Dearly beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ around the world,
Once again, the Lord grants us the holy season of Great Lent. This is not a burden, nor is it a ritual formality. Rather, it is a gift. Lent is the Church’s gentle yet uncompromising call to return home.
In our Roman-Ruthenian tradition, Great Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a day of repentance and reflection. Clean Monday, which follows Ash Wednesday — except in the rare case that the Latin and Eastern Paschal feasts coincide — is a day of purification that continues the Lenten journey.
And this year, as is so often seen in every age, the world continues to grow loud. It tempts us with endless arguments, endless distractions, and endless urgencies. Nations rage against each other, parties quarrel, families fight, economies tremble, and so many voices clamor for our loyalty. Yet the Church, in her wisdom, turns to us and quietly says: Be still, turn your hearts to God, pray, and repent.
In contrast to so much of what we see in the world today, Great Lent is neither political nor ideological. It is not performative, either. Instead, it is deeply personal and deeply cosmic at the same time.
Let us seek order where there is disorder. Let us pray with greater focus, for so often our attention is scattered. And let us repent, for we are called to holiness.
The tragedy of modern man is not that he sins. Humanity has always sinned. The tragedy is that he has forgotten how to repent. Lent restores to us that sacred memory. It teaches us again how to kneel, how to forgive, how to weep for our sins without despair, and how to hope without presumption.
This season is also a reminder that Christianity is neither a theory nor an identity label. It is not a cultural preference. It is nothing less than the Cross and the empty Tomb. If we wish to share in the Resurrection, we must first walk the road to Golgotha — and do so voluntarily, patiently, and with humility.
And let no one imagine that Lent is purely a matter of sacrifice or mortification. Let us turn the tongue from cruelty, the mind from unrighteous judgment, and the heart from pride. Let us focus on acts of charity, no matter how small.
May this holy season purify our hearts, strengthen our resolve, and renew in us the joy of salvation. Let us enter Great Lent with courage, seriousness, and hope, remembering always that the light of Pascha is already shining at the end of our path.
