Hill Country Homilies

On the Sunday of the Cross, Bp. Irineos visited Holy Entrance Orthodox Church in Columbus, Ohio and shared his thoughts on the gospel command that we deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Christ.

On the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent, Bp. Irineos examines the role of faith in the healing of the boy possessed of a spirit, and how the unbelief of the father and the doubts of the disciples should inform us in our own struggles in the faith.

On the Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas, Bp. Irineos discusses St. Gregory's defense of Hesychasm and the important of stillness and prayer for each of us.

Following the reading of the Synodikon of Orthodoxy and the Anathemas, Bp. Irineos speaks briefly on the Sunday of Orthodoxy and the iconoclastic heresy.

On Forgiveness Sunday, Bp. Irineos gives a short reflection on the necessity of forgiveness for our own salvation.

On the Sunday of the Last Judgment, we are faced with Christ's direct account of the judgment of all nations, and the test by which each man shall be judged. This Gospel narrative puts the lie to the dangerous teaching that a mere mental "faith" or repetition of a prayer can bring any man to salvation. Let us hear the plain teaching of scripture and enliven our faith through ministry to all in nee...

On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, the themes of repentance and forgiveness are foremost in our minds as we prepare to enter Great Lent.

Pride comes easily to man. Humility, though, takes work. As we enter the Triodion with the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, Bp. Irineos discusses a few ways that we can seek to acquire humility. This does not happen by accident, but rather by purposeful transformation of our lives in the image of Christ.

On Zacchaeus Sunday, Bp. Irineos notes that it was not until Zacchaeus had worked to ascend above the crowd that Christ saw him and came to abide with him. As we prepare to enter Great Lent, how do the cares of the work keep us from seeing and abiding with Christ? How can our Lenten preparation help us rise above the crowd?

Whenever we read about the Canaanite woman, everyone focuses on Christ's comment to her, "it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." Some people thing this an aggressive, insulting Christ. Others think it justifies their own bad behavior. But all this misses the point. There was never enmity between the two. It's not at all about that comment. It's about the faith and hu...

Bp. Irineos discusses the writings of St. Ephrem of Syria and how they might apply to our life in the interconnected world of social media. He challenges us to take the strong accusations of St. Ephrem to heart, and realize that how we receive such a rebuke tells a lot about one's spiritual state.

On the Sunday after Theophany, Bp. Irineos considers our Gospel reading which includes a fulfillment of the prophecy of Esaias. First commenting on the Orthodox approach to the Old Testament, Bp. Irineos then looks at the meaning of the people who sat in darkness, their modern compatriots and the importance of Christ's preaching in this Gospel Reading. (Matthew 4: 12-17)

Bp. Irineos shares a brief homily on the Feast of Theophany.

On the Feast of the Synaxis of the Seventy Holy Apostles, Bp. Irineos reflects on these champions of the faith who spread the Gospel across the known world, often at great cost to themselves and their lives. Calling them our ancestors in the faith, Bp. Irineos argues that we are called to continue their labors even if it comes at a cost to us.

On the Sunday before Nativity, we always read the genealogy of Christ from the Gospel of Matthew. Bp. Irineos discusses how this account is not just an affirmation of the humanity of Christ but also supports the example of the faithfulness of the Fathers that we read in the Epistle. Will we patiently endure in faith as those who came before us?

Today's Gospel is the Parable of the Great Supper for which many of the invited offered excuse after excuse for their refusal to attend. Bp. Irineos looks at the historic understanding of the invitees and their excuses and ponders how those excuses appear in the Church today. Let us all be faithful attendees at the banquet of our Lord!

Looking at the healing of the woman bent over for 18 years, Bp. Irineos comments on how hypocrisy is a form of self-dealing and how Christ's confrontation with the leaders of the synagogue is a rebuke to legalism.

When the Rich Young Ruler of the synagogue approaches Christ, he comes not in worship or humility, but to tempt Him with flattery and gain His approval. But Christ turns away his deceit and exposes the reality of his fallen ways. As we approach Nativity, Bp. Irineos reflects on how we often tempt Christ with our approaches and how it is the coming Incarnation which fulfilled all we lack in our eff...

With the Gospel Reading of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Bp. Irineos examines the lawyer's question "Who is my neighbor?" and compares how this question is answered in our modern culture compared to the clear message of the Gospel.

On the 7th Sunday of Luke we read the account of the raising of the daughter of Jairus. Interposed in the Gospel is the story of the healing of the woman with the issue of blood. Bp. Irineos discusses how her perfect faith serves as an example for the imperfect faith of the father, and then ponders how we might carry Christ to the dead in our modern world.

On the Feast of the Holy Archangels, Bp. Irineos discusses the Gospel reading for the feast, the danger of pride in our power and the child like examples of the disciples. Reflecting on the example of our own Met. Angelos, he wishes our father a blessed nameday and encourages the faithful to follow his holy example!

Today's Gospel is the account of the Rich Man and Lazarus, a piercing look at the afterlife and the consciousness of souls as told by Christ Himself. Bp. Irineos explores the account and focuses on two teaching lessons that are found in this parable.

As we move past the 2020 election, Bp. Irineos urges the faithful to look not at the worldly drama of the elections, but to focus on our reactions and what they say about our spiritual state.

On this Sunday we examine Christ's exegesis of his Parable of the Sower. Bp. Irineos considers the four categories of seed that was sown and where we might find them today. Remembering that admonition toward patient endurance, he urges all to stand fast against the worries of the world, to avail ourselves of the mysteries of the Church which are intended to strengthen us for that endurance unto ou...

As we continue our sermon series on the challenges of living a Christian life in the many pressures of the present day, we arrive at the issue of a Christian's participation in the political process and how we confront and interact with our political opponents. Bp. Irineos draws on today's Gospel reading (Luke 6:31-36) as a guide to how we should approach those on the other side politically from u...