Saint Andrew Russian Greek Catholic Church

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“Open to me the doors of repentance……”   Indeed, this Sunday could be thought of as a door: a door through which we enter the sacred period which leads us on to Pascha, a door which opens into that atmosphere of repentance, to that life of repentance which Great Lent should bring to each of us.  

In the Epistle reading today, we are warned that trials and difficulties will not be lacking during the preparation for Pascha.  As much to us as to Timothy, Saint Paul says, “And in fact all who seek to live piously in the Anointed One Jesus will be persecuted…” 

The Gospel for this Sunday is the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee:  the Church, in order to exhort us to true repentance, sets before us the scene of two men who go to the Temple to pray, and of whom only one is justified on account of his humility and sincere contrition.  

Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

"Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up 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 every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."