The Holy Apostles Herodion, Agabus, Rufus, Asyncretus, Phlegontus, and Hermes.
Day 37 of the Great Fast.
Sixth Hour – Isaiah 49:6-10; Vespers – Genesis 31:3-16; Proverbs 21:3-21.
Read Proverbs 21:3-21
“To do righteousness and to speak the truth are more pleasing to the Lord than the blood of sacrifices.”
By the sixth week of Lent, we can feel worn down. The fast becomes harder, the prayers longer, and sometimes we’re tempted to just coast through the rest. But this verse gently calls us back to the heart of the journey: the Lord is more pleased with righteousness and truth than with sacrifice.
The Church teaches us that righteousness is one of the general virtues of Wisdom—that divine Lady who calls to us where ever we are, who makes her home with those who love God. When we live rightly and speak the truth with love, we are moving freely with Wisdom’s grace. These aren’t just moral actions—they are signs that we are learning to live from the heart.
This passage from Proverbs contrasts the proud and the humble, the just and the deceitful. It invites us to examine ourselves: am I growing more patient, more truthful, more generous? Or am I just going through the motions?
The verse that stands out most is this: “He who pursues righteousness and mercy will find life, righteousness, and honour.” Lent is that pursuit. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about walking in the right direction—toward the Lord, with Wisdom as our companion.
So let’s keep going. Let’s ask for hearts that love what is right. Let our fasting help us become gentler. Let our prayers help us speak truth more kindly. And may we grow in Wisdom—not just in knowledge, but in the way we live and love.
Lord, give us the grace to walk in righteousness and truth, guided by Your Wisdom, and formed by Your mercy.