Almost Home

Today is the first day of the Triodion, a three week period leading up the Great and Holy Lent. For me today always arrives with a sense of relief like that feeling you have when you’re almost home from a long trip. You know....that feeling of relief when you land at the airport after a long trip away from home. You know not quite home yet, but you’re so close your entire body reacts with relief.

For me the Triodion has that same feeling. As human beings our soul’s home is with God. Ever since God breathed the breath of life (Gen 2.7) each human soul knows its home belongs to God. Our journey through life of sin and distraction brings us further from home. As we approach Great Lent, which is a period dedicated to restoring our soul to a relationship in communion with God, our soul knows it is returning home.

The Gospel reading for today: Luke 18:10-14 - The Lord said this parable, "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 you 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 everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

For me this reading reminds me that my soul needs to return home. Unless we realize that our life is not what it should be, or that our soul is not where it should be, we will never consider the Great Lent as a journey home. But...when we understand our sinfulness, as the tax collector did, then we welcome the longer and additional Church services, strict fasting and dedicated prayers as the chance for our soul to return home. In the meantime, the beginning of the Triodion reminds us that we’re almost home. It won’t be long now.