February 24th, 2026: Recognizing Sin Is Call to Action

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One God. Amen.

Great Lent is a time when we are called to look honestly at ourselves. We hear strong words in the Canon of St. Andrew. We hear about sin. We hear about failure. We hear about people in Scripture who fell and people who stood firm. All of it is meant to wake us up.

One verse from the Canon stands out. It says, “Prepare yourself by soul. Be courageous like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that acquiring diligence and wisdom, you too may meet your God.”

This is not just about feeling sorry. It is about action.

During Lent, we often focus on what we give up. We fast from certain foods. We change our routine. We attend more services. These things are good. But they are not the goal. The goal is to become good stewards of the Lord.

Recognizing Sin Is Only the Beginning

St. Andrew reminds us to recognize our sin. That is important. If we do not admit that we are sick, we will never seek healing. If we pretend everything is fine, we will never change.

But Lent is not meant to trap us in despair. It is not about saying, “I am terrible,” and stopping there. It is about saying, “I am struggling, and with God’s help I will do something about it.”

That is where stewardship comes in.

Stewardship is not just about money. It is about how we live. It is about how we care for the gifts God has given us. It is about how we treat other people. It is about whether we use our time, our energy, and our strength for the Kingdom of God.

To be a good steward means we take responsibility. We do not blame others for our spiritual life. We do not wait for someone else to fix us. We say, “With God’s help, I will begin.”

Courage, Diligence, and Action

The Canon tells us to be courageous like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These were not perfect men. They struggled. They doubted. They fell. But they kept moving toward God.

That is the courage we need during Lent. Not the courage to look impressive. Not the courage to judge others. But the courage to look at our own hearts.

Confession is one way we do this. When we confess, we stand before Christ and admit the truth. We stop hiding. We stop pretending. We ask for healing.

Prayer is another way. Real prayer softens the heart. It teaches us to depend on God. It reminds us that we cannot save ourselves.

Almsgiving is also part of stewardship. When we give to others, we remember that they are made in the image of God. We do not just say that every person bears God’s image. We act like it is true.

Serving others changes us. When we help someone in need, when we forgive someone who hurt us, when we show kindness instead of anger, we are learning to see as God sees.

St. Seraphim of Sarov once said, “Acquire the Spirit of peace, and thousands around you will be saved.” This does not mean we control the salvation of others. It means that holiness spreads. When we grow in peace, those around us feel it. When we become more patient, more loving, more faithful, it affects our family and our parish.

Lent is our chance to begin again.

There is another part of the Canon where St. Andrew repeats the word “run.” He urges the soul to run toward God. This shows urgency. We are not meant to drift. We are meant to move.

But we must run the right way. We run by repenting. We run by forgiving. We run by praying. We run by giving. We run by taking small but real steps.

The first week of Lent gives us space to reflect. The services are longer. The prayers are deeper. We hear the Canon and feel its weight. This is not to crush us. It is to wake us up.

Now we have the rest of the fast. The rest of the journey. The rest of the pledge we have made.

Each of us knows our struggles. Each of us knows the habits we need to change. Each of us knows the wounds we carry. Lent asks us to stop talking about them and to start working on them.

We do not do this alone. Christ walks with us. The Church supports us. The saints pray for us.

So as we continue through Great Lent, let us remember the call to stewardship. Let us prepare our souls. Let us be courageous. Let us acquire diligence and wisdom. Let us make a real effort.

Not just to talk about change. But to change.

In doing so, we will find that as we strive to become good stewards of the Lord, we are also being healed. We are being shaped. We are being drawn closer to His Kingdom.

Amen.