Today, as we take leave of the Meeting of the Lord, we mark the beginning of the Lenten Triodion with the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee. Thus, today is both the last day of the Nativity cycle and the first day of the Lenten-Paschal cycle. In fact, according to the vision found in our liturgical books, these two cycles always overlap. We might say that, between the Lord’s Nativity and his Ascension, we celebrate all the events of his saving Incarnation and Passion. This great celebration takes up half of the year, give or take—all winter and spring are dominated by these great cycles of feasting and fasting. As we turn our eyes from the festal season of the Lord’s appearing to the penitential season of his way to the Cross, let us redouble our efforts to turn away from the celebration of ourselves and the worship of our passions. Instead putting ourselves at the center of our existence, we are called to make his Life, given up for the life of the world, into the central event of each of our lives. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me,” as the Apostle says. Our life should revolve around his life, his becoming man and being crucified for our sake. Then, to adapt the famous phrase of St. Sophrony of Essex, his life shall be our life—and his life knows no end.
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