Brothers and sisters, we have received the greatest of gifts: new life in Jesus Christ. By virtue of our baptism into Christ, we have put on Christ and become co-heirs with Him. Christ God continues to pour out His grace on us continually. He blesses us, ministers healing to us through His Church, calls us […]
26th Sunday after Pentecost – Orthodox Advent Homily
“Sleepers awake!” is the name of Bach’s popular cantata, originally sung during Advent. The title comes from the Holy Scriptures and forms part of the Church’s calling on our lives in this holy season of preparation for Christ’s coming: it recalls the parable of the wise Virgins, whose lamps where lit and ready to meet […]
25th Sunday after Pentecost – The One Thing Needed – Orthodox Homily on Christmas
During this time of year, we find ourselves juggling many things. It can be exhausting, stressful: Thanksgiving is just past and already we’re bombarded with all the commercial aspects of the Advent and Christmas season. And in the midst of our busyness, we can quickly succumb to the hectic and often frantic pace of the […]
24th Sunday after Pentecost – The Lesson of the Rich Man
St. John Climacus says that “the thought of death is the most necessary of all works…he who has died to all things remembers death.” St. John isn’t being morbid here, but he is emphasizing a central truth of the Gospel and the Orthodox Faith: we who desire salvation remember death because by dying to self […]
23rd Sunday after Pentecost – Parable of the Good Samaritan
Here, on the doorstep of the Nativity Fast—yes, that’s right, we’re beginning the journey to the Holy Nativity this Wednesday—we’re given the opportunity to renew and deepen our life in Christ, to grow in our love of God and neighbor, and strengthen our commitment to living out the Gospel—to “go and do likewise.” In the […]
20TH Sunday after Pentecost – The Protection of the Church
Imagine for a moment the life of the Gadarene demoniac: naked, alone, prone to great violence in body and in soul, living, but in some sense, already dead. Fittingly, he even lives among the tombs, which is where Christ finds him. Everything about this man seems already dead. He is truly a tortured individual. […]
19TH Sunday after Pentecost – Good Soil or Losing Ground?
Sunday of the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council Epistle: II Cor. 11:31-12:9, Hebrews 13: 7-16 Gospel: Luke 8:5-15, John 17:1-13 We all desire to be the good soil described in today’s Gospel, “fruitful and fulfilled.” Jesus is not saying, as is sometimes the interpretation given by Protestants, that we have no participation in whatever […]
18TH Sunday after Pentecost – What Shall I Render to the Lord?
St. Paul reminds us of this truth today, “he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly.” He speaks of sowing rather than giving so that we can think of the start we have made with the Lord, the life we have only with Him, as a spiritual ‘investment’ whose growth is vital to the health […]
17th Sunday After Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on Love
There’s a lot of confusion today about the meaning of love. While everyone recognizes that love is good, what often passes for love is not necessarily what we as Orthodox (right-believing) Christians would define as such. We learn true love from God, Who is the Author of love, or not at all. The word used […]
16th Sunday after Pentecost – Homily for the Conception of St. John the Forerunner – 2012 September 23
Fr. Robert Miclean Holy Archangels Orthodox Church 16th Sunday after Pentecost Conception of St. John the Baptist Epistle: Gal 4:22-31 (conception); II Cor. 6:1-10 Gospel: Luke 1:5-25 (conception); Luke 5:1-11 Today, we celebrate the conception of St. John the Forerunner, whom the prophets foretold would come before the Messiah (the Christ) to prepare the people […]