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We look to four Sundays within Byzantine Christian Pre-Lent. The “Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee” calls us to consider our life and be humble before God as we call to mind our sinfulness. The “Sunday of the Prodigal Son” calls us to “come to ourselves” and return to the Father, through repentance. The “Sunday of the Last Judgment” (Meatfare Sunday) reminds us that while the Lord’s mercy is immeasurable, our partaking of that mercy depends on seeing Christ in the least of our brothers and sisters. even He does not forgive those who do not repent. Finally, on
“Forgiveness Sunday” (Cheesefare Sunday) we remember Adam’s and Eve’s expulsion from Paradise and the proper attitude of fasting (don’t put on a gloomy face), and how we ask the Heavenly Father to “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”The Sundays leading up to Lent serve as a crucial preparation for our upcoming "journey" through the season. They equip us with the necessary tools to embark on the Fast with a sense of joy and purpose. It's a time for action, a time to seize the opportunity for salvation that awaits us. As we commence Great Lent, we are reminded that salvation is within reach, just a step away. So let us embrace this time of reflection and self-discipline with enthusiasm, knowing that the door to our salvation is wide open.
