The Holy Martyrs Eutropius and His Companions Cleonicus and Basiliscus (286-305)
Great Fast Day 9. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Read
Proverbs 5:1-15
In the last 10 days, the hymns of the Great Fast that we sing at Vespers and Matins have reminded us of the necessity and blessedness of fasting during this sacred time. The fasting that we sing about is not just fasting from food but also fasting from the passions or sensual pleasures. While we may be strict with what comes into our stomachs, we may lose sight of guarding our other senses from sinful desires and passions.
The reading from Proverbs reminds us that we must keep the sins of lust, fornication, and adultery far away from us for they do not bring us any good thing but rather great darkness. These passions, like all the others, can lay hold of anyone, and so we must guard ourselves against the devil’s temptations.
The Great Fast is a time for us to practice great self-control and discipline. May we be disciplined in all aspects of our Christian life and practice self-control over all the urges of the flesh.