Preparing for the Spiritual Marathon

We are only 38 days from the beginning of the Great Fast. This year, after taking a break last year from the practice of Eastern Lent, I've decided to take it up again. For those of you that don't know, Eastern Lent starts two days before Western Lent (instead of Ash Wednesday, Orthodox start the Sunday preceding), and involves a much stricter regimen of prayer, reading and fasting than those of us in the Western Church are used to. To throw a wrench into the gearbox this year, the Orthodox start Lent one week after we do (because Eastern Pascha is one week later due to differences in the way they calculate the date of Pascha). So, I've either ordered or received all the pertinent service books as well as the quintissential manual for the Orthodox during this time: The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus. This year, I'm looking forward to practicing what the Orthodox call "joyful sadness" and in making an effort to run this spiritual marathon known as the Great Fast. God willing, it will be capped off with another night spent in the presence of the Body of our Lord at the Cathedral on Great and Holy Thursday in deep prayer.

The preparations have begun. First, I've started to clean out the apartment and prepare the icon corner so that there is enough space for all the service books (the Horologion, the Triodion, Octoechos printouts, and the Kathisma psalter) - I may need to add an extra side table for the books. I've also stretched my Liturigcs muscle and adapted the Eastern Calendar for Lent into the Western one (thank goodness the length of Lent is the same for Westerners as Easterners ... whew!). Also, I've begun making a discipline of saying the Hours on a regular basis every day, beginning with the Midnight Office, Orthros and First Hour in the morning, and Small Compline in the evenings (on weekends, I read an expanded office). Working this into EFM is going to be interesting.

Physically, I am getting ready for the next step, that is cleaning out the Pantry and the kitchen and buying adequate supplies for the Lenten diet. The Orthodox tradition during Lent is to forego all animal products with the exception of shellfish during the Great Fast (with a minor let up on Saturday and Sunday which allows for wine [alcohol] and olive oil). The only break occurs on March 25th for the Feast of the Annunciation where all fish is permitted. In addition, the Orthodox restrict the quantities of food or at least the number of meals eaten (I'm still figuring out where I'm going with this one). So, I've got to stock up on those lentils, beans, potatoes, rice, and other important staples of the vegan diet. To prepare for this, I've also taken on the Orthodox discipline of strict fast on Wednesday and Friday of each week (same as the Lenten diet) and add more reading and reflection on those days.

Of courses, there is going to be more and more preparation and as the Great Fast approaches, you'll hear more about the running of the spiritual marathon. More posts to come.