The Holy Martyrs Photius and Anicetas.
Dormition Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients.
2 Corinthians 6:11-16; Mark 1:23-28.
Read 2 Corinthians 6:11-16
St. Paul opens his heart to the Corinthians and urges them to open theirs in return. God never forces Himself upon us. He has given us one of His greatest gifts: free will—the freedom to love Him and to choose His will. The Fathers of the Church often taught that true freedom is not the ability to do whatever we want, but the ability to choose the good. As St. Irenaeus reminds us, God created us free so that our love for Him might be genuine and not compelled.
This invitation reaches its fullness in Christ, who says: “Come to me, all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). Jesus does not impose His yoke; He invites us to take it freely. Every day we decide whether to carry the burdens of sin and the world or the gentle yoke of Christ, which leads to peace and eternal life.
Finally, St. Paul reminds us that we are the temple of the living God. If God dwells within us, then our hearts should not become attached to things that pass away. Wealth, success, and earthly pleasures all fade. The Word of God, however, remains forever, and so does the life promised to those who abide in Him. Let us use the freedom God has given us to choose what is eternal, allowing Christ to dwell ever more deeply within us and making our lives a worthy temple of His living presence.