Publican and the Pharisee The concept of the seed (example of Ukrainian and American householders). A small thing that can grow into something wonderful. Examples of seeds as metaphors: Luke 13:18-19. Then Jesus said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which […]
Talk: Church as Hospital and Great Lent as Good Medicine
Spiritually Speaking (2/5/2017) Church as Hospital and Great Lent as Good Medicine Today we begin the Triodion season. As a hospital led by the Great Physician, the Orthodox Church is very intentional about the way it guides us from our life of delusion and sickness towards a healthy and joyful one lived in the fullness […]
Home Bible Study – The Publican and the Pharisee
Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee St. Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15 TIMOTHY, my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at lconion, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet […]
OT Bible Study #12 – The Last Plague and the Passover
Bible Study #12 The Final Plague and the Passover Make the pure light of Your divine knowledge shine in our hearts, Loving Master, and open the eyes of our minds that we may understand the message of Your Gospel. Instill also in us reverence for Your blessed commandments, so that overcoming all worldly desires, we […]
Homily Notes on Zacchaeus Sunday: What makes a home?
What is it that makes a home a home? Luke 19:1-10 Walk in – can you tell (that a place is a home)? The feeling? Feelings and intuitionare unreliable; generally, they are the way the subconscious mind puts together other indicators But to the sense our feelings are reliable, some places are haunted by memories […]
OT Bible Study #11: The Plagues as a Cosmic Warfare
Bible Study #11 The Plagues as Cosmic Warfare Make the pure light of Your divine knowledge shine in our hearts, Loving Master, and open the eyes of our minds that we may understand the message of Your Gospel. Instill also in us reverence for Your blessed commandments, so that overcoming all worldly desires, we may pursue […]
Homily Notes: Sunday before Theophany
Mark 1:1-8 With thanks to Fr. Antony Hughes Christ is Born! Gospel of Mark: not an infancy story. St. John the Baptist (last of the OT prophets: classic) John the Baptist: Two messages First: repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins Second: about the Messiah that was coming Was holier than him (thong of […]
Homily – Sunday after Nativity
Matthew 2:13-23 Summary of today’s Gospel: God humbles Himself to save mankind, leaving His rightful inheritance as God and becoming man; being born as a baby in Bethlehem. And how does the world He has come to save greet Him? Is He born in a temple? In a palace? These would have been seemed more […]
A Nativity Homily
Christos Rojhdayetsya! Slavite Yeho! Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Let us celebrate the Incarnation of our Lord! As St. John Christostom says in his Nativity homily (SJC-NH); “Bethlehem this day resembles heaven” The Sun of Righteousness lays in a manger. We hear less the cattle lowing, than the shepherds proclaiming in full-voice the Glory of […]
OT Bible Study # 10: The Plagues Against Egypt
Old Testament Bible Study The Plagues against Egypt Prayer. O Lord enlighten the eyes of our minds… Context. Moses is living in Midean; the Israelites are captive in Egypt. The Lord has heard their crying. He has revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush and commanded him to go and liberate His people. Chapter […]
