Give Me A Word

On the feast of The Meeting of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Temple, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield leads the hearer through the journey the Mother of God has taken thus far in the Gospel narrative in becoming the God-bearer. We are encouraged to join her in pondering the events of the Gospels in our hearts. As St Maximus the Confessor says, we look towards the Cross, longing for it as “...

The Epistle reading for this Sunday Liturgy contains Paul’s reminder to Timothy that as Christians, “we have set our hope on the Living God” (1 Timothy 4.10). Fr Bogdan Bucur cautions us to remember that even with the best of intentions, any concept we have of God in our minds may be an idol if we are not completely giving ourselves over to God in joyful trust and faith.

In a pastoral visit to St Vladimir’s Seminary, His Eminence Archbishop Mark preaches on a recurring theme found in the Sunday Gospel readings leading up to and through Great Lent: when people encounter the Lord, they choose to either turn away or draw near. Those who drew near in the Gospels – Bartimaeus, Zaccheus, the Prodigal Son – saw the Lord as their Savior and left their old lives behind to...

The story of the rich young man who couldn’t bear to give up his wealth is often interpreted to say that wealth can be nothing but an obstacle to serving and following Christ. However, Fr Vincent Temirov asks us to consider a different understanding: the rich young man was not hindered by wealth in and of itself, but by his attachment to it and by his own self-reliance. What is hindering us from t...

A careful reading of the Gospel texts and the related commentary of the Holy Fathers reveals that the mystical events recorded at the Baptism of Christ were not perceived by the people present, save John the Baptist and the Lord Himself. Even the disciples were not able to see or hear what had happened; the revelation of the true glory of the One they followed came gradually, over time, as they fo...

In this homily given on the secular New Years Day, on which the Church celebrates the feastday of St Basil the Great and commemorates the Circumcision of Christ, Fr Vincent Temirov exhorts us to consider St Maximus the Confessor’s words on acquiring a “circumcision of our hearts”. What can we learn from the Lord’s circumcision? How can we orient our hearts so as to cut off our inclinations towards...

In his sermon for the great feast of Theophany, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield emphasizes the significance of water in the scriptures, and how it appears again and again as an instrument in God’s saving actions towards creation and humanity. All of creation is touched and healed by the blessed water of baptism, and Fr Chad exhorts us all to take part and glorify God.

The Gospel narrative about the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ contains many elements for our meditation and reflection. Among these, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield asks the listener to consider two questions: What do we mean when we pray, Most Holy Theotokos, save us? What is the significance of the continuous recurrence of bread as a theme in the history of God’s plan to bring about salvation...

On the Sunday of the Fathers, Dn Vitaly Permiakov reminds us to consider why the Gospel reading lists all the names of the ancestors in the flesh of Christ, including those who lived more obscure, or in some cases, questionable lives. How does the Lord call us, also deeply imperfect people, to participate in his salvation of the human race? How are we to become part of his family, a new and consec...

In this homily given on the feastday of St Herman of Alaska, The Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield relates anecdotes and personal details about the life of St Herman, passed down by generations of native Alaskans. Although he was a humble man who never assumed the priesthood, St Herman’s impact on the indigenous populations in Alaska and on American Orthodox churches cannot be understated.

As we prepare for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, the gospel reading of the parable of the wedding banquet appears for our contemplation. Fr Alexander Rentel counsels us to consider who we are most like in this story - are we the preoccupied farmers tending to their fields, the busy husband or wife preferring to stay home with a spouse? And furthermore, how are we to relate to the poor, the...

Where we place our attention tells about what we value and love. In this fallen world, it is very easy to give our attention away to people or institutions, only to realize that none of these can really fulfill us. Fr Alexander Earl calls us to re-focus on Christ, to patiently trust him to grant us the eyes to see his care and love for us, and to understand that our true fulfillment is in him.

Fr Bogdan Bucur delves into the gospel account of the ten lepers who cried out to Jesus from afar, Lord, have mercy on us. We all marvel at the nine who did not return to thank Jesus, when, on the way to show themselves to the priests, realized they had already been healed by Jesus. We hope that we would all have the decency to go back and thank Jesus, like the one Samaritan. Fr Bogdan expands on...

God is not limited in his love for his creation in any way, and is always revealing his care for us, sometimes even in tangible healings and miracles. However, if we are focused on the wrong things, Fr Vincent Temirov says, we can miss these revelations in our lives entirely, just as the ruler of the synagogue did when he objected to Jesus healing the woman with a "spirit of infirmity" on the Sabb...

On the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, The Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield summarizes the wisdom of the fathers regarding this feastday. Drawing on the writing of St Gregory Palamas, Fr Chad invites us to consider the account of Zachariah leading the child Mary up into the Holy of Holies - how did this "setting apart'' prepare her for her future role as the Mother of God and intercessor for...

How do we prepare ourselves for the coming of our Lord? The Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield explores some of the obstacles we encounter in our lives today, highlighting the increasing levels of anger in our society and our reluctance to acknowledge and counteract the devil's influence. How do we avoid choosing the path of sin, which is death, and move towards the Lord, who is Life?

Fr Bogdan Bucur hones in on the question at the core of the parable of the Good Samaritan - and guides us in unpacking not only the character of the Samaritan, but the innkeeper, as well. What can we learn from the way the Samaritan entrusted the wounded traveler to the innkeeper, and can we see a model of the Church in the inn, where healing and care is taking place?

On the feastday of the Great Martyr Demetrios, Fr Alexander Rentel exhorts the faithful to hear the same call St Demetrios heard - to be martyrs, that is, witnesses to the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. While we may not be called to a brutal death in an arena, we are always called to witness to the love and life found in Jesus Christ alone.

The gospel account about the driving out of the legion of demons into a herd of pigs is read multiple times at Divine Liturgy throughout the year. In light of the baptism of a newborn earlier in the service, The Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield asks us to consider this passage afresh. We all undergo an exorcism in baptism - what does this mean for our lives and how must we engage in spiritual warfare?

The great chasm in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man looms large in our imagination - what is it made of? Why does Abraham tell the rich man that it cannot be bridged? Fr Vincent Temirov explains that this chasm was created by the rich man himself, through his indifference to God and his neighbor throughout his earthly life. Fr Vincent cautions us to examine ourselves and to identify any gro...

How can we receive and understand the Word of God? Is it enough to just sit down and read the Bible? In this homily given on the Sunday of the Commemoration of the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical council, Fr Alexander Rentel challenges us to cultivate our faith and knowledge of God’s Word in patience and endurance, so that our hearts may be truly ready to receive the seed sown by the Sower.

When Our Lord Jesus Christ beheld the funeral procession for the widow’s son in Nain, we read that He was “moved with compassion.” Fr Bogdan Bucur invites us to consider the Lord’s love for us in answering the age-old question - why does God heal some, yet allow others to suffer and die? How can we learn to see God’s promise to us that reaches beyond this life?

On the feast day of St Innocent of Alaska, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield reviews the life and personality of St Innocent, including many little-known details which paint a picture of who he was as a person. Fr Chad shares the key tenets of St Innocent’s missionary vision, and relates how St Innocent tirelessly engaged the Alaskan natives he worked with in conversation, inviting them to fall in lo...

The Golden Rule - a classic maxim adhered to by Christians and non-Christians alike. However, the meaning of this commandment is often misunderstood; we are often motivated to do good to others in the hopes that they will respond in kind, whereas Christ calls us to give love freely, even unto those who will respond with hate and enmity. How exactly, Fr Vincent Temirov asks, are we to love our enem...

At the Vigil for the Feast of the Holy Protection of the Theotokos, Fr Bogdan Bucur dispels the false idea of divine protection from any and all suffering. The protective veil does not work magic - sometimes we suffer terribly, and the problems we pray about are not solved. The Mother of God herself experienced pain and agony when she witnessed her beloved Son and Lord crucified. To what end, then...