Today, the Third Sunday of the Triodion, is known as Judgement or Meatfare Sunday. The Gospel reading, which is a parable of Christ’s second coming and impartial judgement, comes to us from Matthew 25:31-46. On this day Orthodox Christians say farewell to meat until Pascha as we prepare for the Great Fast. Father Ernesto shares a message that inspires us to keep the fast of Lent, acceptable to God, where we practice loving Him and practically show love to our neighbor. He expounds on this love of neighbor and Christian disciplines that serve our own interest as he reflects on Matthew 7 and Isaiah 58. In Matthew 7 Jesus says, ”Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven”, shall be known by the Lord. In Isaiah 58 the Lord says your fast is worthless if your behavior does not show you fulfill the first and second greatest commandments, of loving God and neighbor as self. He shares with us several benefits of fasting which, if done with love of God and neighbor, will be acceptable to the Lord.
