Hieromartyr Basil, priest, of Ancyra (363).
Virgin-confessor Drosis of Antioch, daughter of Emperor Trajan, and with her five Virgin-martyrs (ca. 104-117). St. Isaac the Confessor, founder of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople (4th c.). New Confessor Schema-abbess Sophia (Grineva) of Kiev (1941).
Martyrs Callinica and Basilissa, of Rome (2nd c.). St. Paul, bishop of Narbonne, Brittany (3rd c.). New Monk-martyr Euthymius of Demitsana and Mt. Athos, at Constantinople (1814). St. Artemon, bishop of Seleucia (1st c.).
Third Sunday of Lent. [Heb. 4:14–5:6; Mark
8:34–9:1]
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow me (Mark 8:34). It is
impossible to follow the Lord as a crossbearer without a
cross, and everyone who follows Him, unfailingly goes with
a cross. What is this cross? It is all sorts of
inconveniences, burdens and sorrows—weighing heavily
both internally and externally—along the path of
conscientious fulfilment of the commandments of the Lord,
in a life according to the spirit of His instructions and
demands. Such a cross is so much a part of a Christian
that wherever there is a Christian, there is this cross,
and where there is no such cross, there is no Christian.
Abundant privileges and a life of pleasure do not suit a
true Christian. His task is to cleanse and reform himself.
He is like a sick person, who needs cauterization, or
amputation; how can this be without pain? He wants to tear
himself away from the captivity of a strong enemy; but how
can this be without struggle and wounds? He must walk
counter to all practices surrounding him; but how can he
sustain this without inconvenience and constraint? Rejoice
as you feel the cross upon yourself, for it is a sign that
you are following the Lord on the path of salvation which
leads to heaven. Endure a bit. The end is just around the
corner, as well as the crowns!