"The night is far spent; the day is approaching; let us then cast off the works o f darkness, and let us clothe ourselves with the armor o f light!"            Romans 13:12

In today's powerful excerpt from St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, we heard the forceful admonition, as we are about to embark on the long Lenten journey, which commences tomorrow with "Kathari Deftera" or "Clean Monday."

St. Paul speaks of casting off the works of darkness, and clothing ourselves with the armor of light I don't think that we have to explain what these works of darkness are. They can easily be grouped under one heading, and that heading is titled "SIN". Sins, -­the little ones, and the grave ones constitute the works of darkness, which surely can destroy us in this life, and most certainly preclude us from becoming co-heirs with Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven, as St. Paul certifies.

He speaks of casting of the works of darkness and then putting on the armor of light! What does he mean by putting on the armor of light? It is none other than the Christian deeds and a life, founded on God's love to our fellow human beings. Clothed with the armor of light, we shall be able to withstand any trial and tribulation, because it is the Lord, Who will sustain us.

But, if a person persists in sinful living, we can rightfully say that he or she exists in a very dark labyrinth, with its endless maze of corridors, and therefore becoming difficult to find the exit from the labyrinth, so as to be able to see once again, the light of day.

Cast off the works of darkness proclaims the Church, especially now that we are given another opportunity to uplift ourselves spiritually. This is the gift, which Lent affords to all people. Let us all ask ourselves the following questions: "While we did hear this very same Epistle message last year at this time, did we make an honest effort to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light? Also, have we divested ourselves from the pettiness, and other similar evils, which usually proliferate and consume us, so as to destroy our moral fibre, and cast us into the realm of human misery.

All of us hear the Biblical Teachings. To be sure, none of us will disagree, that these words are true and edifying. But, the reality is, that these beautiful and edifying words, remain just that! Beautiful and edifying, without properly influencing our life. Why is this? I think that the answer lies in the fact, that we have permitted ourselves to become spiritual weaklings. We simply do not make an honest effort to gird ourselves, and make the firm decision to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light!

Too many people live, as if their life on this planet will never end. They never give a thought, that tomorrow they may be called from this world. And whereas they attend their relatives' and friends' funerals, somehow it does not penetrate, that they also are prospective candidates, who may be called at any time by the Lord!

So many people are disbelievers or even unbelievers. So many are sheer materialists, totally neglecting their eternal spiritual counterpart, their soul! Others, while not unbelievers, are religiously indifferent, who say they believe in God, but permit all other things in life to take precedence. Still others, become so enveloped in their work, that they totally neglect the spiritual.

To the list of disbelievers, and unbelievers, we can also classify those, who consider themselves self sufficient. They need no one. Not even God. These are the high and mighty, living in superfluous luxury, and who never fail to wield their power through their wealth or position.

In this category we can easily include some of the intellectually elite, who have built for themselves their own temples of wisdom, in which they worship. Still others, whether you call them jet-setters or the like, consider that life is worth living, only when we can have one good time succeeding another in an endless chain.

But, how stable, and how lasting are these human endeavors? If someone is wealthy and powerful, he surely is based on other individuals or conditions, whether this is acknowledged or not. But, one stone removed from the foundation of this materialism, can bring down the whole superstructure. To be sure we all must have read, or seen situations of this.

The intellectuals, who gloat strictly in their human wisdom, must surely feel their inadequacy, when they are on the portals of death and cannot explain or reconcile the mystery of death. This comes from the fact that they may have considered Christianity below their intellectual level, and which could have prepared them of course, for their last agonizing moments in life.

Those, who exist only for the endless good times most assuredly become victims of that to which they have succumbed. Base instincts, and living within the materialistic philosophy: "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die!" This sheer materialistic living could be classified as beastly, since it is a life devoid of any true and uplifting ideals.

Again, it wouldn't be difficult to cite examples of these people, who so often come to a dead end, and whose lives usually end in horror. But, the reality is, that the mass media projects these people, which results in making them heroes and role models to our impressionable young ones,