Magyar Egyház, 1952 (31. évfolyam, 3. szám)

1952-03-01 / 3. szám

MAM*

OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE FREE MAGYAR REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA

Re-entered as 2nd class matter on July 24, 1951 at the Post Office at New York, N.Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance of mailing: at special rate, provided for by Section 538, P. L. and R. 1940, Paragraph 4

Published monthly, except June-July and August-September when bi-monthly, by Magyar Egyház Publishing Company at 895 Home Street, New York 59, N.Y.—Subscription $2.—yearly

Vol. 31.—No. 3.

Editor:

JOSEPH URBAN 895 Home Street New York 59, N. Y.

MARCH, 1952

Business Manager: I. BERTALAN Winant Place Staten Island 13,N.Y.

THE LENTEN SEASON

(U.) Some Christian denominations in their teaching about the Lenten season over-emphasize it’s ascetic character. According to them, the believers must comply with the rigid rules of fasting. Needless to say, they disregard the words of our blessed Savior: “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man . . .” On the other hand, there are many among our own church-members who refuse to obey even the elementary requirements of self-control, stating that the adherents of our faith are not supposed to renounce any of their rights to a “happy” life.

It is probably true that we ought not to fast and that a larger freedom and spaciousness in our lives as Protestant men and women, are quite in order; but by stressing only the negative side of the Lenten season, we carry “the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free” a little too far. When He spoke about the way of life being a narrow one, He did not mean to entangle us “with the yoke of bondage”, but nevertheless He meant something. He meant that the way of our life must be a way of some renunciation. We must make up our mind that we wil do without and we will not do something; we will deny some desires of our human nature and will not adjust ourselves to the sons and daughters of the world, no matter what the allurements and suggestions may be.

But to deny ourselves and not to do something is not enough. From the negative pole we have to move toward the positive field of. Christianity. We must love and follow our Lord Jesus Christ. The nearer we get to Him the better Christians we are; following His footsteps we will be able to fulfill our obligations. As men and women who

profess to be His followers we should know what our obligations are. To these obligations we must give our most ^ serious attention, especially in the Lenten period. A more fervent love of our Savior brings us all spiritual grace, strength and courage to remain loyal to Him and to the things loved by Him. Good Christians attend the church-services regularly; partake of God’s Holy 4 Feasts; read the Bible and pray; give for the Cause . . . work for the Cause; they are always boosters and never become backsliders . . .

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son . . . Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (John 3:16; I John 4:10).” The fact that God loves us is the most deeply moving truth in all the teachings of Christianity. It is the meaning and real benefit of the Lenten period. This is what we must reciprocate with our devotion during this season.

“If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” Let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” There are many in our churches who are “neither cold nor hot.” There are many backsliders at heart, especially among our young people. In fact, everybody is a backslider at heart who goes back upon his Christian training. Everybody is a deserter who does not attend the church services and does not live up to the pledge he made at the time of his confirmation. Everybody is a backslider who for his own fancied good deserts his heavenly heritage.

One purpose of the Lenten season is to reclaim the weak, the lukewarm, the backslider and the deserter. These, too,