The Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (321-23)
Isaiah 5:16-26; Genesis 4:16-26; Proverbs 5:15-6:3; Hebrews 12:1-10; Matthew 20:1-16
Great Fast Day 10. Polyeleos Feast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Read Proverbs 5:15-6:3
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Lawless women ensnare a man,
But each man is bound by the chains of his own sins.
The Great Fast is a happy season. It’s true. But wait, some will say, the Fast is filled with actual fasting, almsgiving, and increased prayer. The hymns in church services often take a minor tone. We prostrate before the Lord. Yes, yes, this is all true. There is an inward gaze during this season. But it is not our own gaze. Rather, by the action of the Holy Spirit, we work at looking interiorly in order to see how we actually are in contrast to what we think we are. And, most likely, we will see that we are indeed bound by the chains of our own sins. Can we remove these chains by ourselves? With faith in God’s tender and loving mercy, yes. With repentance, yes. With trust in the Lord of all, yes. As St. Cyril of Jerusalem instructs, the garments of our offenses are washed in the waters of baptism [and made clean in Confession]. And this, this, is the cause of happiness. Let us today, then, glorify the Lord for what He does in our midst.