TUESDAY (OF HOLY WEEK)
Now the people, the priests, and the Jewish rulers hear the Lord’s word in the temple for the last time. And His word was all-encompassing: it embraced everything—past, present, and future.
By the question about John, the Lord indicates that He is the true Messiah; by the parable of the two sons, He shows that the Jews will be rejected and that the Gentiles will be called in their place; by the parable of the vineyard workers, He declares that destruction awaits those who are rejected; by the parable of the king’s son’s wedding, He teaches that not all who come to Him will be worthy, and therefore will justly be cast into outer darkness.
Through His answers about the tribute to Caesar and about the greatest commandment, as well as through His words of rebuke, He sets forth the defining characteristics of the life that leads to salvation. Finally, by foretelling the calamities that will befall Jerusalem, He reveals to His disciples the mystery of His Second Coming.
It would be enough simply to hear all this with attention to become convinced that He is the true Savior of the world—Christ—and to submit to His commandments and teaching.
Even to this day, the reading of the Gospel chapters concerning all that took place on this day is a most powerful means of enlivening faith in the Lord. Through them, the Christian, coming to true understanding, can kindle zeal and show that he believes in the Lord not only in word, but also in deed.
☦️ St. Theophan the Recluse - Thoughts for Every Day of the Year

















