Preparing for Lent and Pascha

Let's see, where to begin? I have so many things I need to give up for Lent. This is my very first time to observe it officially as an Orthodox, so I'm sure to have a lot of curveballs. Here goes...

1) Sodas (Wow, I think I might have dangerous withdrawal symptoms there LOL. Look out!)
2) My cynical attitude towards the world (That's a tough one! I need a lot of prayer there, but I do call it as I see it, so maybe that's actually a good thing!)
3) World of Warcraft (Okay, so maybe I can do without that for 40 days)
4) Spending more time in prayer and the Scriptures. I don't care who you are, we could all use more of that IMHO
5) Re-examine my walk with Christ (I do this every year at Christmas, I just need to do it at Lent in addition.)
6) Of course, follow all the dietary restrictions
7) Give more of myself to the community
8) Attend my Catechumen classes and be attentive

I'm sure I will think of more.

This year I'm preparing a Pascha basket. In the Russian Orthodox tradition, which is what I observe, you make your Easter basket with all the good things representing that which Christ has given us. A sausage, cheese, bread, horseradish, butter, and just whatever else you would like to have blessed. A beautiful tradition is the red eggs. You give another parishioner an egg to symbolize Christ's resurrection. The egg represents new life, and as a "forbidden food" it celebrates the end of Lent in a special way. Red of course represents blood.
There are many theories about how the red Easter egg originated, including pagan traditions and a story about Mary Magdalene supposedly going to the Emporer of Rome and he said, "Christ has no more risen than the egg on that table is red." Funny how that parallels with so much of society's thinking today.

I'm going to decorate mine with some Russian folk fairytale and Orthodox cathedral wraps, so they'll look really awesome. (I hope!) Coveting is considered a great sin, and I am guilty as much as the next person. I love beautiful Faberge eggs and wish I had a whole cabinet filled with them. When I visited the Armory Museum in Moscow years ago, I fell in love with Imperialist art, Faberge eggs and the treasures of the Czarist empire. I don't agree with the political climate it carried, but nonetheless, there is no way the British monarchy would have anything on these guys when it comes to pomp, pageantry and displaying your wealth.

But the real reason we celebrate Pascha is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's not about the pretty eggs, or blessing of baskets, fancy foods, etc. Those are traditions handed down and are great to observe, but we must not forget what Easter really is. Forget all the Wal Mart grass, chocolate bunnies, and egg hunts...those are mainly fueled by corporate greed and an unleashed assault on the American buyer's psyche.


All over the world, Christians are accused of being stupid for their belief in Christ. All over the world, Christians die every day because of belief in a simple carpenter that was sent to the Earth to die for our sins. I would like for someone to tell me how this is such a horrible and terrible thing that is going to destroy mankind??? We, as humans, have made it a bad thing by starting wars in His name and forcing Him upon others, when His gift is free to receive. All that is required of us as Christians is merely to plant the seed. Around me I see professionals: doctors, lawyers, CPAs in my parish that will emphatically proclaim their belief in Christ. According to "the world," are these people stupid and ignorant? To those that have not accepted Christ: Would you not take your kid to a pediatrician that believed in Jesus? Use an accountant that had a cross displayed on his desk? Disregard a scientist's opinion because he says he believes in a Creator? Those that hold that Christ is just a "fairytale" in a book are sentencing themselves to something far worse than we can imagine here on Earth. No amount of science or what man has discovered will be enough to keep you separated from the eternal kingdom and rewards that we can each receive. All you have to do is believe and receive.

"Science is merely God's gift to humanity to understand His creation."
--Me

There I go again with my cynicism.