Hill Country Homilies

At Great Vespers, Abp. Irineos speaks of the trials of St. Catherine of Tyre, and the successive attempts of the governors to force the martyress to sacrifice to the pagan idols. Though we may not face the pain of death or imprisonment (yet) for our beliefs, still, the world it seems is constantly urging us to pay homage to the idols of modernity and challenging us if we refuse. May the holy marty...

Today we commemorate the Holy Apostle Jude, the kinsman of the Lord. Abp. Irineos discusses the Epistle of Jude, which was read in part at the Liturgy and in full at Great Vespers, and how the Holy Apostle delivers a strident and still relevant message in an epistle composed of a mere 25 verses. Indeed, perhaps the concerns of the Apostle are even more relevant today than they were when he wrote.

In his homily for Thomas Sunday, Abp. Irineos discusses the different treatments that Thomas receives in the East and the West, and particularly the more modern Eastern trend to focus only on Thomas's belief. While his belief is important, the Fathers also speak clearly of his doubt. Knowing that his doubt was changed to belief, Thomas serves as our witness to the Resurrection of Christ!

Recounting the Gospel reading of the healing of the demon-possessed boy, Abp. Irineos looks at the exclamation of the boy's father: "Lord I believe; help my unbelief!" With guidance from the early church fathers, Abp. Irineos suggests that this prayer is as vital for us today as it was for the boy's father that day, and that we should pray it as often as we do the Jesus Prayer, for the completion...

On the Sunday of the Precious Cross, Abp. Irineos discusses how the Cross is a comfort to us during Lent, but also a means by which our Lenten efforts draw us closer to Christ. Abp. Irineos discusses the barrier that inertia poses to us during Lent and simple things we can do to change that inertia into energy.

On the Second Sunday of Great Lent, Abp. Irineos explores the themes of faith and revelation embedded in the Gospel account of the healing of the paralytic, and calls the faithful to live a life in community with one another, strengthening one another in faith.

On Forgiveness Sunday, Abp. Irineos reflects on the Gospel reading that both promises and warns. We are promised forgiveness by the Father, so long as we forgive those who trespass against us. But forgiveness is a hard ask to a man. Our pride so often works against us so that what we call forgiveness is more often just a transaction. We demand satisfaction. We don't grant forgiveness. Abp. Irineos...

On the Sunday of the Last Judgment, Abp. Irineos discusses the very real and very specific account of the Last Judgment from the lips of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Noting that our reward is the consequence of our deeds, Abp. Irineos questions the modern, evangelical conception of salvation. He also discusses the trend in modern Orthodoxy to soften the concept of fear of God to exclude the idea of f...

On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, Abp. Irineos reminds the faithful that when we willingly separate ourselves from the Father, we are no longer living a truly human life. We are outside the life God has created for us, and living like the irrational beasts of the field and not the noble son of the Father. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the Church prepares us for Great Lent with examples of r...

As we begin the Lenten Triodion - a time in the Church when we prepare for Great Lent, which is itself a preparation for Pascha, Abp. Irineos looks at the Orthodox emphasis on preparation and how it should permeate our daily life, being an integral part of our faith. In this homily he discusses how our emphasis on preparation is both based on the Church's focus on eschatology and on beneficent God...

On the Sunday after Theophany, Abp. Irineos comments on the Gospel account of the healing of the blind man nigh to Jericho and how that reading relates to the Gospel for the Sunday after Theophany. Using the gospel on the healing of the blind man, he exhorts the faithful to diligence, faith and to receive Christ as the light of this world.

On the Feast of Theophany, Abp. Irineos has some thoughts about weekday Festal liturgies.

At his Homily for the Feast of the Nativity, Abp. Irineos looks at the wonder of the Shepherds in the Gospel account as not just the hallmark of the Nativity, a truly wondrous event, but also as an integral part of man's relationship with God. He also discusses how modernist rejection of wonder damages that relationship.

On the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, Abp. Irineos reflects on the invitation to the Supper recounted in the Gospel reading, and how the same excuses found in the Gospel remain ever present with us today. God desires that we all enter into the heavenly banquet, but He will not compel us to do so. Rather we must be moved by the great love of the Gospel to be joined with Him. Enter into the Feast o...

Today's epistle challenges us in many ways, from warning us that the ways of darkness are the ways of death to a rousing admonition to awaken and walk in the like of Christ "redeeming the time." In today's homily, Abp. Irineos looks to the commentary of the fathers to explain this passage and to remind us that the being called into the light is the end of all self-examination and rebuke. Thus, our...

Homily from November 6 (Oct 24 OS). The Epistle today is Galatians 2:16-20 ("Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.") This reading is often time plucked out of context and history by Protestants as a defense of "Faith Alone" and for the bizarre proposition that Paul somehow put faith in opposition to works. But this is nonsense. This passage...

Abp. Irineos discusses the constant refrains of Christian persecution in our culture and compares the approach of those who claim persecution today with the example of the martyrs, whose persecution was a great evangelical boon to the Christian faith. Does our modern outrage culture draw non-Christian observers to the faith?

In today's Gospel, the lawyer tempts Christ by asking Him the greatest commandment in the Law. Christ's response to love God and love your neighbor as yourself defines the essential obligations of Christian. In today's homily, Abp. Irineos comments on how our modern culture seeks to replace the love of God with the love of self, and decries the frightening implications of the incessant indulgence...

In today's Gospel reading (Matt. 19: 16-26), the rich young ruler turns away from Christ because his love for riches is too great to trade even for the promise of eternal life. In his homily Sunday, Abp. Irineos warns that this is not just a cautionary tale about riches, but that any sin can take hold of us to such a degree that it can cause us to turn away from Christ. Instead, Abp. Irineos urges...

On the Feast of the Dormition, Abp. Irineos reminds of us the model of human purity and obedience that the Theotokos is for each of us. In reflecting upon the Gospel reading of the Unmerciful Servant, he contrasts the calling we all have to live faithfully, obediently and chastely with the mercy and forgiveness God shows to us when we fail. Being recipients of this grace, Abp. Irineos urges us to...

As we commemorate the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, Abp. Irineos remarks on the Epistle and warns the faithful that we must constantly be on guard against both the wolves without and the traitors within who would pervert the faith for their own ends.

On the Feast of the Ascension, Abp. Irineos urges the faithful to be emboldened by Christ's raising of our physical flesh to the heavens, and, knowing the heavens to be our intended home, to keep our hearts and minds on the heavenly things, even as we toil in this world.

For Thomas Sunday, Abp. Irineos discusses both the doubt and faith of Thomas and the less discussed ordaining of the apostles from today's Gospel reading. In both parts of the reading, Christ reveals Himself in His Divinity and the belief of the Apostles shines for like a lamp illuminating the whole world even to the present day.

On the Feast of Our Lord's Entry into Jerusalem - Palm Sunday - Abp. Irineos briefly explains the significance of the palms spread before the Lord by the children before reflecting on the fickle crowd that today proclaims him King of Israel but in a few short days will cry "Crucify Him, Crucify Him, we have no king but Caesar! and how they reflect both humanity and each of us individually.

On the Sunday of Saint Mary of Egypt, Archbishop Irineos discusses the strange means by which the sinful Mary of Egypt became a beacon of hope for all sinners and one of the most beloved saint of the Church.