(Meat Fare Sunday)
On Meat Fare Saturday (preceding this Sunday) the Church prescribes the
universal commemoration of all her departed members. The Church is unity
and love in Christ. We all depend on each other, belong to each other,
are united by the love of Christ. Our repentance, therefore, would not
be complete without an act of love towards all those who have departed
this life before us. Repentance is primarily the recovery of the spirit
of love: "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you
have love for one another" (John 13:35). Liturgically this commemoration
includes Vespers on Friday, Matins and Divine Liturgy on Saturday.
The Sunday Gospel (Matthew 25:31-46) reminds us of the third theme of
repentance: preparation for Divine Judgment. A Christian lives under
Christ's judgment. This means that we must refer our actions, attitudes,
judgments to Christ, to His presence in the world, that we must see
Christ in our fellow men. For "inasmuch as you have done it unto one of
the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me...." The parable
of the Last Judgment gives us the "terms of reference" for our
self-evaluation as Christians.
On the week following Meat Fare Sunday a limited =fasting= is prescribed.
We must train and prepare ourselves for the great effort of Lent. On
Wednesday and Friday the Divine Liturgy is not served and the type of
worship is already Lenten. On Cheese-Fare Saturday the Church commemorates
all men and women who were "illumined through fasting"--the Holy
Ascetics and Fosters. They are the patterns we must follow, our guides
in the difficult art of fasting and repentance.