We’re witnesses thru today’s Gospel to the healing of two blind men. And through this life-changing encounter in which Christ’s power is in full evidence, we’re advanced in our understanding of healing and salvation. Responding to their plea for mercy, the God of mercy, the only true Lover of mankind, Jesus Christ, receives the two […]
6th Sunday after Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on the Paralytic of Mathew’s Gospel
I affirm in your presence this day that we’re witnesses of a beautiful miracle this morning: through the living word of the Gospel, we see a paralyzed man who cannot walk on his own, healed of his paralysis by God, He who had made his legs in the first place and given this man his […]
5th Sunday after Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on Gadarene Demoniacs
Our Lord Jesus Christ has numerous encounters with those who have been possessed (indwelt) by the demons, whom the demons torment and control, forcing them to do their bidding and destroying themselves and others, ultimately leading to their death, both spiritual and physical. Today’s Gospel is one such account. Now, there are two errors that […]
4th Sunday after Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on Sin
St. Paul grips us with these stark words in today’s Epistle: “the wages of sin is death.” Sin is one of the most misunderstood concepts in Christianity. A whole host of psychological complexes emanate from its misunderstanding. In Catholic and Protestant belief, sin is often identified with legal transgression and guilt. Salvation is understood as […]
3rd Sunday after Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on Justification by Faith
https://www.orthodoxannapolis.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/homily-7-14-2013.mp3 St. Paul reminds us of this truth today: we are justified by faith. It’s faith which is life-saving for us because it is faith, which gives us access into the deifying, life-changing, transformative grace of God. Now faith is one of those theological concepts in the Church that’s sometimes difficult to understand or apply. […]
2nd Sunday after Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on All Saints of North America
https://www.orthodoxannapolis.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/homily-7-7-2013.mp3 Fishers of Men Christ calls Peter and Andrew, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and immediately, they leave their nets to follow Christ. They willingly 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 […]
1st Sunday after Pentecost – Orthodox Homily on All Saints
[audio:https://www.orthodoxannapolis.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/00-Jun-30-2013-10_39_37-AM.m4a] This Sunday of All Saints confronts us head-on with this radical truth: God created us to be Saints, “haggioi,” ‘holy ones,’ as the meaning is in the original Greek. 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” […]
7th Sunday of Pascha – Orthodox Homily on Father’s of First Ecumenical Council
https://www.orthodoxannapolis.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/homily-6-16-2013.mp3 Today is the Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council of the 4th century and as such, it’s a good time to remember what those holy Fathers defended and why because some of the same types of threats to the faith and our salvation exist today. They defended the Faith so that […]
6th Sunday of Pascha – Orthodox Homily on the Blind Man
https://www.orthodoxannapolis.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/homily-6-9-2013.mp3 We’re here today as witnesses to a miracle: the interjection into this otherwise broken, dying world, of light, hope, healing, salvation. Behold: Christ has made all things new! No longer do we live to die; now we die to live. Christ’s power over death is likewise manifested in His power over the otherwise incurable—of […]