(A sermon for the First Sunday in Lent) Today, in addition to observing the First Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the Sunday of Orthodoxy – a good time for us to reflect on the significance of the Orthodox faith, the faith that should always guide our lives. Our celebration today recalls a time, over a […]
The Wedding at Cana
A Sermon for the Third Sunday after Epiphany — Today, as we continue in the season of Epiphany, we are presented with the story of Jesus’ first miracle. On the surface it is a very nice story about a wedding, and avoiding a social faux pas — running out of wine in the midst of […]
The Feast of the Epiphany
On this day, we celebrate the Epiphany – the Theophany, the showing, the manifestation – the revelation of God to man. In the icon of the Nativity of Christ, we see the shepherds coming from the fields and the wise men, the Magi, coming from the East to worship the Christ Child. In these two […]
A Homily for Christmas Eve
St. Ireneaus of Lyon was a student of St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, who was himself a student of St. John the beloved disciple. St. Irenaeus writing in the 2nd century tells us plainly that God became what we are that we might become what he is. This is the real meaning of Christmas. This […]
A Sermon for the First Sunday of Advent
I’m afraid that I have nearly reached the point of changing the radio station when I hear a Christmas Carol and cringing when I hear Christmas hymns while shopping at the hardware store. It seems that I have reached this point earlier than normal this year, but then the Christmas decorations have been in the […]
A Sermon for the 18th Sunday after Pentecost
Our Gospel reading today presents us with a story of friends of someone in need, coming to encounter the power and authority of God, lovingly manifested in forgiveness and healing. We are told that Our Lord Jesus Christ crossed over the Sea of Galilee in a boat and entered into his own city – meaning […]
For the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
If we ever find a friend or relative in trouble, we will probably be inclined to help, to do whatever we can. But what about finding a stranger in distress? While it may be relatively easy to care for friends and family in time of need, today the church gives us the parable of the […]
Nativity of St. John the Baptist
While we celebrate the lives of most of the saints on the day of their deaths, or rather on the day that they entered into the life to come, we also celebrate their birthdays in the church calendar: the birthday of Our Lord (on December 25th), of His blessed Mother (on September 8th), and of […]
A Sermon for Trinity Sunday
We sing the words week after week, year after year. We know them well, but do we consider what we are saying, do we think about these words, about their meaning and their importance for our lives? “I believe in one God…” These are tremendously powerful words that change everything for us – that shape […]
Easter Sunday: Pascha
Today, with great joy, we gather to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Our Lenten fasting has ended and we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, even as the earth pours out its beauty in the flowers of spring. But what does it really mean to celebrate the resurrection today? What meaning can this feast have […]