In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, this week is Cheesefare week and last Sunday was Meatfare Sunday — the last Sunday to eat meat before fasting begins in earnest.
What struck me this year, though, were the first two sentences of the Epistle this Sunday:
Brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
Right when I could get bogged down in legalism and judging others, they have to give me this thought: I’m no better off.
They really know me.
Related to this, Fr Stephen writes about the scandal of the Gospel in a way we don’t often think of it:
…the radical forgiveness of everyone for everything…