On Winter Lent

The following is an excerpt from Fr. Thomas Hopko’s book The Winter Pascha:

Jesus Christ, the Son, Word, and Image of God, is physically and spiritually formed in the body of Mary so that He might be formed in us as well (see Gal 4:19). This is the meaning of Christmas, which is the meaning of life itself: Christ in us and we in Christ, God with us and we with God. The Spirit in our hearts so that the Spirit can flow out from us, sanctifying the world around us. This is not mere symbolism, the high-blown language of the liturgy and the scriptures. This is serious business. It is a matter of life and death. For we are either the living vessels of God– “earthen vessels” to be sure, to show, as the apostle again affirms, that “the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Cor 4:7)– or we are, to use the apostles language once more, “vessels of wrath” to be destroyed in our wickedness by God’s righteous glory (Rom 9:22).

As we go the way of the Winter Pascha the choice placed before us is clear. We can follow the “narrow way” that leads to life, or we can go on the “broad way” that leads to destruction (Mt 7:13-14). We can, like Mary, cleave to the Lord and become His dwelling place in the Spirit. Or we can through immorality and sin choose the death of the nothingness which we are unless the Lord Himself lives within us. “But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him” (1 Cor 6:17).

Weekly Service Schedule

Sunday
9:10 a.m. Hours
9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy, with coffee hour after

Saturday
6:30 p.m. Great Vespers (confession available)

Wednesdays outside of Great Lent
6:30 p.m. Vespers (confession available), class following

Wednesdays during Great Lent
5:30 p.m. Confessions

6:30 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy, Lenten potluck following

Feast Days
See the calendar or weekly email.