Sermons from St. Sophia, Bellingham, Washington

Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women with the Noble Joseph The Myrrh-bearing women are those women who followed the Lord, along with His Mother. They remained with her during the time of the saving Passion, and anointed the Lord's body was with myrrh. Joseph and Nikodemos asked for and received the Lord's body from Pilate. They took it down from the Cross,wrapped it in linen cloths and spices, th...

Thomas Sunday May 9 Though the doors were shut at the dwelling where the disciples were gathered for fear of the Jews on the evening of the Sunday after the Passover, our Saviour wondrously entered and stood in their midst, and greeted them with His customary words, "Peace be unto you." Then He showed unto them His hands and feet and side; furthermore, in their presence, He took some fish and a ho...

Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt The memory of this Saint is celebrated on April 1, where her life is recorded. Since the end of the holy Forty Days is drawing nigh, it has been appointed for this day also, so that if we think it hard to practice a little abstinence forty days, we might be roused by the heroism of her who fasted in the wilderness forty-seven years; and also that the great loving-kindne...

Sunday of St. John Climacus The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to det...

The Third Sunday of Lent is that of the Veneration of the Cross. The cross stands in the midst of the church in the middle of the lenten season not merely to remind men of Christ’s redemption and to keep before them the goal of their efforts, but also to be venerated as that reality by which man must live to be saved. “He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Mt.10:38)...

This divine Father, who was from Asia Minor, was from childhood reared in the royal court of Constantinople, where he was instructed in both religious and secular wisdom. Later, while still a youth, he left the imperial court and struggled in asceticism on Mount Athos, and in the Skete at Beroea. He spent some time in Thessalonica being treated for an illness that came from his harsh manner of lif...

Gospel Reading: Matthew 25:31-46 The Lord said, "When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the king will say to...

Gospel Reading: Luke 15:11-32 The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when...

From the Orthodox Triodion: The Pharisee thought to drive swiftly in the chariot of the virtues; but the Publican outran him on foot, for he had yoked humility to compassion. www.saintsophias.org Gospel Reading: Luke 18:10-14 The Lord said this parable, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I...

Gospel Reading: Matthew 25:14-30 The Lord said this parable: "A man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made...

From the Wisdom of Solomon 11:21-26 The God Who Loves Mankind 21 For great power is always present with You, And who can oppose the might of Your arm? 22 Because the entire world before You Is like a small additional weight on scales, And like a drop of dew early in the morning That falls on the ground. 23 But You are merciful to all, for You can do all things; and You overlook the sins of men to...

Gospel Reading: Luke 18:35-43 At that time, as Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging; and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." And he cried, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, "Son of Da...

Gospel Reading: Luke 17:12-19 At that time, as Jesus entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;...

Greeks have an expression of faith in God: “Ola einai grammena” or “All is Written.” The accounts of St. Joseph the betrothed and the Virgin Mary taking the Christ child to Egypt… And the martyrdom of Saint Stephen the first martyr are expressions of this idea of “all is written.“

Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:1-25 The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of N...

Epistle Reading: St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 13:17-21 Brethren, obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account. Let them do this joyfully, and not sadly, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earn...

Gospel Reading: Luke 18:18-27 At that time, a ruler came to Jesus and asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.' " And he said, "All these I have observed from...

Gospel Reading: Luke 12:16-21 The Lord said this parable: "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years...

The way of life of the good Samaritan compared to the priest. The way of the good Samaritan is the way that leads to return all life. The way of the priest/Levite is the way to nowhere.

The angelic hosts are as much of God‘s creation as the universe, earth, the sun, kangaroos, killer whales, molecules, mountains, you and I. How the angels serve and minister God and help us in our spiritual lives. The angel serve us also very well, but as great as they are, Jesus Christ is superior to the angels.

Jesus tells the facts about heaven and hell. What having “the peace from above” means and the proof that Lazarus had it. Gospel Reading: Luke 16:19-31 The Lord said, "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazaros, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreov...

The Litany of Peace or Great Litany The people respond with Lord, have mercy, after each petition. Deacon: In peace, let us pray to the Lord. For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord. For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord. For this holy house and for those who en...

St. Paul warns the Church in Galatia that the Judaizing Christians were selling lies. The true Gospel comes only from Jesus Christ Himself through whom the ones He appoints and sends Church.

Why Study the Divine Liturgy? TAnswer: To Increase our understanding so to deepen our participation and give higher praise to God. The Origins of the Divine Liturgy.

In this class we will discuss the very beginning of the Divine Liturgy. Program note: class one should be available shortly after some technical glitches are fixed.