The Holy and Great-Martyr Theodore the Recruit (286-305)
According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.
Zechariah 8:7-14; Zechariah 8:19-23.
Read Zechariah 8:7-14
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Today is the Friday of Cheesefare Week, an aliturgical day (without the celebration of the Divine Liturgy). For this reason, our reading comes from the Old Testament, from the book of the prophet Zechariah. We read a prophecy about God’s plans for salvation.
In the first verse of the reading, the Lord of hosts says: “I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west” (Zech. 8:7). In verse thirteen He says: “And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, let your hands be strong.” The prophecy of Zechariah announced that God will restore His exiled people from Babylon to Jerusalem. By repeatedly saying, “let your hands be strong,” they were being exhorted to rebuild the Temple. Both the prophets Zechariah and Haggai were contemporaries who exhorted the exiles to rebuild the Temple.
The Great Fast will begin in just a few days. On Sunday we will reflect on another exile: Adam and Eve’s exile from paradise. As Zechariah proclaimed God’s coming salvation to those in exile, let us hear this proclamation for ourselves. Perhaps we feel trapped in our sins or that life is too overwhelming. Today, we get to hear these words of hope from the prophet that restoration is coming! As the exiles had to be prepared to rebuild the Temple, we also need to use these final days in preparation to begin the Great Fast. Let us consider our preparation and remember that Christ has come to save us and return us to the paradise we had lost. Have we performed an examination of conscience to prepare ourselves for Confession? Have we decided which additional church services we will attend during Lent? Are we prepared to begin more rigorous fasting? Above all, let us take time to remember with gratitude that God has saved us, and besides Him there is no other Savior (see Is. 43:11).