If we understand Great Lent as the abstinence from
lack of love, and not just from butter, then it will be a bright fast and its period
will be the “joyful time of Lent”.
“O Lord, plant in me the root of all goodness, the
fear of Thee in my heart”.
Lack of love is the most terrible inabstinence for it is
the first and original abuse of the Holy Spirit. Apostle Paul wrote: “I beg you
through the love of the Spirit” (Romans 15:30).
Love is contrasted with pride and rage. According to
St Irenaeus of Lyons, in the evening prayer we ask the Holy Spirit, the Creator
of the World, to forgive us first of all those sins that were committed against
love: “or grieved anyone, or have become
angry about anything; or have lied, or slept needlessly, or if a beggar hath
come to me and I disdained him; or if I have grieved my brother, or have
quarreled, or have condemned anyone; or if I have been boastful, or prideful,
or angry; if I have thought evil, seen the beauty of an! other and been wounded
thereby in my heart; if I have said improper things, or derided my brother's
sin when mine own sins are countless”.
By Serei
Fudel, “By the walls of the Church”
Source: http://pravlife.org/content/o-samom-strashnom-nevozderzhanii-v-post
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