15th Sunday after Pentecost – Homily for Sunday after the Cross – 2012 September 16

The world’s religion maintains that to live for and take care of yourself is the ultimate test of your “quality of life.”  We’re encouraged to indulge in those activities and pursuits that make us ‘happy,’ that are satisfying to our wants.  Indeed, this is part of our American identity, “the pursuit of happiness.”  This is […]

14th Sunday After Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on John 3:16 – 2012 September 9

We hear in today’s Gospel for the Sunday before the Elevation of the Cross—the major feast coming this Friday– the Good News that God loves us to such a tremendous extent that He sent Himself, His Logos, His Son, into the world to enter into human nature to redeem it, make it new again, fit […]

12th Sunday After Pentecost – Homily on the Rich Man – 2012 August 26

An understanding of Jesus reduced to that of a friend, a philosopher, a prophet, a good teacher, or even the best human that ever lived, is not the same Jesus, the Logos (Word) of God, God incarnate, the God-Man that God in His love for us has revealed to us for our salvation. This question […]

11th Sunday After Pentecost – Homily on Forgiveness – 2012 August 19

[soundcloud id=’57553995′] “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Thus Jesus taught His disciples to pray and in praying to forgive. Forgiveness is a gift little understood outside of the household of God. In the world an offense may be forgotten, but is rarely forgiven. Forgiveness is the language that […]

10th Sunday After Pentecost – Homily on Faith – 2012 August 12

[soundcloud id=’57550377′] One of my favorite communion hymns is from Psalm 116, in which St. David asks, “What shall I render to the Lord, for all His bounty to me?”  His response?  “I will lift up the cup of salvation, and call on the Name of the Lord.” Consider all the gifts that God has […]

9TH Sunday after Pentecost (Forefeast of the Transfiguration/Martyr Eusignius of Antioch) – 2012 August 5

Fr. Robert Miclean Holy Archangels Orthodox Church Sunday, August 5, 2012   Epistle: I Cor. 3:9-17 Gospel: Matt. 14:22-34   Often, we think of God’s will as some overarching plan for our lives.  We tend to focus on the big picture and forget that God’s will for us is revealed every day and is discerned […]

8th Sunday after Pentecost/Martyr Callinicus of Gangra – 2012 July 29

[soundcloud id=’57552712′] Increasingly we see that our society is polarized, that there are many things that divide us today on moral and political grounds.  Sadly, this is true even in the Church, where other sources of our identity, be they political, ethnic, or other, divide us from one another, causing great harm to our unity […]

7TH Sunday after Pentecost / Holy Myrrhbearer and Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene/ Hieromartyr Phocas

Fr. Robert Miclean Holy Archangels Orthodox Church Sunday, 21 July 2012   Epistle: Romans 15:1-7 Gospel: Matthew 9:27-35   The Gospel has much to teach us about healing, and through healing, about salvation.  Physical healing is such a mystery.  The tradition of the Church calls on us to come forward with faith for anointing when we […]

6th Sunday after Pentecost – 2012 July 15

Fr. Robert Miclean Holy Archangels Orthodox Church Sunday, 15 July 2012 St. Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles   Epistle: Galatians 1:11-19; Romans 12:6-14 Gospel:  John 10:1-9; Matthew 9:1-8   Today, we celebrate the Feast of St. Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles.  We do so recognizing not only the conversion of one man, or even one nation, but […]

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost – 2012 July 1

Fr. Robert Miclean Holy Archangels Orthodox Church Sunday, July 1, 2012 Epistle: Romans 6:18-23 Gospel:  Matthew 8:5-13 “The wages of sin is death,” St. Paul proclaims to us in today’s Epistle.  Sin is one of the most misunderstood concepts in Christianity.  A whole host of psychological complexes emanate from this misunderstanding of the concept of sin.  […]