Last night our family experienced something very new to all of us. While we are in a Western Christian Church (Anglican) and are thus nearing the end of the Lenten season, our brothers and sisters in Christ of the Eastern Orthodox Church have just begun their Lenten season. We had an open evening last night so we decided to attend a service where the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete was read. We don't know a whole lot about Orthodoxy, but we knew that this was a very important part of their Lenten observance. We had no idea what we were in for...

When talking about prayer Christians frequently use catchy phrases like "time to hit our knees in prayer" or "offer God some knee mail." The Orthodox mean it when it comes to "hitting their knees in prayer." We began the Canon, which consists of the priest singing a line or two and the choir and people responding with the words

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me

This goes on back and forth dozens and dozens of times. And each time we sang "Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me" we hit our knees (literally), kneeling and then touching our heads to the ground before God. This is called a prostration (we read about that in Scripture and sing about it in some of our hymns, but I have never experienced actually doing it). Dozens and dozens of times knelt down and stood up, then knelt down and stood up. about half way through I was exhausted and my legs felt like jello! It was humbling, incredibly humbling. And painful. And it got the point across.

The point is that we all continue to fall short of God's glory, we still rebel, we become lost and in need of rescue, in need of God's mercy. Mercy, over and over, we beg for God's mercy.

Here is how the Canon begins:

How shall I begin to mourn the deeds of my wretched life? What can I offer as first fruits of repentance? In Your compassion, O Christ, forgive my sins.

Come, my wretched soul, and confess your sins in the flesh to the Creator of all. From this moment forsake your former foolishness and offer to God tears of repentance.

My transgressions rival those of first created Adam, and because of my sins I find myself naked of God and of His everlasting kingdom.

Some might object and say that this focus on our sin and brokenness will just make us feel bad and hate ourselves. That is not the goal - this is not focusing in sin just for the sake of focusing on sin. It is about being honest with ourselves about how we are and what we need. We are in need of healing and God is the Healer.

I think Stephanie and I both cried at different times during the service as the meaning of the service hit home for both of us. It's easy to not take our need seriously. It is tragic if we don't take God's mercy seriously.

As I have been reflecting on the experience God reminded me of a few passages from Scripture that deal with repentance and the need to take seriously, with determination, focus and discipline, the work of turning to God again and again, acknowledging our fault and asking for his mercy.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Luke 7:36-45 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.

Even though we in the West are beginning to feel the excitement of Easter approaching and are ready to leave Lent behind and enter into the joyous Resurrection season, I am glad we went last night. I am glad for the reminder. I am glad for the soreness that still lingers in my legs this morning. I am glad for mercy.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy.