Transfer of the Relics of Our Holy Father Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople (847).
Great Fast Day 31. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Sixth Hour – Isaiah 41:4-14. Presanctified – Genesis 17:1-9. Proverbs 15:20-16:9.
Read Isaiah 41:4-14
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Today’s reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah speaks of God’s love and care for Israel, the offspring of Abraham: “But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand’” (Is. 41:8-10). God promises His faithfulness, care, and protection for His beloved chosen people: the descendants of Abraham. But who are the children of Abraham?
St. John the Baptist said to the multitudes coming to be baptized by him: “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones” (Lk. 3:7-8). Claiming yourself to be a “child of Abraham” is no excuse to be unfaithful to God or unrepentant of one’s sins. Jesus once said to the Jews who claimed to be Abraham’s descendants: “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this” (Jn. 8:39-40). Although the Jews are biologically descendants of Abraham, St. Paul explains that “only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7). In his letter to the Romans, he writes: “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called.’ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed” (Rom. 9:6-8).
These loving words spoken by God in today’s reading from the prophet Isaiah are spoken to us! We are the offspring of Abraham by faith, but more importantly, we “are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:26-29). Today, let us rejoice and reflect on this mystery that we have become children of God and heirs of the promise.