Orthodox Daily Devotional
- Orthodox Daily Devotional
Orthodox Daily Devotional
Sunday, February 15, 2026
SUNDAY OF MEATFARE — Tone 3
Sunday of the Last Judgment
Today’s Commemorations
Feast: Sunday of Meatfare — Sunday of the Last Judgment
Saints Commemorated:
- Apostle of the Seventy Onesimus (ca. 109)
- Venerable Paphnutius, Recluse, of the Kiev Caves (Far Caves—13th c.)
- Venerable Paphnutius and his daughter, Venerable Euphrosyne, of Alexandria (5th c.)
- Venerable Eusebius, Hermit, of Syria (5th c.)
Scripture Readings
Gospel: Mark 16:9-20
The Great Commission
9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2
Christian Liberty and Apostolic Rights
8:8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
9:1 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46
The Judgment of the Nations
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Orthodox Commentary
The Sunday of Meatfare
This Sunday is called “Meatfare” because it is the last day on which meat is eaten before Pascha (Easter). After today, Orthodox Christians enter a period of increasing fasting preparation: next week (Cheesefare) allows dairy products, and then the Great Fast (Lent) begins.
More importantly, this is the Sunday of the Last Judgment, when the Church directs our attention to Christ’s second coming and the final separation of the righteous from the wicked.
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
The Gospel reading from Matthew 25 presents one of the most sobering passages in all of Scripture. Christ teaches that the criterion for judgment will not merely be doctrinal correctness or even miraculous works, but rather concrete acts of love and mercy toward those in need.
Orthodox Understanding:
- Christ identifies Himself with the suffering: “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” This is not metaphorical language — in Orthodox theology, Christ is truly present in the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, and the stranger.
- Works flow from faith: The Orthodox Church does not teach salvation by works alone, but neither does she accept “faith alone” divorced from action. True faith in Christ necessarily produces the fruit of love and mercy.
- The righteous are unaware: Notice that those on the right hand ask, “When did we see You?” Their acts of mercy were not calculated for reward but flowed naturally from hearts transformed by grace.
Preparation for Lent
This reading comes at a strategic moment in the Church year. As we prepare to enter the Great Fast, the Church reminds us that fasting from food without fasting from cruelty and indifference is worthless. The fast is not an end in itself but a means to increase our love for God and neighbor.
St. John Chrysostom writes: “Do you wish to honor the Body of Christ? Do not neglect Him when He is naked. Do not, while you honor Him here in church with silken garments, neglect Him perishing outside of cold and nakedness.”
The Epistle: Christian Liberty and Love
Paul’s words about Christian liberty in 1 Corinthians complement the Gospel message. He teaches that our freedom in Christ must always be tempered by love for our weaker brothers and sisters. We may have knowledge that gives us freedom, but love demands that we sometimes limit our freedom to avoid causing others to stumble.
This is the heart of Orthodox asceticism: voluntary self-limitation out of love for others. The fast itself is an exercise in this principle.
Practical Application
As we stand on the threshold of Great Lent, the Church asks us to examine our lives:
- Do we see Christ in those who suffer?
- Have we fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the sick and imprisoned?
- Are we willing to limit our freedom for the sake of our weaker brothers?
- Is our faith producing fruit in tangible acts of love?
The Last Judgment is not merely a future event but a present reality. Every encounter with a person in need is an encounter with Christ Himself. How we respond in these moments determines our eternal destiny.
Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, who will come again to judge the living and the dead, grant me grace to see You in every person I meet, especially those who suffer. As I prepare to enter the season of Great Lent, help me to fast not only from food but from indifference, cruelty, and selfishness. Transform my heart by Your grace that I may bear fruit worthy of repentance and be found among Your sheep on the last day. Amen.
Hymn of the Day
Troparion of the Sunday of the Last Judgment (Tone 3)
When You come, O God, to the earth with glory,
All things shall tremble,
And the river of fire shall flow before Your judgment seat;
The books shall be opened, and the secrets disclosed;
Then deliver me from the unquenchable fire,
And make me worthy to stand at Your right hand, O righteous Judge!
Prepared for the glory of God and the edification of the faithful.
Write a comment