Monday 2nd March 2026
Lenten Fast: strict fast
Today we commemorate:
Holy Martyr Hesychius the Senator (c.304). Hieromartyr Theodotus, bishop of Cyrenia (c.320). St. Nicholas Planas, parish priest in Athens (1932). Virgin-Martyr Euthalia of Sicily (257). St. Arsenios, bishop of Tver (1409).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Chad, bishop of Lichfield (672). St. Gistilian, uncle of St. David (6th C). St. Fergna, abbot of Iona (637). St. Cynibild, brother of SS Chad and Cedd (7th C). St. Slebhine, abbot of Iona (767). St. Joavan (c.570). St. Willeic (726).
Isaiah 4:2-5:7; Genesis 3:21-4:7; Proverbs 3:34-4:22
Isaiah 4:2-5:7
On that day God will shine gloriously upon the earth with counsel to raise up and glorify what remains of Israel, what is left in Zion, what is left in Jerusalem. All who have been registered for life in Jerusalem will be called holy, for the Lord will wash away the dirt from the sons and daughters of Zion and cleanse the blood from among them by a spirit of judgement and by a spirit of burning. He will come, and everywhere on Mount Zion and all around it will be overshadowed in the daytime by cloud, and by night with the appearance of smoke and the light of flames and fire. It will be covered entirely in glory, providing shade from the heat, and it will be a place of refuge and a shelter from severe weather and rain. I shall now sing for my beloved a love song about my vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a high hill in a fertile place. I put a hedge around it, protected it, and planted a noble vine. I built a tower in the centre of it and dug out a wine vat there. I waited for it to produce grapes but it produced thorns. And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and man of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more might I have done for my vineyard that I did not do for it? Because I waited for it to produce grapes, but it produced thorns. I shall now tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard. I shall take away its hedge and it will be plundered. I shall demolish its wall and it will be trampled. I shall abandon my vineyard; it will not be pruned or hoed. Thorns will spring up in it as in a wasteland. I shall also command the clouds not to rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah his beloved young plant.
Genesis 3:21-4:7
For Adam, and also for his wife, the Lord God made garments of skin and clothed them. God said, ‘Adam has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, and now he may perhaps stretch out his hand and take from the tree of life and eat it and live for ever.’ And the Lord God expelled him from the garden to till the earth from which he was taken. He drove Adam out and made him live beyond the garden of delight, and he stationed cherubim with the fiery sword that twists and turns to guard the path to the tree of life. Adam knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, ‘I have gained a human being through God.’ And she went on to give birth to his brother Abel. Abel became a shepherd, but Cain was tilling the earth. Some time later Cain brought some of the fruits of the earth as an offering to the Lord; and Abel too brought some of the first-born of his sheep and of his fatstock. God looked upon Abel and his gifts, but paid no attention to Cain or to his offerings. Cain was greatly grieved and his face fell. The Lord God said to Cain, ‘Why have you become so full of grief and why has your face fallen? If you make your offering rightly but have not chosen it rightly, have you not sinned? Be content. He will depend upon you and you will rule over him.’
Proverbs 3:34-4:22
The Lord resists the arrogant, but gives grace to the humble. The wise will inherit glory, but the ungodly exalt dishonour. Listen, children, to a father’s instruction and take care to master understanding, for I am giving you a good gift; do not forsake my law. I too was a son obedient to my father and beloved in the eyes of my mother. They taught me and said, ‘Let our words be fixed in your heart. Keep the commandments; do not forget nor neglect the declarations of my mouth.’
Do not forsake her and she will cleave to you. Love her and she will watch over you. Keep her secure and she will exalt you. Honour her so that she may embrace you, so that she may crown your head with graces and protect you with a crown of delight.
Listen, my son, and accept my words, and the years of your life will be multiplied so that, for you, the paths of life may become many. For I am teaching you the paths of wisdom; I am setting you upon the right roads. And if you walk, your steps will be not be constrained, and if you run, you will not be weary. Take hold of my instruction; do not let go but keep it for yourself, for your life. Do not encroach upon the paths of the ungodly, nor be eager for the ways of transgressors. Wherever they encamp do not go; turn away from them and pass by. For they will not sleep unless they have done evil; they are denied sleep, and they do not slumber. They eat the food of ungodliness and get drunk with the wine of transgression. The ways of the righteous shine like light; they walk on and shine until the day fully dawns. But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they do not know how much they stumble. My son, pay attention to what I say, and bend your ear to my words so that your issue may not fail you; keep them in your heart. For it is life for those who find them, and healing for all flesh.
The text and chapter and verse references of the Old Testament readings are those of the Septuagint