A Light in the Darkness

This first Wednesday of Great Lent brings with it a bright spot during our travels through the fast, a bright spot indeed. Today we will celebrate the first Pre-Sanctified Divine Liturgy of this Lenten season. And so, in the midst of our struggles this week, our prayers, our fasting, our efforts to avoid sinfulness, we see a hand reach out to us, in the form of the precious Body and Blood our our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ.

What a powerful thing to be able to receive this precious gift at this time. Surely, by midweek, temptation has come calling, if not sooner. But here we are given something remarkable. In the middle of a fast we are given food. This is not normal food, but it is food from heaven, manna if you will, given to us by Jesus Christ to strengthen us and lift us up.

Fasting during the Lenten season is meant to set us free, to loose us from the bonds of this world. Fasting causes us to think about what we are eating, or not eating. Fasting causes us to stay hungry, to leave the table before we are full. In this way, fasting makes us remember what is truly important, God, salvation and eternal life. So you see, fasting does set us free.

With the beautiful Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, we are able to refocus our efforts to fast, refocus our efforts to keep God first in our lives. Jesus said to us:

John 10:10  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

The life of our Lord was sacrificed on the Cross for us and it continues to be sacrificed at every Divine Liturgy that is served. It is our job, perhaps even responsibility, to embrace and partake of this life that has been given to us. Witness the beauty of the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, receive the Body and Blood of Christ. Fill that which has been emptied through fasting with that which is good, holy and righteous.