2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 39 – We’re in this Together

He isn’t fasting. She isn’t saying her prayers. They never come to Church. These are the sayings of those who forget an important truth of Christ. Instead of judging others we need to remember we are in this together.

Great Lent seems to bring the worst out in Orthodox Pharisees. I’ve written many times against what many refer to as OrthroBros, the modern version of the Pharisees. The OrthroBros are the only ones who ‘do it’ correctly. Everyone else should be kicked out of the Church.

We have only two days left of Great Lent 2026, so it is a good day to be reminded. God will never abandon those who love Him. He will never leave His people even when they disobey Him. Read through today’s readings and I think you will see what I see.

Thus says the LORD: “As the wine is found in the cluster, and they say, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,’so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all. I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah inheritors of my mountains; my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, for my people who have sought me. But you who forsake the LORD, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny; I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter; because, when I called, you did not answer, when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my eyes, and chose what I did not delight in.” Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame; behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart, but you shall cry out for pain of heart, and shall wail for anguish of spirit. You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse, and the Lord GOD will slay you; but his servants he will call by a different name. So that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hid from my eyes. – Isaiah 65.8-16

So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here am I.” Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.” Then Jacob set out from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. They also took their cattle and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt. – Genesis 46.1-7

My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad. My soul will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your mind in the way. Be not among winebibbers, or among gluttonous eaters of meat; for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags. Hearken to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who begets a wise son will be glad in him. Let your father and mother be glad, let her who bore you rejoice. My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. For a harlot is a deep pit; an adventuress is a narrow well. She lies in wait like a robber and increases the faithless among men. Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long over wine, those who go to try mixed wine. Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.” Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of mischief. By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is mightier than a strong man, and a man of knowledge than he who has strength. – Proverbs 23:15-24:5

Isaiah speaking for God says, “’so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all.” God tells Jacob to go to Egypt. God promised to make Israel a great nation, even though so many had neglected God and some even forgot Him.

That’s the situation we find ourselves in. God asks us to live a certain way. He then makes good on His promise to save us, even if we ignore Him. Even if we disobey Him, He will not walk away from us. Some will remain faithful while others will disobey Him. He loves us all.

We don’t have much time left. We have only two days before we begin Holy Week. While this journey is coming to an end, our spiritual journey is just beginning. Great Lent has been getting us ready for Holy Week and Pascha.

If you have been Orthodox even for just one year, then you already know what to expect. Huge crowds will show up next week. Many haven’t been to Church since Pascha last year. Some maybe haven’t been to Church for longer. ALL OF THEM deserve God’s love and mercy.

‘Just because’ we kept the fast and prayed long prayers, doesn’t mean they are not still part of the Church. ‘Just because’ they haven’t ‘done what they were supposed to do’ doesn’t mean they don’t have a place alongside us for Holy Week and Pascha.

If God saved the unfaithful alongside the faithful Israel, what makes us think He will not do the same with those in the Church? So, what! If He chooses to save everyone. As I said yesterday, we don’t pray and fast to be rewarded.

We should be thankful that He doesn’t throw out the disobedient. We are the first He would expel if that were the test. Maybe we can allow our prayer and fasting to convince us we aren’t the ‘good ones’ worthy of God’s reward. We are the sinful ones thankful for His mercy.

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