The Holy Martyr Codratus and those with him: Cyprian, Nika, Halyna, and others.
Day 8 of the Great Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients.
Sixth Hour – Isaiah 4:2-5:6; Vespers – Genesis 3:21-4:7; Proverbs 3:34-4:22.
Read Proverbs 3:34-4:22
Do not go in the ways of the ungodly,
Neither be zealous for the ways of the lawless;
In whatever place they encamp, do not go there,
But turn aside from them and pass by.
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil;
Their sleep is taken away, and they do not rest;
For they feed on the bread of ungodliness,
And they are drunk with the wine of lawlessness.
But the ways of the righteous shine like a light;
They go before and give light until full daylight.
The ways of the ungodly look attractive. Sin is enticing. We’ve all experienced the excitement of temptation—to steal that thing I want, to sleep with that person I’m attracted to (other than my spouse!), to strike at someone out of anger or rage. In the moment, these temptations often feel right and if we follow through, the actions will probably feel good.
Then, if we have a conscience, we feel guilt. Why? Because in sinning we act against the will of God—the law of love. In sinning we become lawless. In sinning we go against the way that God has created us to be—we go against our own nature. The feeling of guilt is a signal that something is wrong and needs to change.
After we have sinned we get two choices. One option is to ignore the guilt and then delight in sin again until guilt sets in again. By doing this one dives deeper into lawlessness and ungodliness. One is faced with the same choice again. Repeated sin will lead eventually to a numbing of our conscience altogether where we don’t really feel the guilt anymore.
If I look at such a person from the outside, it may look like they’re having loads of fun! Look at all the stuff she has! Look at all the girls he’s sleeping with! That’s so awesome!
But remember the words of the Proverbs: Do not go in the ways of the ungodly, neither be zealous for the ways of the lawless. While it may look like they’re living the best life, they are actually dead in sin, far from God, and tail spinning towards eternal death. They’ve numbed their conscience and chosen sin over the Giver of Life.
Therefore, when you sin, take the other choice: repentance. Accept the guilt as a sign that you have strayed from God’s will and turn back towards the Lord. Confess your sins, receive forgiveness, and ask for the grace to be strengthened for the next time. There always will be a next time—temptation will come again and the prospect of sin will look sweet. Instead of taking the poisoned honey that kills, choose the food that nourishes: virtue and prayer. Flee from the temptation and turn to the Lord. Choose goodness and love over evil and destruction.
This other way is often the more difficult path in the moment, just because sin can be so very enticing, however it is the way of light. But the ways of the righteous shine like a light.
So shine with light in your life. Choose virtue and flee from sin. When you sin, turn back to the Lord and fill your life with His light and shine for the world around you.