Christ calls the two sons of Zebedee, Peter and Andrew, and immediately, they leave their nets and follow Christ. They’re willing to sacrifice everything in order to follow Christ, to serve Him, and become the “fishers of men” that Christ has called them to be. Their response is astonishing, childlike in its innocence and manly […]
1st Sunday of Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on All Saints
This Sunday of All Saints confronts us head-on with this radical truth, which is also a challenge: God created us to be Saints, “haggioi,” ‘holy ones.’ St. David says of man, “For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor” (Ps. 8:5). Likewise, St. […]
Pentecost | Holy Trinity Sunday – Orthodox Homily on Pentecost
This is a day of great joy, the birthday of the Church. All that Christ imparted to us through His saving incarnation, defeat of sin and death, resurrection and glorious ascension, has its fulfillment this day: On this day, the disciples, who were formally confused and fearful, who continuously struggled to understand Christ’s resurrection, are […]
7th Sunday of Pascha – Orthodox Homily on the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council
Today we remember the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council of 325 A.D. The Church brings into remembrance those faithful Fathers who defended the Apostolic Faith in the face of one of the greatest challenges to the truth of Christ. We remember so that we may be vigilant in our own day and in our […]
6th Sunday of Pascha – Orthodox Homily on the Blind Man
Today, we’re presented with two miracles in the Epistle and Gospel. The Apostles heal a woman with an unclean spirit in Christ’s name and Christ God heals a man born blind who suffers for his witness to the truth of Christ. The jailer in today’s Epistle, seeing the miracle at the prison, humbled himself and […]
5th Sunday of Pascha – Orthodox Homily on the Samaritan Woman
This Sunday of the Samaritan woman poses a very poignant question to us: What are you thirsting for? Many people today speak about using “self-help”, or say they are ‘spiritual,’ not ‘religious.’ Often, what they really want is something to legitimize their own thinking, whatever they’ve cobbled together into some kind of self-styled ‘religion’ even […]
4th Sunday of Pascha – Orthodox Homily on the Healing of the Paralytic
Our Faith teaches us that healing is miraculous by whatever means it occurs and by whatever means God brings it. Healing is, in a very great sense, a sign, a manifestation, of the Kingdom of God, toward us. Sickness and death are the norm: tragic results of our willing disobedience of God and our participation […]
3rd Sunday of Pascha – Orthodox Homily on Courage of Faith
Every age and culture has certainly had its own challenges in following God and the truth He’s revealed. Today’s culture with its dominant secular ‘religion’ is no different. In fact, it’s becoming increasingly clear that secular democracy is no guard against religious intolerance. Increasingly, our Orthodox beliefs are coming under assault, religious liberties are being […]
Thomas Sunday – Orthodox Homily on Belief
“Seeing is believing!” This is what the Apostle Thomas demands of Christ: I will believe if I have proof! “Unless I see the print of the nails and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” We see this struggle of faith at work throughout history: The people of God saw Him deliver […]
Palm Sunday – Orthodox Homily on Entry of Christ into Jerusalem
As Christ triumphantly, and yet so humbly, entered Jerusalem, the children and those of ‘child-like’ faith laid down palms and garments, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Others and those without faith, not beliving the prophets, saw in Jesus only a political figure, an enemy to their […]