We witness in the Gospel today the healing of two blind men, and through this life-changing encounter Christ’s power as God is fully revealed. Responding to their plea for mercy, the God of mercy, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, receives the two blind men into His holy presence and heals them. But the Lord doesn’t perform […]
2nd Sunday of Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on Evangelism in America
In today’s Gospel, Christ calls the two sons of Zebedee, Peter and Andrew. Immediately, they leave their nets and follow Christ. You can almost see their willing heart to sacrifice everything to follow Christ, to serve Him, to become the “fishers of men” that Christ has called them to be. Their response is astonishing, childlike […]
1st Sunday of Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on the Reality of Sainthood
This Sunday of All Saints confronts us with this radical truth and challenge: God created us to be Saints, “haggioi,” in the Greek, i.e., ‘holy ones.’ St. David says of mankind, “For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, And Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor” (Ps. 8:5). Likewise, St. […]
Orthodox Homily on Pentecost
This is a day of great rejoicing: All that Christ imparted to us through His saving Incarnation, defeat of sin and death on the cross, resurrection, and glorious ascension, has its fulfillment and culmination on this day: the disciples, formally confused and fearful, who cowered in the upper room for fear of their fellow Jews, […]
Orthodox Homily on 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 the greatest challenges to the truth of Christ. We remember so that we may be vigilant in our own day and in our own lives […]
4th Sunday of Pascha – Orthodox Homily on Healing
This Sunday of the healing of the Paralytic, we focus on what our Faith teaches us about healing, which is always miraculous 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 in this world: […]
3rd Sunday of Pascha – Orthodox Homily on Fear and Faith
Every age has certainly had its challenges when it comes to following God and the truth He’s revealed. Today’s culture with its dominant secular ‘religion’ of humanism is no different. Increasingly, our Orthodox beliefs are coming under assault, religious liberties and freedom of expression, are being challenged in many places. This Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing […]
2nd Sunday of Pascha – Orthodox Homily on Belief
“Seeing is believing,” as the popular adage goes. The idea is that only so-called evidence that convinces the material senses is sufficient for belief. Such an assertion goes to the heart of our modern struggle with faith. Thomas Aquinas, writing in the thirteenth century, felt compelled to argue the case for a scientific explanation for […]
Palm Sunday – Orthodox Homily on Christ’s Entrance in Jerusalem
As Christ triumphantly, yet 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 believing the prophets, saw in Jesus only a political figure, an enemy to their man-made religion, […]
5th Sunday of Lent – Orthodox Homily on Life of St. Mary of Egypt
Mary of Egypt, whose Sunday we celebrate today, valued all the temporal ‘attractions,’ the way of the world and the lusts of the flesh more than all else. Running away from home at 12, she made herself a harlot. For seventeen years, she was self-abused—she didn’t see the image of God in herself or in […]