Pastor’s address at annual meeting, 2012. This is part homily, part sharing from the heart, part progress report, and part exhortation and thanksgiving. The most important part is at the beginning – the “Purpose of a parish”
Category: Audio homilies
The Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us 2 very important things in the process of repentance.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son is part of a 4 week preparation period for Great Lent. We discuss the purpose and main teaching of the 4 Sundays, and then do a somewhat quick survey of the parable, mentioning all the lush symbolism and metaphor, and concentrating on the most important part – the core of the parable – that we must learn. It consists of two things. We must “come our ourselves” – this is not a one time epiphany as described in the parable, but a daily process, that changes over time, and as we are in the process of “arising and going”, we must be ever aware of how our Father is always with us and will help us, even when we feel abandoned, fruitless, or our resolve to change falters. We also look briefly at the older son, who teaches us a very important lesson regarding self-knowledge. This is important stuff!
The simple meaning of the parable of the Publican and Pharisee and the Jesus prayer.
This is really two homilies. The first is about the simple meaning of the parable of the Publican and Pharisee. It is that we will not be saved if we are proud and judge others. We discuss some of its nuances. We also discuss the prayer of the publican “God be mercy to be a sinner”, and the Jesus prayer. There is a lot of practical detail. This is really important stuff.
Teaching of Vespers on the Publican and Pharisee, exegesis of Timothy
The first 3 hymns of Vespers from the Triodion teach us the meaning of the Publican & Pharisee parable. We also examine the epistle for this day, and tremble regarding our example to others. We look at the expectation of persecution that a Christian must have and example from the current news of how “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” is being fulfilled in our day. Also the power of scripture and the necessity of reading it.
Zacchaeus teaches us the process of repentance.
The Story of the repentance of Zacchaeus, the “chief among the publicans” marks the beginning of the preparation period for Great Lent, which in turn prepares us for Pascha. We look at this story in the larger context of what we should be doing in Great Lent. It is *not* just about fasting and repentance! It is more about opening ourselves to the grace of God to be changed and healed. This is what happened to Zacchaeus, and we look into our Lord’s dealings with him and his response in detail, with the aim that both would teach us how to live in a way that makes us more able to receive the grace of God and change, and be truly happy.
How to answer temptations and what happens after baptism. Sat/Sun after Theophany Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 4:12-17
The history of what Jesus did after His baptism is critical for us to understand. He set the example, both by accepting baptism and showing us what we MUST do after baptism. Let’ look in detail at how to encounter temptation, which will surely come to us. We must be ready.
The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and baptism, and the end, where we will have fought the good fight and finished the course. Readings for the Sunday before Theophany explained.
The Sunday before Theophany (the baptism of Jesus Christ), we read from Mark about the “beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” and about the baptism of John, which is a vivid type of Christian Baptism. The entire selection, form Mark 1:1-8 us explained, and especially how John’s baptism (of repentance) is different (and the same) as Christian baptism. It is also appropriate on this day to think about the eventual fruit of baptism, which is human perfection and union with God, and the passage of 2Timothy 4:5-8 presents us with a beautiful “after” picture. This is our destiny, if we accept baptism and work to attain it.
We worship Thy Nativity, O Christ, Show us also Thy divine Theophany Nativity of Jesus Christ, Eve of Nativity. Text/Audio.
Today, brothers and sisters, on this pre feast of Nativity, we hear so much about the humility and the lowliness of Christ. Many things that are not befitting of a king are happening. Now, we just read from St. Luke’s account about the Nativity that Mary kept all these things conjecturing them in her heart. We should follow that example. That is what the services really do. All of our services are this conjecturing in our heart, this thinking about holy things and rephrasing the dogmas of our faith in ways that touch us. If you listen to the services carefully, you will see things or hear things every day that are striking to you, that are amazing to you, that cut you to the core. And you should conjecture on them in your heart.
Now, today in the ninth hour there is this solemn troparion that is sung. It’s sung three times in the middle of the church. It is very beautiful, very profound, and you do prostrations afterwards. And its meaning is something that you should conjecture in your heart because it ends in this very solemn and profound way: “We worship Thy Nativity, O, Christ. We worship Thy Nativity, O Christ. Show us also Thy divine Theophany.” ….
Parable of the Harvest of the Rich Man. Two kinds of men, of ground, of rooms, of ways to talk to the soul, of goods, or treasure, of wealth.
The Parable of the Harvest of the Rich man has many pairs of things which are contrasted: 2 kinds of men, of ground, of rooms, of ways to talk to the soul, of goods, or treasure, of wealth. We look at all of them.
The Gadarene Demoniac. The various temptations of the demons. Without the help of God we would not survive them, and without this cardinal virtue we will never be victorious over them.
The demons can tempt man in many ways, and the exorcism of the Gadarene demoniac shows three aspects of their warfare against man. We are shown that without God, we would be annihilated by the demons, and that their most deadly attacks are invisible to most people. If we want to be rid of the demons and their influence, there is one thing that we must do.