Stagger Onward Rejoicing

The Lenten Spring is once again upon us, and with it the promise of renewal. In the dead of winter, the vibrance and vitality of spring seem impossibly far off. And yet underneath its frozen surface, the earth stirs and strives irresistibly toward its yearly resurrection.

Something similar happens with us spiritually. Despite our best intentions, we accumulate harmful habits in the course of our daily lives, habits that deaden the soul and keep it from flourishing spiritually. Or else we encounter tragedy—an unexpected death, an untimely illness, an incurable injury—and this change in our circumstances paralyzes us with anxiety and despair. Even if our lives remain untouched by some serious adversity, weakness and negligence can cause us to lose touch with the true source of our life. We end up inwardly adrift, questioning our life choices and our commitment to the responsibilities God has placed upon us. The soul grows listless and “abhors all food,” unable to find delight in anything in heaven or on earth (Ps. 106:18). With David we cry out, “My soul is wearied from despondency and cleaves to the earth: Quicken me by Thy Word,” (cf. Ps. 118:25, 28).

God indeed sends His Word into our misery and heals us, and delivers us from our corruption (cf. Ps. 106:20). This is the story of the Gospel. But time and again, we see that it’s precisely when all seems lost, when no hope remains, when things are at their worst—then God acts. “Who is wise and will understand the mercies of the Lord?” (Ps. 106:43). When God brings salvation after a lengthy trial, we may wonder why He waited so long, why our pleas went unanswered, why we had to suffer through disappointment, heartache, isolation, and the crushing weight of feeling abandoned by God.

But the ways of grace do not answer to our human logic. If we look with spiritual eyes on our situation, we will see that the long, cold winter was the necessary preparation for the longed-for spring. The seeds of our eventual renewal were planted during the time of our testing. If we are truly wise and understand the mercies of the Lord, we will have an unshakeable trust in Him, so that no matter how dark or difficult things become, we will always find the strength to “stagger onward rejoicing,” (W.H. Auden, “Atlantis”). Then the words of the Psalm will apply also to us, “his heart is ready to hope in the Lord, his heart is established, he shall not be afraid of evil tidings,” (Ps. 110:7-8).

And what of death, the final calamity? Even before it, a Christian soul stands courageous and undaunted, confident in Christ’s Paschal victory. For now, though, “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together,” awaiting the manifestation of “the glorious liberty of the sons of God,” when they will “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father,” (cf. Rom. 8:19-22; Mt. 13:43). Lent offers us the opportunity to enter more fully into this universal yearning through increased prayer for the souls of the departed. We invite you therefore to join us in this labor of the Fast by submitting the names of your reposed loved ones using our online submission form. These names will be commemorated at every Liturgy, Pannykhida, Litia, and Matins for the Departed during the Lenten season.

Through all of these special commemorations, we carry all of creation both seen and unseen together with us on our spiritual journey towards the Resurrection of Christ. At the same time, we are benefitted by the remembrance that we too are journeying towards the grave to join the ranks of those reposed in the Lord. For we cannot truly rejoice in the Resurrection until we learn to shift our spiritual gaze beyond the horizon of this world. Only then can we chant the Church hymn with understanding: “We mortals were formed of earth and unto earth shall we return … making as a funeral dirge the song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!” (Ikos for the Pannykhida service). May the Lord grant you all a fruitful Lenten struggle, one that yields a truly joyful Pascha! Amen.