The word of the day is “turn.” Today, the Orthodox observe a “little Lent” before Great Lent. No liturgy is celebrated today in the Orthodox Church, and there is no Gospel or Epistle reading but readings from Joel.  Other Christians are observing Ash Wednesday.  But whether today is a “Little Lent” or an Ash Wednesday, in our reading of Joel 2:12-26, we hear the urgent cry, “Turn to me with all your heart with fasting and wailing and with mourning…” (vs. 12). These stirring words admonish us to take the upcoming Lenten season with ultimate seriousness.  There is no time to delay. There is no more room for spiritual laxity. The prophet announces the time of grace and judgment has come…
The word of the day is “turn.” Today, the Orthodox observe a “little Lent” before Great Lent. No liturgy is celebrated today, and there is no Gospel or Epistle reading.  Others of us observing Ash Wednesday.   But whether the day is a “Little Lent” or Ash Wednesday, in our reading of Joel 2:12-26, we hear the urgent cry, “Turn to me with all your heart with fasting and wailing and with mourning…” (vs. 12). These stirring words admonish us to take the upcoming Lenten season with ultimate seriousness.  There is no time to delay. There is no more room for spiritual laxity. The prophet announces the time of grace and judgment has come upon us. Today our reading goes back…
The word of the day is “turn,” Today we observe a “little Lent” before Great Lent. No liturgy is celebrated today, and there is no Gospel or Epistle reading.   Rather, in our reading of Joel 2:12-26, we hear the urgent cry, “Turn  to me with all your heart with fasting and wailing and with mourning…” ( vs. 12). Our reading admonishes us to take the upcoming Lenten season with ultimate seriousness.  There is no time to delay. There is no more room for spiritual laxity. The prophet announces the time of grace and judgment has come upon us. Today our reading goes back to the 700 years before Christ. The People of God are facing two catastrophes, a plague of…