Holy Trinity + Holy Cross - Sermons

Today, on the Feast of All Saints, Fr. Micah teaches the children about what it means to be a saint. He points out that “saint” means “holy” — that which is set apart for God. While Christ is the one who is holy, he overflows with holiness and shares it with all creation. Fr. Micah explains that the saints receive the same grace and holiness we’ve all been given, but they have preserved it, not tu...

Fr. Gregory points out several characteristics of the Holy Spirit and the way in which it descended on the church. First, he points out that the Holy Spirit descended on a community, creating a visible, ordered, worshipping, and sacramental body called his church. The Holy Spirit does not scatter us into private spirit lives, but gathers us into the church. The Holy Spirit creates unity without de...

On this Sunday, we celebrate the fathers of the church who gathered at the First Ecumenical Council and defended the faith that the Son of God was indeed the Son of Man, not a creature as Arius taught. Fr. Micah explains that the liturgy and worship of the church not only confess this truth but also glorify Christ’s humility. He expounds on this humility, this divine humiliation, that is a fruit o...

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the story of the Samaritan woman, St. Photini, who encounters Christ at Jacob’s Well. Fr. Gregory recounts the story and emphasizes a phrase near the end, in which Christ says, “The hour is coming and now is when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” Fr. Gregory draws from the teachings of St. Symeon to explain what it means to worship...

Today, on the Sunday of the Paralytic, Fr. Micah invites the children to the solea for the homily. He tells them the story of the paralytic, the man who had been paralyzed for 38 years, unable to get up from his bed. He lay by a pool, where an angel would come stir up the water, and the first person into the water would be healed. Christ asks him if he wants to be healed, and he replies that he ha...

This Sunday, Metropolitan Sevastianos joined us for the ordination of Deacon Haralambos. During his homily, he drew our attention to the Gospel reading, where we hear of the myrrh-bearing women. These women went to the tomb to anoint the dead body of Christ, and instead found an angel who told them he was resurrected. Metropolitan Sevastianos encouraged us to be like these women, doing acts of lov...

This Sunday, as we celebrate Antipascha, the church gives us the story of Thomas. This story, Fr. Gregory explains, shows us something profound about what it means to touch the risen Lord. In the story, on the evening of the first Pascha, Christ appeared to the apostles in a room, but Thomas was not there. When he heard what had occurred, he said that he would not believe unless he saw and touched...

As we enter into Holy Week on this Palm Sunday, Fr. Gregory reminds us that the Orthodox faith isn’t something we simply study, but it’s something we enter. Holy Week is not a reenactment of the past, but an entrance into liturgical time. The church gives us not only something to hear, but to live and experience service by service. Fr. Gregory explains the order of Holy Week, which we follow as th...

In today’s Gospel reading, John and James go to our Lord and ask him to, when he is seated on his throne, place each of them at his right and left. He tells them that he cannot do this, that those places are preserved for others. The other ten apostles are indignant at James and John that they would ask this of Christ. Then, Christ tells the twelve, "You know that those who are supposed to rule ov...

This Sunday, the Church places before us St. John Climacus, the author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent, which presents the Christian life as a long ascent from the distorted, fallen world to participation in the very mind of Christ. After recounting the story of St. John Climacus, Fr. Gregory turns his attention to The Ladder of Divine Ascent, containing 30 rungs beginning with repentance and endin...

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, we hear Christ say, “For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” In his sermon, Fr. Micah encourages us to ask ourselves, “Are we ashamed of him?” Many of us would say “no.” However, Fr. Micah also encourages us to also...

On this second Sunday of Great Lent, the church places before us the witness of St. Gregory Palamas, who defended the truth that God is not distant or abstract, but present and active. He is not knowable in his essence, which remains beyond comprehension, but in his living and uncreated grace. Through prayer, repentance, and the life of the church, humans may participate in the living presence of...

On this Sunday of Orthodoxy, visiting priest Fr. Christopher Rowe, Development Director at the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, delivers a homily on the church’s mission of restoration. He explains that today’s Gospel reading reveals something simple and profound about the Christian life. When Christ calls Philip, Philip goes to find Nathaniel and says, “Come and see.” In this story, we see that...

On this Sunday, as we stand at the threshold of Lent, Christ tells us, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Fr. Gregory emphasizes this passage in today’s sermon. Fr. Gregory explains that forgiveness isn’t optional; if we desire mercy, we must be merc...

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear a call to almsgiving and acts of charity. But we also hear, Fr. Micah says, a call to encounter Christ. He explains that we encounter Christ in our hunger and thirst, in our being a stranger and imprisoned, in our sickness and suffering. Christ experienced suffering, and he is there with us in ours.

 On this Sunday, we read the parable of the prodigal son, a story which prepares us for Lent by showing us the nature of repentance. Fr. Gregory explains that Lent is not a season of self-condemnation, a project of moral improvement, or a spiritual competition; rather, it is a journey home to our father’s house, where we are embraced with feasting and joy like the prodigal son.

Today is the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, and Fr. Micah opens his homily with a quote from St. Peter of Damascus: “But if repentance is too much for you, and you sin out of habit, even when you do not want to, show humility like the publican. This is enough to ensure your salvation. For he who sins without repenting, yet does not despair, must of necessity regard himself as the lowest...

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the story of Zacchaeus, whose desire for God led to transformation. Fr. Gregory explains that every movement of the soul begins with desire. Desire then becomes vision, vision becomes communion, and communion becomes transformation. We see this in Zacchaeus’ story, and also in the story of St. Gregory the Theologian, whom we celebrate today. Fr. Gregory draws par...

In this Sunday’s Epistle reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, we hear the words, “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that acknowledges his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Fr. Micah...

 In today’s Gospel reading, Christ begins his public ministry, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Fr. Gregory explains that repentance is a complete reorientation of the heart, mind, and will toward God. In Greek, the word “repentance” means to change one’s mind or to turn one’s whole being around. True repentance is not an emotion or passing sense of guilt, but rather it is a...

This Sunday is the Sunday before Epiphany. Epiphany commemorates the baptism of Christ, when the revelation of God was made manifest and the triune God revealed. In today’s Gospel reading from Mark 1, we hear of John the Baptist, who tells us how we must prepare to be saved. Fr. Paul, in his sermon, echoes the teachings of John the Baptist, emphasizing our need for baptism, repentance, and faith i...

In today’s sermon, Fr. Micah speaks of the first Christmas carol to ever be written, the final line of which references King Herod’s order to slaughter the male infants. Why, during this joyous time, was so much emphasis placed on death? Fr. Micah explains that this is because the purpose of our Lord’s coming was to destroy death by his death. Fr. Micah emphasizes that Christ is the Light of the F...

On this Sunday before Nativity, Fr. Gregory explains that the Church asks us to look back and remember the long journey that brought us to the threshold of Christmas. Today’s readings from Hebrews and Matthew trace the story of God’s promise — the promise of salvation, the promise of a redeemer, the promise that God himself would come to dwell among his people and make all things new. In today’s r...

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, our Lord tells a parable of a man who has a banquet, and it’s implied that the man is the Lord himself. We hear of those who are invited to the banquet, but they choose not to go and make excuses. Fr. Micah challenges us to reflect on how we, too, make excuses to avoid our Lord. He encourages us to stop making these excuses, but rather to be humble and honest. Cont...