Dear Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers and beloved faithful of our God-protected Archdiocese
Grace, peace and mercy from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be upon you all.
“If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses...” (Matthew 6:14-15).
The season of Lent has arrived and will later culminate in Pascha, the season of seasons. How do we prepare for it as individuals, a family, and a group in the church?
It is necessary, first, to be patient, as fasting is not meant for laziness and neglecting to keep up with life. Rather, it is about training the soul to master our life and work, being creative in the aspects of our professional and social presence; otherwise, how can martyrdom for the Master be realised among his loved ones?! Fasting is an opportunity to develop talents, serve and bear witness. Through fasting, we overcome our desires and the evil one, not by our strength, but by God’s mercy; in general, we practice self-examination and repentance.
Second, fasting offers many opportunities to strengthen relationships between family members by avoiding the temptations of this technical world, by reducing the isolation caused by our devices, and by getting closer and closer to the faces of our loved ones in the family to discover the face of the Lord and his sweetness.
Third, in the church, we learn more about fasting, prayers, and giving; we do all that with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we feel that we are not alone on this path and that salvation is for all of us together.
Let fasting be our path to self-control and control of our desires promoting family dialogue in order to establish a small church in our homes, led by the Master, through the hurricanes of the world with His wisdom, care and blessings.
For my sins, for my errors, for the ways in which I have offended you by my thoughts, by my words or by my deeds, by my actions or by my inactions, please forgive me.
I wish you all a joyful Lent and I beseech the Almighty God that He may bless you and grant that you may reach the blessed Pascha of our Lord in a spirit of humility and love.
Your prayers!
I remain your Father in Christ
+Silouan
Metropolitan of the British Isles and Ireland