes and knocks on your door. Then you may stop in the midst of your prayer, feed the starving man and then continue with your prayer. This is the ONLY case.
  • the money we save from fasting and not buying meat and fish should NOT go into our savings account! The money we save should go towards helping the starving, the homeless, the people who are less fortunate then we are.
  •  Luke 5:12
    "    While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
        •  There are so many diseases where people are suffering; where they are separated from society because of different afflictions but note certain things about this passage:
            • "Lord, if you are willing.." COMPLETE submission. 
            • "..if you are willing, you CAN." COMPLETE trust. The leper didnt ASK if Jesus could, he KNEW Jesus could.
            • Also note, the people who KNEW Jesus could weren't the rich people, or the pious people, or the "big" people. The people who KNEW Jesus could were those who were sick, sad, etc.
              • What does that mean? Does this mean that Jesus is only here when YOU need him and then once you get what you need you can forget HIM? [This is something we all need to think about.] Are we USING God for our own personal needs or do we TRULY believe in him? 
  • What are the things we should seek for in Lent?
    1. to HEAL the MEMORIES
      Example from Macbeth: After Lady Macbeth assists in the murder the king she is overcome by a guilty conscious and she keeps washing her hands and she laments that she can wash her hands all she wants and she can wash the blood stains from her flesh but she can never wash the blood stains from her conscience.
      • By partaking in the Great Lent our memories WILL be HEALED!
    2. to HEAL the PRIDE
      Luke 16:
       19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

       22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

       25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

       27"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

       29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

       30" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

       31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

      • Think deeply about this passage. The rich man really had a good life while he was alive but he never helped anyone who was less fortunate then him. Now he is in hell. What is his worst issue? Yes, he is in hell but what bothers him the MOST is seeing Lazarus, the beggar who used to beg him every day standing at the side of Father Abraham. Even while he is in HELL, he treats Lazarus as a SLAVE asking Abraham to send Lazarus first down to hell and then out to to his father's house.
      • PRIDE: the rich man only cared about HIMSELF and HIS FAMILY (five brothers). He never cared about Lazarus while he was alive and that DID NOT change after he died. He still treated Lazarus as subsidiary.
    3. to HEAL the TONGUE
      Much doesnt even need to be said about how this is our biggest problem. Especially as Malayalees, we ALWAYS have something to say about someone. Someone ALWAYS does something wrong and there is always something WRONG. Just think about all the things that you said today and how many of those things were sins. Nothing more needs to be said on this topic.
So, as the GREAT LENT winds down we look forward to attaining these things, if we havent already.