Year: 2011

Homily after Holy Wednesday Presanctified Liturgy discussion how the services give us a primer in how to regard our sins and weak repentance. The comparison of Judas and the woman of Bethany is very useful to teach us, and especially the Kontakion at matins which teaches us the essence of Christian honesty, repentance and hope:

I have transgressed more than the harlot, O loving Lord, /
yet never have I offered Thee my flowing tears. /
But in silence I fall down before Thee /
and with love I kiss Thy most pure feet, /
beseeching Thee as Master to grant me remission of sins; /
and I cry to Thee, O Savior: //
Deliver me from the filth of my works.
(Kontakion, Tone 4, Holy Wednesday Matins)

While the sinful woman brought oil of myrrh, /
the disciple came to an agreement with the transgressors. /
She rejoiced to pour out what was very precious, /
he made haste to sell the One who is above all price. /
She acknowledged Christ as Lord, /
he severed himself from the Master. /
She was set free, but Judas became the slave of the enemy. /
Grievous was his lack of love! /
Great was her repentance! /
Grant such repentance also unto me, //
O Savior who hast suffered for our sake, and save us.
(Praises, Holy Wednesday Matins, Tone 1)

The harlot drew near Thee, O Thou who lovest mankind, /
and poured out on Thy feet the oil of myrrh with her tears; /
and at Thy command she was delivered from the foul smell of her evil deeds. /
But the ungrateful disciple, though he breathed Thy grace, /
rejected it and defiled himself in filth, /
selling Thee from love of money. //
Glory be to Thy compassion, O Christ.
(Sessional Hymn after the 3rd Kathisma, Holy Wednesday Matins, Tone 3, Troparion melody)

Six minutes on the progression of sin. Holy Week is not only about the events surrounding the passion of our Lord, but is also a time for introspection and self-amendment. The descent of Judas into the insanity of deicide did not happen all at once, but progressed because of his addiction to a particular passion. We read a sessional hymn from Holy Tuesday Matins, and see how it describes the progression of sin in *our* lives unless we fight to not “accept the darkness”. This is VERY important, and applies to EVERYONE.

“Impious Judas with avaricious thoughts plots against the Master, and ponders how he will betray Him. He falls away from the light and accepts the darkness; he agrees upon the payment and sells Him that is above all price; and as the reward of his actions, in his misery he receives a hangman’s noose and death in agony. O Christ our God, deliver us from such a fate as his, and grant remission of sins to those who celebrate with love Thy most pure passion.” (Sessional Hymn, Tone 8, Holy Tuesday Matins)

“Rejoice In The Lord Alway And Again I Say Rejoice”
Synopsis:A homily by Deacon Nicholas Park in which he discusses the admonition of the Apostle Paul to “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice”. Many if the children of Jerusalem who cried “Hosanna” were worshipping Jesus as the person they *wanted* Him to be, and not as He really is.

Learning Humility by recounting the events of Holy Week
Synopsis: A very short homily after Vespers in the vigil for Palm Sunday. The events of Holy week should teach us humility. Many mistakes were made, by those who loved the Lord and those who hated Him. For instance, two prophesies, one from Zechariah, and the other from Jeremiah, were fulfilled to the letter, and the leaders who plotted to destroy Jesus, and who knew the Scripture, were blind to this. Martha and Mary, who loved the Lord, showed deep ingnorance about Who He is. We must learn humility from these examples.

“In confirming the common resurrection” and other reasons why Lazarus was raised.
Synopsis: After Matins for St Lazarus, a short homily giving examples from the services which detail three of the reasons why the story of the resurrection is so prominent in the Gospel of John, and is read at this time of the year, and the most important reason, from the story itself, why this extremely intimate account of this great miracle of Christ is preserved.

Exegesis of the raising of Lazarus story

Homily after liturgy on Lazarus Saturday, with the children enthuistically and usually quite theologically correctly participating.

The Saturday of Lazarus is The entrance into holy week and a prophesy of our resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus Christ enables us to have our resurrection. What it the most important part of this story? All that is true, and that is alive is because of Jesus Christ. Our life is to become like Christ. If we become like him, we will have life in ourselves; If not, we will have no life.

We cannot exhaust all the theological profundity of the story of the resurrection of Lazarus. This short homily after Presanctified liturgy, 3 days before Lazarus Saturday, focuses on just one thing: Martha’s interaction with Jesus and the reality that is difficult to fully believe UNLESS it is lived: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”