The Holy Forty-Two Martyrs of Ammorium (848)
Great Fast Day 12. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Read
Proverbs 6:20-7:1
We hear Cyril of Alexandria explain this passage quite well:
Solomon also writes that “the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light.” This sensible light that is in the world, by falling on our bodily eyes, dispels the darkness. So also the law of God, when admitted into the mind and heart of people, illuminates it thoroughly and does not allow it to fall against the stumbling blocks of ignorance or be caught in the thickets of sin.”
The lamp doesn’t light for its own sake, but for ours. Cyril of Alexandria makes this clear. The lamp’s end goal is to illuminate us. This work is done from the inside out. Purification through the living of the commandments is the way we internalize the light. The end goal is not to be enlightened but become pure light.