The Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (321-23)
Great Fast Day 23
Sixth Hour – Isaiah 25:1-9; Presanctified – Genesis 9:8-17; Proverbs 12:8-22; Matthew 20:1-16
Polyeleos Feast. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Read Isaiah 25:1-9
On the wall of my living room, amidst numerous other pieces of art, is a picture of the sun rising, taking over the darkness of night, with the words “And life reigns,” taken from the Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ ushers in the prevalence of life over death.
While death has no power over the world due to Christ’s Resurrection, when we rebel against God by allowing sin to reign in our hearts, we allow death to prevail in our lives. Persistence in sin, continuous rebellion against God, and a lack of repentance lead to spiritual death due to a willful separation from God.
During this Lenten season, the Church reminds us to choose life over death, to fall in repentance before the merciful God like the publican and the prodigal, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking God’s mercy, so that we may greet the Holy Pascha and celebrate the eternal reign of life over death.