Great Tuesday; Our Venerable Father Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra.
Matins – Matthew 22:15-23:39; Sixth Hour – Ezekiel 1:21-2:1; Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts – Exodus 2:5-10; Job 1:13-22; Matthew 24:36-26:2.
Read Matthew 24:36-26:2
Chapters 24 and 25 in the Gospel of Matthew contain what is known as the “Olivet Discourse,” teachings of Jesus given on the Mount of Olives in the time after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem but before His Passion, death, and Resurrection. Jesus speaks about the destruction of Jerusalem, signs of the end times, the coming in glory of the Son of Man, and the importance of watchfulness.
Jesus tells multiple parables to illustrate the importance of being ready for the sudden return of the Son of Man since “you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Mt. 24:42). If your life ends twenty minutes from now, would you be ready to give an account of your life before God?
We need to be diligent, watchful, and always ready for Jesus’s return. Each year, the Great Fast is a wonderful opportunity to examine our lives and see what things have gotten in the way of our relationship with God. The Great Fast is a season of repentance in which we can turn back to God and receive His graces. As we approach the celebration of Our Lord’s Resurrection, there’s more good news! At any moment in our lives (and not just during a fasting season), we are welcome to turn back to God! God loves us and welcomes us with open arms, quick to forgive us and eager to draw us back to Himself. As we meditate on the importance of watchfulness, let us couple this with a fierce faith in God’s love for us. Let us remember all that Jesus suffered in order to bring us into eternal communion with God.