Cheesefare Sunday, also colloquially known as Forgiveness Sunday, is the third week of the Triodion and the final day of preparation for Clean Monday, when we begin our journey through Great and Holy Lent on our way to Pascha, the Feast of Feasts. On Pascha (Easter), we celebrate the life-giving Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We celebrate the victory over death, as neither death nor the power of the grave could hold our Savior prisoner. However, this victory came through the Cross, for it is on the Cross that Christ frees us from the bondage of sin. Through faith in Him and because of His Resurrection, we are restored and transformed, again capable of eternal life. Therefore, our Lenten journey is a way for us to be united to Him in His Crucifixion and Resurrection. The Lenten journey is an opportunity for renewal and reorientation towards God as we strengthen our commitment to Him. It is an opportunity to increase our ascetic struggle (in Greek, ἄσκησις) and attain our potential to become holy. Our efforts nurture the transformative and sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We fast to open the door to a deeper spiritual dimension during Great Lent. We also intensify our prayer life to strengthen our bond with God. We engage in works of charity to learn to love others more fully. The Gospel reading for Forgiveness Sunday prepares us for the beginning of our Lenten journey by setting out the Lord’s essential teachings on praying, fasting, and giving. There is a fundamental connection between forgiveness and prayer. Our Lord taught us to pray in simplicity and truth. He gave us the Lord’s Prayer, where we call on God to “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Christ then tells us, “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” We miss the mark throughout our lives, and it is through the love and mercy of God that we can be reconciled to Him. Missing the mark is the literal meaning of the Greek word ἁμαρτία, which we know as sin. We recognize that God is merciful to us because He loves us, not because we have done anything to merit His love and mercy. Therefore, we do not approach forgiveness as a contractual undertaking. Instead, we forgive because we trust and give ourselves entirely to God’s infinite love and compassion. This reconciliation with God requires that we take on His qualities of love and mercy towards humankind. In other words, we open our hearts to God’s grace to become channels of His love. As Saint John Chrysostom says, “Nothing makes us so like God, as being ready to forgive the wicked and wrongdoers....” Forgiveness may sometimes be a process that takes time. What is most important is our willingness to participate in the process. Aware of our sinfulness, we know how much we need forgiveness. The Lord also teaches us about fasting. It is essential for us to understand both why and how we fast. We fast, in part, to share in the fasting of Christ at the beginning of His earthly ministry. As the ancient nation of Israel spent 40 years in the desert, the Lord was also led to the desert by the Holy Spirit, and there He fasted 40 days and 40 nights while tempted. He was victorious over all the temptations before He began His ministry on earth. Christ, as the Second Adam, was victorious in His fasting, whereas the first Adam failed to fast from the fruit of the tree and fell into sin. Saint Basil the Great says, “We have been injured by sin; let us be healed by repentance. But repentance is futile without fasting . . . It is because we did not fast that we were banished from Paradise. So let us fast that we may return to it.” Following Jesus’s steps, we also fast so that we learn discipline. Through our efforts, with the grace of God, we learn to control the passions which seek to rule over us. We grow in self-control, so our appetites and passions no longer dominate us. As a result, our prayer life improves as we simplify our lifestyle, becoming less preoccupied with cooking, eating, and entertainment. The Church calls on us to become less materialistic and more spiritual, to think more about our salvation, and to take the time during Lent to put aside worldly concerns. Learning restraint and abstinence, we begin to experience spiritual growth and purity of heart. One of the most significant benefits of fasting is that it helps us grow spiritually. Fasting from food teaches us to fast from sin, as both involve denying our impulsive desires and urges. We also try to fast to understand and empathize with our brothers and sisters who are hungry and in need. We fast in preparation to receive our Savior during Holy Week and the Great Feast of Pascha. However, it is essential to understand how to best approach the practice of fasting to maximize the spiritual benefits. Fasting from food is most beneficial if we also seek fellowship with God and others. That is why fasting is combined with prayer, forgiveness, and almsgiving. Active participation in the sacramental life of the Church is also invaluable. Parishes worldwide offer Presanctified Liturgies (a liturgical service performed on the weekdays of Great Lent in which the Holy Communion has been consecrated usually the Sunday before) during the week to spiritually sustain the faithful during Great Lent. Through Holy Communion, Christ Himself sustains our fasting efforts throughout the week. Fasting truly shines when it goes beyond the act of abstaining from food itself and leads one to encountering Christ. It is also important to remember that, as we fast, we focus on our struggle, not on the efforts of others. The Lord teaches us to fast with joy. He says, “Anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Lastly, the Lord teaches us not to store up treasures on earth, but treasures in heaven, for where our treasure is, there is our heart. We know this instinctively when we think of our loved ones. Our children represent our treasure, as do our parents, spouses, brothers and sisters, friends, and everyone we love. They are our treasures because we love them and hold them dearly in our hearts and souls. During Lent, we are presented with the opportunity to cultivate those relationships. We also can ask ourselves whether our hearts love money, possessions, status, or other worldly things. These may not be an obstacle to God, and could be used for His glory, but they are not an end in themselves. To accumulate treasures in heaven means letting go of our attachment to worldly things — trusting in God, setting our hearts on Him, and serving others in love. In this way, we open ourselves to the love and grace of God as we begin Great and Holy Lent. This is a blessed opportunity of renewal and growth for all of us. As we begin our Lenten journey, we draw ever closer to God — forgiving all injuries and insults, learning discipline and self-control over food, thoughts, words, and actions. And most importantly, it is a chance for us to grow in love towards God and each other. Our journey towards Pascha places us on the path where Christ’s Cross can lead us to our resurrection.

We welcome you to worship with us on Sunday and whenever the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. Matins begins at 9:00 am and the Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am.

Click here for Google Map & Specific Driving Directions »

DIRECTIONS TO THE DORMITION CHURCH FROM THE NORTH:

1. Proceed south on Interstate 81 South heading toward Winchester
2. Take exit 317 for VA-37/ US-11 toward US-522 N/ US-50 W/ Winchester/ Stephenson (0.3 mi)
3. Turn right at US-11 S/ VA-37 S/ Martinsburg Pike, Continue to follow VA-37 S (3.8 mi)
4. Take the ramp to US-50 E/ Northwestern Pike (0.2 mi)
5. Turn left at US-50 E/ Northwestern Pike, Continue to follow US-50 E (0.6 mi )
6. Turn left at Omps Dr, Continue to entrance of the Church`s parking lot (100 ft)
7. Turn left into the Church`s parking lot.

DIRECTIONS TO THE DORMITION CHURCH FROM THE SOUTH:

1. Proceed north on Interstate 81North heading toward Winchester
2. Take exit 310 for VA-37 toward US-11/VA-642/ Winchester/ Kernstown/ US-50/ US-522/ Berkely Spgs/ Romney (0.2 mi)
3. Turn left at VA-37 N (5.2 mi)
4. Take the US-50 ramp to Winchester/ Romney (0.3 mi)
5. Turn right at US-50 E/ Amherst St (0.5 mi)
6. Turn left at Omps Dr, Continue to entrance of the Church`s parking lot (100 ft)
7. Turn left into the Church`s parking lot.