On the
third Sunday of the Triodion, our Church sets before us the
fearsome
Second Coming of the Lord. During the previous two Sundays, the
parables
of "the Publican and the Pharisee" and especially "the Prodigal
Son"
were used
to emphasize God's infinite compassion and goodness. However,
realizing
that this could possibly prompt people to incorrectly and falsely hope
in God's
forgivingness alone, while foolishly ignoring His commandments, living
with
indifference, persisting in sin, and squandering the time that has been given
to them
to acquire salvation, the holy Fathers appointed that we commemorate
and bring
to mind the Second Coming of Christ on this day in order to underline
and
remind us that God is not only a compassionate Lord, but also a righteous
Judge Who
renders to each man according to his works.Behold how St. Gregory
Palamas
affirms the above: “
Last
Sunday through the parable of the prodigal who was saved, the Church commemorated
God’s incomparable love for mankind. This Sunday it teaches us about His
terrifying Judgment to come, following the right order and in accordance with
the prophetic sayings: “I will sing of mercy and of judgment” (Ps. 101:1), and,
“God hath
spoken
once: twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. Also unto thee, O
Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his works”
(Ps.62:11-12).“
Mercy and
forbearance precede the divine Judgment. God Himself is the
first
possessor of every virtue and embraces them all. He is both just and merciful.
But as mercy does not go with judgment, as it is written, “Thou shalt not be
merciful to apoor man at judgment” (cf. Prov. 24:23), God rightly allotted a proper
time to each, appointing the present for forbearance, the future for retribution.
The grace of the Spirit so ordered the rites of the Holy Church, that when we
learn that we receive forgiveness of sins from what happens here and now, we
may press on while still in this present life to attain everlasting mercy and
make ourselves worthy of thedivine love for mankind. For that Judgment is without
mercy for the unmerciful.”
Thus,
through the recollection of that frightful day, the holy Fathers desire to wake
us up from the sleep of indolence, motivate us to live virtuously, and encourage
us to show
love and
compassion toward our fellow man.A certain hymn (specifically, the kontakion)
chanted on this Sunday says:
When You
come, O God, to the earth in glory, the entire universe will tremble [with
fear]. A river of fire will flow forth from Thy judgment seat. Books will be
opened, and the secret [deeds of men] will be publicized. At that time, deliver
me from the
inextinguishable
[eternal] fire, and deem me worthy of standing on Your right, O most-righteous
Judge.
