Wednesday.

         Cry aloud, says the Lord to the Holy Prophet Isaiah; spare not, convicting the transgressions of My people. What did the people do? They seek me daily, and delight to know my ways.[1] But is there really a sin in this? Indeed, they ought to do this. Yes, they ought to, but the fact is that they do this not as they ought. They hope to be successful in their seeking through fasting alone, not caring for works of righteousness and love. “Fasting is pleasing to Me,” says the Lord, “but only such fasting whereby people, in humbling their body, forgive offences, forgive debts, feed the hungry, bring the outcast out to their house, clothe the naked. When all of this is done together with fasting, then you will succeed in seeking Me and approaching Me; then shall thy light break forth as the morning … the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am.… And the Lord shall guide thee continually (Isa. 58:1–11).

[1] The Slavonic for the second quote reads: they seek Me, take delight in approaching God.