Hill Country Homilies

A homily for the Procession of the Precious and Lifegiving Cross, held on August 1 (OS)/August 14 each year.

Looking at the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, Bp. Irineos reflects upon how the Lord forgives uncountable sins with the exuberance of heavenly love, and how this model of forgiveness must guide our lives, and how our examination of our own sins leads us to a natural tendency to forgive others.

Bp. Irineos departs from the readings for Sunday to reflect on why Orthodox homiletics focus on understanding God and scripture, and not as much as on self-help or advice for life in the world. Acknowledging that our worship is shaped by how we understand God, Bp. Irineos encourages us to draw closer to God by seeing how he has revealed himself to us.

Examining today's Gospel reading (Matthew 14:22-34) where Christ comes to the Apostles walking on the water, Bp. Irineos looks at the reaction of Peter to discuss some of the errors in the Protestant conception of receiving Jesus, and also how we, like Peter, can lose focus on the things that matter and put ourselves in peril!

Examining today's epistle (1 Cor 1:10-18), Bp. Irineos notes how the first and last verses hold vital truths for Orthodox Christians: the importance of the unity in faith and the ongoing active nature of our salvation. Both of these points are largely ignored by modern sects who do not heed Paul's calling.

Bp. Irineos looks at the Gospel reading of the day and discusses why the Gospel teaches repeatedly on faith, how it works with our initiative, and how we show our faith in modern culture.

On the Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul, Bp. Irineos looks at how God used these flawed leaders to spread the true faith to all the ends of the earth.

In todays Gospel (Matthew 9:1-10), we hear the account of Jesus's healing of the paralytic. In this account, Jesus forgives the sins of the paralytics as the means of restoring him to health. What is the connection between our sins and illness, and how can we look to be restored to spiritual and physical health?

In today's Epistle reading (Romans 10:1-10), Paul speaks of his hope for the salvation of the Jews through Christ. Bp. Irineos examines the issues causing Paul's concern and discusses whether present day Christians share the same concern for the salvation of those outside the Church as Paul had for the Jews.

On Father's Day, by coincidence we have the appointed two readings which remind us of the loving provision our heavenly father makes for us. Bp. Irineos discusses these readings and how our preoccupation with our worldly needs leads us to abandon both God and Christ.

With the news of two high profile suicides last week, and a major study showing increasing rate of suicide in America, Bp. Irineos examines both the cultural conditions giving rise to this increase and the teaching of the Church on suicide.

In today's special message, Bp. Irineos announces that the parish founded as St. Andrew Orthodox Church has been renamed as Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church, and that it is under the patronage of the Theotokos.

On the Sunday of Pentecost, Bp. Irineos contrasts the dividing of the nations at Babel with the unifying gift of tongues of the Holy Spirit, and discusses the gift of the spirit to the Apostles, the church and to us.

On the Sunday of the Holy Fathers, Bp. Irineos discusses the work of the Holy Fathers at the First Council of Nicaea to preserve the faith against the heretical teachings of Arius and his supporters.

At Liturgy Friday morning, the Gospel passage included the declaration of Christ, "I am the way and the truth and the life." Bp. Irineos looks at the context in which the statement is made and how it is understood.

Bp. Irineos examines the Gospel Reading for the Feast of the Ascension (Luke 24:36-53) and notes how it shows both the preparation of the Apostles for Christ's Ascension and his provision for them in the interim.

On the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, Bp. Irineos discusses how Christ's interaction with the woman and offer of the Living Water, presages the opening of the Church to the Gentiles. We also look briefly at the missionary work of St. Photini.

On the Sunday of the Paralytic, Bp. Irineos looks at the enduring patience of the paralytic, his dispassion and example for us in our culture of instant gratification.

On Thomas Sunday, Bp. Irineos looks at the Western conception of Thomas as "Doubting Thomas" and asks whether this is a fair way to look at the Apostle who demanded direct, personal experience to believe that the Lord had Risen!

Bp. Irineos reflects on how, on Palm Sunday, many of the Jews says Christ as a conquering hero and an earthly ruler. He asks whether the way our culture engages in political discussion doesn't have the effect of driving away from the Church those who are most in need of its care.

Bp. Irineos looks at the raising of Lazarus as the culmination of Christ's public ministry as he prepares to enter Jerusalem and be delivered up to be crucified.

Does your Lent look like the rest of your Church year? On this Sunday of the Ladder of Divine Ascent Bp. Irineos asks what hope the faithful in the world can have when even the holy monastics are beset by demons on each rung of the Ladder. Let us look to the sacramental grace conveyed in Christ's Church to sustain us as we fight the passions and grasp for the next rung!

On the 3rd Sunday of Great Lent, the Church pauses for the Adoration of the Holy Cross. Placed at the midpoint of Lent, the Cross stands as a guidepost urging us on to Calvary with our Savior. It also stands as a reminder that our Lenten journey is not an exercise in legalistic rule keeping, but rather the living out of Christ's command, found in today's Gospel reading that if we are to follow him...

On the Second Sunday of Lent, when we commemorate St. Gregory Palamas, Bp. Irineos touches on the saint's theological disputation on the nature of God, and more importantly, why this matter to the faithful as non-monastic, non-theologians living in the world!

On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, Bishop Irineos takes few moments to speak on the iconoclastic heresy, the restoration of icons and their place in Orthodox worship.