This weekend we are even closer to the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is not found because we give up meat and cheese and follow the prescriptions of the Great Fast like a robot. No, we enter into the Kingdom of God as a result of our being in good relationship with God and our neighbor. Recall Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness, unity, the Our Father, Prodigal Son, and more.
We say good-by to cheese for a period of time to open our hearts and minds and bodies to what the Lord wants to give us: new life. Eating cheese is like eating death in that we eat milk transformed into something new, exciting, robots for the whole of the body, mind and soul. But the Christian is asked to make a 40 day sacrifice of dairy products like cheese so that we can prepare ourselves for glory. God wants us to be a new creation in Him. And sin prevents us from this fact. Corporate sin and personal sin.
Reflecting on the place of forgiveness for the Christian, St Silouan the Athonite tells us that “We have such a law: If you forgive, it means that God has forgiven you; but if you do not forgive your brother, it means that your sin remains with you.”
Below please find link for all the resources prepared for you for the Sunday of Cheese-Fare (also known as the Sunday of Forgiveness!). Listen especially to the Gospel reflection.
Included among this week’s resources is “Great Lent at Home,” with reflections and activities for every day of the Great Fast, beginning with “Clean Monday,” the day following Cheese-Fare Sunday. We hope you will find it helpful as we journey together towards Pascha!