Archbishop Makarios of Australia on the ‘spiritual arena’ of Great and Holy Lent
In the spiritual arena of Holy and Great Lent, during which we are called, like athletes in the sports stadiums, we strive to accomplish a certain spiritual goal, mentions His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia is the new video message of spiritual edification which he posted on the Instagram social networking site.
His Eminence focuses on the spiritual goal of avoiding judging others, recalling a related prayer that is heard in the holy services of this blessed period which we have just begun. “Not to judge my neighbour means that I do not shatter the peace that exists in their soul“, His Eminence points out, among other things.
Here is the post and the full message from the Archbishop of Australia:
Holy and Great Lent has been named by the Fathers of our Church a “spiritual arena”; and it is truly a spiritual arena because we all strive, we fight like the combatants who enter the arena, we strive to accomplish a certain spiritual goal, a certain spiritual record. I therefore wish to request that during this blessed period, that we may place before us a very important spiritual goal; and this goal is that we do not judge. There is a prayer which you will hear many times during this period in the church, which says “Lord and Master of my life … yes Lord and King grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brother”. So that, I may see my own faults, we entreat Christ to help us, to see my own faults and not to judge my brother. Do you know what this means? It means that I do not judge my neighbour so that I may allow them to live their life in peace. Not to judge my neighbour means that I do not shatter the peace that exists in their soul, because when we judge our fellow person and upset them and embitter them, this means that we violently enter into the serenity which is within their soul, and we cause them distress. I believe, dear sisters and brothers, that we do not have such a right!
