Ukrainian Orthodoxy		Orthodoxie ukrainienne

Lets Transform Hell into Paradise

Very Reverend Ihor Kutash kutash@unicorne.org

(Cheesefare Sunday)

The time has come! We must begin anew the fight against sin. We are beginning the race once again and the prize is the crown of life eternal. What a prize! What excitement!

Are we ready? Are there things that stand in our way? The time has come to free ourselves from everything which could stand in our way of winning this race by God's grace. The time has come to free ourselves from hatred and other psychological pains caused by the sins which have been committed against us. Let us forgive those who have hurt us. We will feel much freer. We will find ourselves in harmony with that wonderful prayer which we Christians say so often: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us". For as the Lord says in today's Gospel (Matthew 6:14-21) if we do not forgive, then God our Father will not forgive us (we can understand this to mean that we will not be in any state to receive the benefits of God's forgiveness if our hearts are cold and hard and unforgiving).

Also, as we pray, we ought to think about that hurts that we have brought upon others. We must ask forgiveness of all whom WE have offended. Feelings of guilt are also hindrances to running well the race of life, no matter how much we deny that we have such feelings. We can keep on pushing them out of our consciousness, but ultimately they will demand their due. The best way to deal with them is to confront them. Then we must ask pardon, we must do restitution and we must start all over again with a clean slate.

The wonderful news is that it is possible to do this! We are not bound by genetic or astrological pre-conditioning. Christ has come into this world to set us free. In union with Him, freedom is truly available to us. Let us forgive others and, having done all we can to obtain forgiveness, let us also forgive ourselves.

The Church also reminds us today of Adam's expulsion from Paradise. Adam and Eve could not remain in Paradise after they sinned - sin would have transformed Paradise into hell. God sent them out so that one day they could return to it. For us, this means that we must become aware that we have distanced ourselves from God and His commandments. We have sinned and, what is worse, we have grown accustomed to living in a world where sin is the norm. Paradise beckons - but we are far from it! Yet, with God's help we can RETURN!

Let us repent and pray. Let us attend the Lenten Services to help us return. Let us receive the Holy Mysteries of Penance and Communion, having prepared ourselves for them appropriately. Let us find opportunities to do acts of love and friendship towards our neighbours. It is because God is good that we are here. It is because He is good that we have a sense of sin and the need to get free. It is because He is good and He calls us that we can find our way to Paradise through fasting. God is good and He will help and receive us.

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