Tomorrow, brothers and sisters, we embark on the journey of Great Lent. The Church has been preparing us for this special period over the past few weeks. Today’s Sunday is the last before the start of the Holy Forty Days and is dedicated to a very sorrowful event—the expulsion of our forebears from paradise. When we say that the history of humanity begins with the Fall, we mean, first and foremost, that all the descendants of Adam and Eve were born after their expulsion from paradise. Therefore, the entire human race, originating from our first ancestors, consists of people who have never known paradise or experienced life within it, for Adam’s sin closed the way for humanity.

Holy Scripture recounts the creation of the first humans and their life in paradise. The entire world created by God was perfect, and paradise was a special place where people lacked nothing.

People were also perfect, but not in the sense that they had no need for further perfection. Rather, they had no defects, flaws, or deficiencies that could hinder their path to deification. Today, for example, if we wish to do a good deed, pray, or contemplate God, we immediately face various difficulties: overwhelming fatigue, distracting emotions, pressing concerns, and worries. However, the original Adam and Eve had none of these obstacles. Nothing hindered them from ascending the ladder of divine union ever higher. This was the perfection of Adam and Eve.

Despite their perfection and their ideal surroundings, our ancestors were given commandments by God. The first of these was to cultivate the Garden. As Blessed Augustine says, «In the tranquility of a blessed life, where there is no death, all labor is the preservation of what one possesses.» Thus, work in paradise was not burdensome toil «by the sweat of one’s brow» (Gen. 3:19) but rather a light duty and a contemplation of the Creator’s works. The second commandment was the prohibition against eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was this commandment that our forebears transgressed, resulting in their expulsion from paradise.

God, foreseeing the Fall, had already predestined the salvation of humanity through the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity before the foundation of the world. In the Book of Revelation, Christ is referred to as «the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world» (Rev. 13:8).

But why has the Church established the remembrance of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from paradise on the eve of Great Lent? Why, for example, is today not dedicated to Christ’s forty-day fast before His public ministry or some other Gospel event? Great Lent is, in a way, a summary of all Sacred History; that is why it begins with the remembrance of the Fall and ends with Pascha—the day of salvation. Great Lent is a reminder of humanity’s journey from the Fall to Redemption.

Let us recall the biblical text: paradise contained many different trees, among them the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 2:9). The fact that these two trees grew side by side indicates their connection. The Tree of Life granted life, while the Tree of Knowledge granted wisdom. We cannot correctly understand what kind of knowledge is meant without considering the specific nature of biblical language. To «know good and evil» means to possess wisdom and the ability to discern. Thus, when King Solomon prayed, he said: «Give Your servant a discerning heart to govern Your people and to distinguish between right and wrong» (1 Kings 3:9).

Knowing good and evil means distinguishing between what is beneficial and what is not, and rejecting what is evil: «Turn from evil and do good» (Ps. 34:14). St. Maximus the Confessor says that the Tree of Knowledge granted the ability «to hold onto some things and avoid others.» And our forebears, of course, were meant to develop this ability in paradise.

Then why was the fruit, which was supposed to grant such important and necessary wisdom, forbidden? And why did Adam and Eve receive something entirely different than they had expected after eating it?

Let us recall the well-known words of the Apostle Paul regarding the mystery of Communion: «Let a person examine himself, then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body eat and drink judgment on themselves» (1 Cor. 11:28–29). The Apostle explains that a divine gift can be received unworthily, without proper preparation, and without self-examination, leading to the opposite of the intended blessing: one «eats and drinks judgment.» The same principle applies to the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. The issue was not the fruit itself, but the inner state of those who approached it.

Today is not only the day of remembrance of our forebears’ expulsion from paradise—it is also Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, before the beginning of Great Lent, we ask forgiveness from others and forgive in turn. Our Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly speaks about the necessity of forgiveness. But then why did the Creator not forgive Adam and Eve? Why did He not allow them to remain in paradise but instead banished them from Eden? God is love (1 John 4:16), and forgiveness is an expression of love. Why, then, did He not forgive them?

To answer this difficult question, we must return to Scripture. After the Fall, the Almighty asks Adam: «Where are you?» (Gen. 3:9). The All-Seeing and Omnipresent God, of course, knew where His fallen creation was. His words are not just a question but an invitation to repentance.

Explaining these words, St. Basil the Great writes: «The All-Seeing did not require information, but He wanted Adam to reflect on what he had been and what he had become.» It is not a question about Adam’s physical location but about his spiritual state.

Instead of repentance, instead of acknowledging his guilt and seeking to return, Adam does the opposite—he shifts the blame: «The woman You put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it» (Gen. 3:12). Eve follows the same path: «The serpent deceived me, and I ate» (Gen. 3:13). Is this shifting of blame true repentance? Does it even resemble remorse? Or even regret for what was done? No!

Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise because paradise was no longer paradise for them; it had become the place of their fall. They themselves wished to hide from the Lord.

Today, brothers and sisters, we do not have memories of paradise. No one, except the first people, has experienced life there. But we do have another important experience—the experience of lacking paradise, a longing, a spiritual dissatisfaction. From this sense of deprivation is born a great desire—a thirst for God, a search for the Lord: «My soul thirsts for God, for the living God» (Ps. 42:2). True repentance is born from this feeling, from this thirst, from this state.

The Church reminds us of this and leads us back to paradise—through fasting, through repentance, through the recognition of our sinfulness. All this is done so that when the Lord asks us, «Where are you?» we will not hide but will answer: «Here I am» (Gen. 22:1). «Lord, save my soul; save me by Your mercy» (Ps. 6:4). Amen!

Matthew 25:31-46 (Gospel)

The Lord said: When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

During the previous two preparatory Sundays we were reminded of the Mercy of God to the penitent tax collector (the Publican) and the prodigal son. Though, also of those who put impediments to this mercy…

This, third preparatory Sunday, as we hear the name of it – it’s the Sunday of the dread, awful and final Judgement of Christ, and we are reminded of the just retribution too… as if it already happened…

Especially if we would read only the first part of the parable:

The Lord said: When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

However, we keep reading on and we find out, that there is something very much unexpected, and not only for the unjust (not good), but also – to the righteous and kind…

I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

The essence of the understanding of the Last Judgment, as the holy fathers of the Church saw it, is that the final fate of each of the people is determined not only by our attitude to the things divine (and fearful), but to the things usual and… that might seem profane (and meaningless) … Not only what is happening here in the temple, but what is happening on our way to the church, our daily life…

The Last Judgment, at which the sheep are separated from the goats, begins here on earth, right where we live every day!

Every time that we see our rightness, our correctness, — and the flaws of others… and have a righteous wrath (anger) against such…

In the perfect world the perfect or good people do not thirst or are not in the prison, and everyone has a family and a home…

Somehow, however, when Christ came into this world he would say, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

A meeting with a person in need or in distress is a meeting with Christ,

In other words, it is meeting with what is meaningless for the world, so much everyday, which maybe IS our life…

It is a Terrible Judgment, so as to either judge such people (is that actually to judge ourselves?) or to help them and have mercy on them (or is it to give chance to God to give us mercy?)…

Again, this is a terrible judgment, if we prefer to judge!

Why don’t we have compassion to them. They are the least of His brethren, because just like Him, they remind us that the world is full of evil. That no one can live good by doing only good in this world…

On this reason the life is not good for them (yes, in a way because they are part of this world). On this reason the life was not good for Christ, Who chose to voluntary become part of this world.

A good reason to be closer to such people. As some our writers used to say – to be closer to the real life…

Besides, He came for the sick and suffering, fully associated Himself with them! Became one of them! He is not a king for now.

So, let us lay aside our lives cares during the Great Lent, and receive the King of all, Who comes invisibly to us, for now, in the persons of the least people of this world. Amen.

The story of the prodigal son is a common story for many families across all times and nations. The Lord Jesus Christ uses this narrative—painfully familiar to every person—to convey a profound spiritual meaning through the images of the father and his sons.

When is an inheritance typically received? Not just financial support or some funds, but an actual inheritance? Clearly, only in the event of the owner’s death. The prodigal son is a selfish man. This is his primary sin. He loves himself and his passions. His desire for freedom and inheritance is merely a way to indulge himself…

But as often happens in life, this proud youth encounters a company of like-minded “friends”. Nothing unites them—neither friendship, nor love, nor the search for truth, nor spiritual pursuits. The only thing they share is a passionate, reckless way of life. Toward one another, they are insincere, hypocritical, and flattering. And when the younger son «squandered his wealth in wild living» (Luke 15:13), he inevitably found himself alone…

For a Jew, tending (feeding) pigs was an extremely degrading occupation. It was, in a sense, the lowest point of social downfall. Even more humiliating was being unworthy of the food given to pigs.

Reaching the deepest level of humiliation, the prodigal son, as Scripture says, «came to himself» (Luke 15:17). These are very important words. They indicate that the state in which the prodigal son had lived was like a dream, oblivion, even like being drunk. The carefree life he had sought turned out to be an illusion. And now he comes to himself, realizing his true situation: he, the son of wealthy parents, a free man, had fallen so low as to become nothing, not even someone’s servant, but a slave. And with this revelation, the repentant son understands that he must return home—to his father.

In the prodigal son’s situation, it is vividly shown that a person who desires to live apart from God, in a spiritual sense, descends lower and lower. Eventually, such a person loses their dignity and instead develops base, animalistic tendencies. Often, it is only when one finds oneself in the filth of sin—symbolized here by the pigs—that they recognize their spiritual emptiness. And then, coming to themselves, they begin the journey home to the Heavenly Father. It was not easy for the prodigal son to decide to return home. The Gospel words conveying his internal monologue serve as a form of self-motivation for this action: «How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father» (Luke 15:18). Moreover, the repentant son prepares a speech he intends to deliver before his father: «Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants» (Luke 15:19). His words are filled with humility and an acknowledgment of his guilt.

And as he approaches home, his father sees him from afar, recognizes him, and runs to meet his prodigal child. Let us recall the speech the prodigal son had prepared for his father. Now the long-awaited reunion takes place. The son begins to deliver his speech. But notice a detail that often escapes us when reading this parable: the prodigal son only says the first part; he does not complete the second part: «make me like one of your hired servants.» This does not happen because he forgot or changed his mind, but, as biblical commentators explain, because his father interrupts him. In the very act of his son’s return, the father sees his repentance and understands perfectly well what was happening during his son’s time away. The father does not wait for an elaborate confession. He does not need speeches. He needs his son! The saints say, «The father redeems the son’s sins with a kiss and covers them with his embrace. He does this to avoid exposing the son’s transgressions, to spare him suffering.»

Filled with joy, the father commands: «Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet» (Luke 15:22). The best robe, the sandals, and the ring are symbols of status (cf. Genesis 41:42). By bestowing them upon his son, the father shows that his son is fully forgiven and restored. The lost sonship and its restoration carry immense significance, not only in this parable but throughout all Holy Scripture. Humanity was called to become children of God, but the fall of our ancestors and our personal sins cause us to lose this status. God does not wait, much less he demands humiliation from us—He simply sees our desire to return and immediately runs toward the repentant soul.

This parable is always read on the second preparatory Sunday before Great Lent. The image of the prodigal son is also present in many other church texts. All of this naturally leads us to see ourselves in the prodigal son. It instills in us an important realization: for God, sinners are still His children, whose return is awaited by a loving Father. In this context, the image of the prodigal son even becomes appealing, and we find comfort in the thought that no matter how much we sin, we will be forgiven like the prodigal son. All that is required is to «come to ourselves (to senses),» repent, and return to the Heavenly Father. This is true… but what if… what if we are not the younger prodigal son, but his older brother? Who among us sees themselves in the older son? For within his character lies a terrifying mystery—the mystery of false sonship, pride, unforgiveness, and envy.

Thus, in the older son’s personality, we see not a good and obedient son but a selfish and envious man, secretly wishing for his father’s death to receive the entire inheritance. A striking detail: the older son does not say to his father, «Why have you accepted this drunkard and wastrel who will probably continue his reckless ways?» He does not warn his father that his mercy might be abused again. No, the older son reveals the true cause of his grievance: «You never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends» (Luke 15:29). So this is what he longed for! This is what was on his mind! He, too, wanted to enjoy himself with his friends. And he hates his younger brother because the latter did so and was still forgiven!

Again, we say: it is easy to see ourselves in the prodigal son, who, in the end, is a positive character because he repented and was forgiven. But let us closely examine the older son and ask ourselves: can I truly accept and rejoice in the spiritual gifts and blessings of others?

Our Lord Jesus Christ says to His disciples, «In My Father’s house are many rooms» (John 14:2). In this Father’s house, there is a place for everyone who comes and seeks the love of the Father. But can all the household members live together in peace and harmony? People are so different from one another. Of course, they can—but only those who are willing to transform themselves completely, from the inside out. The Heavenly Father will not drive anyone away, but many may choose not to enter the Father’s house at all. Just like in today’s parable, when the father welcomes the younger son home, the older, as the Scripture says, «became angry and refused to go in» (Luke 15:28).

Brothers and sisters, let us not stand apart but enter the Father’s house, and without envy, judgment, or hypocrisy, let us share in the joy of every soul that, like we once did, has returned to the Heavenly Father. Amen.

Today we recall the meeting of the Infant Christ by the righteous Simeon and the prophetess Anna in the Jerusalem temple.

He was brought there by the Most Holy Virgin and Joseph to «do everything according to the law of the Lord.»

He, who gave the law, now, again, as well as in Circumcision, Himself executes it as a human child “to redeem those under the law”, as St. Apostle Paul says (Gal. 4, 5).

The righteous and pious elder Simeon thanks God for fulfilling his long-standing aspirations — “to see Christ the Lord.” The most pious and righteous aspirations of people of the Old Testament have met their fulfillment in him. The meeting of the two covenants, two testaments it was!

The one Who holds everything in His right hand, now, having become a baby, lies in the hands of the old man, and in the Holy Spirit he sees in Him «the salvation of God prepared before all nations, the light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of the people of Israel.» (Luke 2, 30-32)

“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many…, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.” (Luke 2, 34-35).

The Lord announced His Divine truth to everyone, but not everyone accepted it. Some believed in Him and loved His gospel, others despised and even hated. Some exclaimed: “Lord! To whom do we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6.68). “Crucify Him”, were crying the others.

Despite of the revelation of His Divine majesty — the miracles and signs performed by Him, the sublimity of His teachings, the purity of life, some hardened their hearts.

For some, the preaching of the Cross seemed foolishness, madness and temptation (1 Cor. 1: 18,23), and for others it was «God’s power and God’s wisdom» (1 Cor. 1,18,24), the Only God that is Love, the Only Hope!

The long-awaited meeting and union of the Mercy and the Truth, proclaimed in the Psalms long before! (Ps. 84,11)

“To cause the rising… the Child is destined” to those who create the works of faith — works of love, who, although falling by their infirmities, stumbling over the temptations of the world, immediately resort to the sacrament of Repentance and Holy Communion, to be renewed by this Child Who through Cross matured to Christ of the Lord.

Let us doubt and linger when doing something wrong, so that to leave space for God to give us His merciful corrections if He wills, and let us humbly accept them.

And may God grant us, to anyone in one’s own hour and time, together with the righteous God-receiver and God-Bearer, happily say: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word». Amen.

Luke 18:10-14

The Lord spoke this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Two people came to the temple to pray, two completely different people. One lived piously, and the other led the evil way of life. One was respected by all, and the other was despised by all, including the church people of that time!

And the first one leaves the temple condemned, and the second one — justified.

This Pharisee was indeed a very godly man. He carefully and happily observed all the prescribed fasts. He gave tithes to the temple on all his purchases. And finally, we must trust him that he was neither a robber, nor an offender, nor an adulterer. In a word, if all of us in our external deeds of piety were at least not lower than him, it would not be bad at all. One verse of what we have read yesterday at the evening service meant literally this, prompting us follow him in this respect.

As for the publican, you cannot say anything like that about him. His very occupation testifies to this: the tax collectors collected taxes in favor of the Roman emperor, and besides the fact that they helped the enemy, occupational government, they themselves profited from the enslavement and humiliation of their people.

Christ Himself constantly equates them either with sinners in general, or with adulterers and harlots. This occupation was one of the most despisable, and those who were prone to all kinds of dishonesty went into it.

And so, they are standing in the temple and praying.

One remembers his merits, the other, realizing who he is, not daring to look at the sky, hits his chest and says: God, be merciful to me, a sinner…

And the Lord accepts prayer regardless of our merits and sins, but not just any kind of prayer.

This tax collector, who understood who he was, was heard. And the other one was rejected, because he forgot about the most important thing. While listing his virtues, he forgot that we are all children of the fallen Adam, who himself fell away from God and in his falling away gave birth to us to be like himself.

That all of our righteousness, no matter how good it is by human standards, is only fragments of the image of God according to which man was created.

That besides that, there is still sinfulness, which separates us from God, and it has part in everything, in every aspect of our life.

He forgot that the ways and thoughts of God are as much higher than our own as heaven is higher than the earth, and in order to return to God, one must first understand where we are, how far we are from Him, what is the depth of the abyss… How ridiculous are the words of the Pharisee on this background about, that he fasts twice a week and gives tithes on everything he has!

What about the fact that Christ had to not only come into this world, but suffer the Cross and give His life? In order to save people.

But the self-satisfaction (self-esteem) of the Pharisee seemed to dominate in his spirit, so dominant it was that it completely obscured from him the true picture of what was happening in his soul, and or this world…, and also made him steal the judgement from God…, justifying himself, and looking down at his brother…

He looked in the false mirror, with not God as this mirror, but himself…

He placed himself where the Christ’s Sacrifice seems useless, or excessive.

So, he himself left the place where the prayer is heard by God.

Anyone who humbles himself will be exalted, but who exalts himself will be humiliated (Luke 18:14). And the other very important truth: “The healthy do not need the Physician…”

Every time before Great Lent, we hear this parable as a warning not to lose or spoil our Great Lent.

Fasting is a time of intense prayer, but not all of our prayers are pleasing to God.

And if we go to church, fast, read the Gospel every day, perform prayers in the morning and evening, and at the same time look down on others and say: “Thank you, Lord, that we are not like other people, offenders, adulterers, oppressors, but we fast twice a week, or even every day, and do other things and so on”, then it turns out that we are the disciples of the Pharisees, and not of Christ. And maybe we tried to do the commandments, but not quite painstaking, as the holy fathers say… and thus see only some superficial signs of the illness…

God, have mercy on me, a sinner! Let us try to practice and feel this prayer.

Amen.