Holy Trinity + Holy Cross - Sermons

This Sunday is the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, during which we hear the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Fr. Gregory expounds on the parable, showing us how we are like the prodigal son and must return to our Father. We, like the prodigal son, stray far from our Father’s house and what God intended for our lives. However, we, like the prodigal son, can make a decision to return to our Father’s house....

Today is the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, which comes from the Gospel reading in Luke 18. In the passage, Jesus gives a parable about a tax collector and a Pharisee who offered prayers to God. The Pharisee’s prayer lacked humility, whereas the tax collector's was full of humility. Jesus tells us that the tax collector was the one who went back to his house justified, rather than the ot...

In this week’s Gospel reading, we hear of Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman. Through faith in God, her demon-possessed daughter was healed. Fr. Micah shares three key elements of the woman’s faith that we can emulate. First is prayer. This is not merely a few minutes of prayer in the morning or evening, but rather unceasing prayer. Further, our prayer must not be simply for the purpose of...

In today’s Epistle reading, the Apostle Paul writes in 2nd Corinthians Chapter 6, “Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain.” Foundationally, God’s grace and love is not a right that we are entitled to or deserving of. Instead, it is a gift that we receive freely. This is exemplified from the very beginning when God brings the world into his existence....

In this week’s Gospel reading, Jesus answers the question posed to him as a challenge from the Pharisees: “Which is the greatest commandment?” He says the greatest two commandments are to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. Fr. Gregory explains how we may fulfill these two commandments by referencing the Didache. This was a document from the ear...

In this week’s Gospel reading, we hear the story of Zacchaeus, the man who climbed a sycamore tree to behold Christ. Fr. Micah presents the question, “Do we see God?” Just as Zacchaeus was small of stature, causing him to have to climb a tree to see Christ, we too are small. We are sinful and must also climb trees to see the Lord, giving up our comfort and ease in the process. If it’s easy, Fr. Mi...

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus encounters ten lepers shouting at him for help. He tells them to go and show themselves to the priest, who would certify they were cured of disease. On the 80-mile journey to Jerusalem, the ten are cleansed, but only one of them—a Samaritan—shows gratitude to God. Jesus asks this Samaritan, “Where are the other nine?” In today’s sermon, Fr. Gregory speaks on the gr...

In today’s Gospel passage, we read, “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.” Fr. Micah, in today’s sermon, speaks to the awareness of this light, as well as the darkness that can so easily encompass us. Throughout our days, the light, the flame of divinity, is within our midst, yet we remain unaware of it all too often—in darkness. However, our eyes may be opened to the light thro...

This weekend, we celebrate the Theophany (baptism) of Christ, as well as John the Baptist. In both the Epistle and Gospel readings, we hear about more than one kind of baptism. Fr. Gregory expounds on these different baptisms in today’s sermon. First is the baptism of water, the baptism of John. This kind is one of repentance and cleansing. While it indicates a moral and spiritual revolution, a ra...

Each year, on December 31st, we reflect on the previous year and look forward to the future. Today's Gospel from Mark is about ends and beginnings. John stands at the end to prepare the way to the new. John the Baptist lived a life of asceticism and humility, pointing towards Him, who brings a peace that surpasses all understanding. Father Micah reminds us that there is strife everywhere and share...

In today’s sermon, Fr. Gregory focuses on the end of the Gospel reading describing the Virgin birth. In this passage, the Prophet Isaiah is quoted, “Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” Fr. Gregory explains why Orthodox Christians hold firmly to the Virgin birth, and he gives a defense of its validity. In addition, he provides evidence for the per...

In this Sunday’s sermon, Fr. Micah reminds us that we can be easily distracted this time of year—distracted by earthly things that turn our attention away from the significance of the season. He reflects on the phrase, “Christ is the reason for the season,” pointing out how it isn’t just a cliche. Instead, Christ is the reason for every season. He is the reason for every story of the Old Testament...

In today’s Epistle reading, the Apostle Paul speaks of the spiritual war against us and the defense we can gird ourselves with: the whole armor of God. Fr. Gregory points out that this military imagery has grounding in Old Testament texts, including Isaiah and the Wisdom of Solomon. He continues by expounding on several of the elements of the armor of God. First is the breastplate of righteousness...

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear how Jesus healed the blind man, saying to him “your faith has made you well.” Fr. Paul expounds on the concept of faith and justification, quoting Galatians 2:16, in which the Apostle Paul explains, “Know that no man is justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.” The Apostle Paul, in his earlier days, sought to experience justification and s...

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the question addressed to our Lord, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Fr. Micah points out that this is the question humans have struggled with for centuries, because it addresses our great enemy: death. Jesus responds with enigmatic words, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God.” Fr. Micah explains that, instead of saying that he...

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus speaks of the “fool who lays up for himself and is not rich toward God.” Fr. Gregory contrasts this foolishness with wisdom, drawing from the the Old Testament wisdom literature, specifically the Wisdom of Ben Sirach. He points out four things from this book about wisdom and its relation toward giving. First, chapter 3 verse 30 says “almsgiving atones for sins.” Sa...

In this week’s Epistle reading, the Apostle Paul writes, “Brethren, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” Fr. Micah explains that this passage is about giving out of love, not giving out of a desire for personal gain. When we give to those in need, we are encountering Christ himself, who said, “What you have done for the least of t...

On this Sunday, the fifth Sunday of Luke, our Gospel reading comes from the second half of Luke chapter 16. However, Fr. Gregory starts with the parable in the first half of the chapter. At the beginning of the chapter, Luke indicates Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, who were “lovers of money.” He gives them the parable of the unjust steward, in which the steward lowers the debts of his master...

In this Sunday’s Epistle reading from Galatians 2, the Apostle Paul begins by saying that man is not justified by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. Fr. Gregory focuses on two aspects of the passage: faith and justification. He points out that, translated literally from Greek, the passage reads “Man is not justified by works of the law but through the faith of Jesus Christ.” In t...

The Gospel of Saint Luke recounts the restoration of the demon-possessed man in Gerasenes. The man was troubled, unclothed, and living among the tombs. While this story may feel far removed from our lives in modern society, Father Micah reminds us that this story is the story of all humanity. Like the demon-possessed man, we have all been stripped of our garments of innocence, enslaved by our pass...

Many Christians are wondering if we are living in the “end times”. Father Gregory reminds us of the miracle of Christ’s resurrection - the “end times” were inaugurated when Christ rose from the dead. Here he established the new temple, His body, which is also the church. We, the church, are the temple where Christ dwells. The Kingdom of God is already present here on earth. We experience this most...

In today’s Gospel reading, Christ raises the only son of the widow of Nain. Father Gregory shares that this story serves as a foreshadowing of the victory over death Christ achieved on the Holy Cross. This was Christ’s ultimate purpose - to defeat death through His own suffering, death, and resurrection so that we may share in His immortality. This victory over death is a gift only God can give us...

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return,” said our Lord in today’s Gospel of Saint Luke. Father Micah reflects on an anecdote from Saint Silouan the Athonite: love for our enemies is the highest love we are capable of. It is a love that is free from self involvement. This love first requires humility and forgiveness. Forgiveness meaning we remember our enemies’ w...

Reflecting on today’s Gospel reading from Luke Chapter 5, His Grace Bishop Sevastianos of Zelon emphasizes Christ’s words to the disciples: "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." With empty nets, the disciples encountered Christ who blessed them tremendously with more fish than their boats could bear. His Grace reminds us that these fish are symbolic of the many blessings God sho...

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Sophia and her three daughters, Faith, Hope, and Love. Martyrs of the church, these four Saints voluntarily took up their cross and sacrificed their lives instead of denying Christ. “For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it,” said our Lord. Father Gregory connects the recent feast of the...