Holy Forty-Two Martyrs of Ammorium (848).
Great Fast Day 24. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Sixth Hour – Isaiah 26:21-27:9: Presanctified – Genesis 9:18-10:1. Proverbs 12:23-13:10.
Read Isaiah 26:21-27:9
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Having passed the third Sunday of the Great Fast, it is especially fitting to reflect on our spiritual progress through the Fast thus far. The first sticheron we pray tonight at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts says:
The Fast that brings integrity has now run half its course. These past days have proved acceptable, and now we see the need of the days to come. Our perception of their value will make them yield more abundant fruit. Therefore, let us beseech Christ our Benefactor who fasted and endured the Cross for us: Grant that we might share in Your divine Pascha without condemnation and pass our lives in peace, worthily glorifying You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In today’s reading from the prophet Isaiah, we hear: “In that day, God will bring His holy, great, and strong sword upon the fleeing dragon serpent, the perverse dragon serpent that flees; and He shall destroy the dragon” (Is. 27:1). The reading prophesizes Christ’s ultimate victory over Satan, sin, and death. The sword is Christ Who will slay the serpent, the serpent who tempted our ancestor in the garden and brought about the Fall of mankind.
This week, we have the cross set before us, adorned with flowers and fragrant herbs. As Christians, we are quick to see a cross and view it as the generic symbol of “Christianity.” We forget that the cross was an execution device used for the most shameful of public executions, making the guillotine or electric chair seem tame in comparison. This symbol of shameful death has been transformed into a symbol of life, victory, and resurrection!
We have passed the halfway point on our path to Holy Week where we will reflect in a solemn way on our Lord’s Passion and Death. As we continue to spiritually prepare ourselves, let us always remember God’s ultimate victory over sin and death. God is victorious over the serpent, and He shares His victory with us.