The Journey of LentThe Journey of Lent

St. Mary & St. Mina Coptic Orthodox St. Mary & St. Mina Coptic Orthodox ChurchChurch

Youth MeetingYouth MeetingFebruary 6, 2015February 6, 2015

How to approach Lent?How to approach Lent?• Let us receive with joy, O faithful, the Let us receive with joy, O faithful, the

divinely inspired announcement of Lentdivinely inspired announcement of Lent

• Like Ninevites of old,…let us prepare for the Like Ninevites of old,…let us prepare for the Master’s communion performed in ZionMaster’s communion performed in Zion

• Let us wash ourselves with tears for its Let us wash ourselves with tears for its divine purificationdivine purification

• Let us pray to behold the fulfillment of Let us pray to behold the fulfillment of Pascha, the true RevelationPascha, the true Revelation

• Do not deprive us of our expectation, O Do not deprive us of our expectation, O Lover of ManLover of Man

The Lent as a journeyThe Lent as a journey• Each journey must have a destination, so what Each journey must have a destination, so what

is the destination for the Lenten journey?is the destination for the Lenten journey?

• Easter is not just one of the church’s feasts, nor Easter is not just one of the church’s feasts, nor is it just a commemoration of a historical eventis it just a commemoration of a historical event

• Easter is the celebration of the new life which Easter is the celebration of the new life which has been given to each one of ushas been given to each one of us

• When was this life given to us???When was this life given to us???

Lent as a journeyLent as a journey

• The new life was given to us in BaptismThe new life was given to us in Baptism

• It is a gift that alters our attitude toward It is a gift that alters our attitude toward everything in this worldeverything in this world

• Unfortunately, however, we often lose and Unfortunately, however, we often lose and betray this gift, and live our lives as if nothing betray this gift, and live our lives as if nothing had happened and as if Christ did not rise from had happened and as if Christ did not rise from the deadthe dead

The meaning of LentThe meaning of Lent

• The church has instituted Lent to help us recover The church has instituted Lent to help us recover this vision, to remind us of the great gift we have this vision, to remind us of the great gift we have receivedreceived

• The church life and liturgy are designed to help us The church life and liturgy are designed to help us taste this wonderful life and Kingdom, so that we taste this wonderful life and Kingdom, so that we can have the courage to make the right decisioncan have the courage to make the right decision

• This world tells us “be happy, take it easy, follow the This world tells us “be happy, take it easy, follow the broad way.” Christ, on the other hand, tells us “to broad way.” Christ, on the other hand, tells us “to choose the narrow way”, for this is the road to the choose the narrow way”, for this is the road to the only true and genuine happiness and JOYonly true and genuine happiness and JOY

The meaning of LentThe meaning of Lent

• In the early church, Lent was designed In the early church, Lent was designed to prepare the “catechumens” to to prepare the “catechumens” to receive baptism.receive baptism.

• This same meaning remains the sameThis same meaning remains the same– Easter is our return to our own BaptismEaster is our return to our own Baptism– Lent is the preparation for that returnLent is the preparation for that return

Key ConceptsKey Concepts

• The desireThe desire

• HumilityHumility

• The return from exileThe return from exile

• ForgivenessForgiveness

THE DESIRE !!!THE DESIRE !!!

• Man follows his desire. As the Gospel Man follows his desire. As the Gospel teaches us “where your treasure is, your teaches us “where your treasure is, your heart will be also”heart will be also”

• What do we really desire ???What do we really desire ???

• The story of ZacchaeusThe story of Zacchaeus

HUMILITYHUMILITY

• The story of the Publican and the The story of the Publican and the PhariseePharisee

• What is humility?What is humility?– We can only learn humility if we We can only learn humility if we

continue to look at Christcontinue to look at Christ– Humility is the beginning of true Humility is the beginning of true

repentancerepentance

THE RETURN FROM EXILETHE RETURN FROM EXILE

• We currently live in exile, away from our true homeWe currently live in exile, away from our true home

• Lent and repentance is our return from exileLent and repentance is our return from exile

• Repentance has to be accompanied by this feeling Repentance has to be accompanied by this feeling that we are in exile, away from God, and that we that we are in exile, away from God, and that we badly NEED to returnbadly NEED to return

• The story of the prodigal sonThe story of the prodigal son

The bond of LoveThe bond of Love

• Having experienced God’s love and Having experienced God’s love and forgiveness, we extend that love to forgiveness, we extend that love to othersothers

• We experience and live the We experience and live the communion of love, which is at the communion of love, which is at the center of the life of church, and at center of the life of church, and at the center of God Himself.the center of God Himself.