Holy Trinity + Holy Cross - Sermons

Today is the first Sunday in Lent. It is also known as the Sunday of Orthodoxy, a day we commemorate the restoration of Holy Icons back into the Church. The Gospel reading from John 1:43-51 remembers an early time in Jesus' ministry and the calling of two of His disciples, Phillip and Nathaniel. Jesus tells Nathaniel he will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the...

Today, on Forgiveness Sunday, the Gospel comes to us from Matthew 6:14-21. The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Our guest speaker, Dr. Jeannie Constantinou, reflects on today's Gospel and theme. She asks the question, "Is there anything wort...

Today is Meatfare or Judgement Sunday in the Orthodox Church. Father Gregory reminds us that we live in a fallen world, speaking on the horror in Ukraine and discussing the prodigal son from last week's Gospel. Forgiveness is essential in a fallen world and is the theme of next week's Gospel. Continuing his series on the Lord's Prayer, Father Gregory examines the verse, "Forgive us our trespasses...

Today in the Orthodox Church is known as the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. The Gospel reading for the day comes to us from Luke 15:11-32. In this well-known parable, the younger son demands his inheritance from his father only to lose it through prodigal living leading to hunger. Hunger helps us realize we are not autonomous and need communion with others and God. The heart of Father Micah's sermon...

Today Father Gregory continues his series on the Lord's Prayer by reflecting on the petition, "Give us this day our daily bread." Translated the petition says, "give us tomorrow's bread today." To answer what type of bread Jesus is referring to, Father Gregory examines the use of the word bread and its significance to the Hebrews. Bread in the Jews mindset would imply manna that God rained down fr...

In today's Gospel taken from Matthew 5:14-19, Jesus tells us we are to let our light shine before men, allowing them to see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Father Micah shares a three-part recipe for letting our light shine, which is our calling. First, we must acquire love by sacrificing our wants and time. Secondly, we must gain humility through prayers for mercy and enlightenme...

Father Micah takes an aside from our current sermon series, Our Father. In today's Gospel lesson taken from Luke 18:35-43, a blind man calls out to Jesus and has his sight restored. One of the first images he sees is the face of Our Lord Jesus. Prayer keeps us from being blind. It is the light for our eyes and breath for our lungs. Prayer is our hope and where we will find peace. Through prayer, w...

Today, Father Gregory continues his series on the Lord's Prayer. Each of the three lines covered today, Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, are considered commandments or wishes without specifying who accomplishes the wish. God wills for good to be done, but He never violates our free will. In each of the lines covered today, He depends on us, choo...

Today Father Gregory shares part one of a three-part series on the rich and deep central prayer of the Orthodox Church, The Lord's Prayer. The series intention is to help deepen our understanding and zeal for the prayer Jesus gave only to His disciples around 30 AD. This prayer was part of the experience of the Church and passed down orally. The first line of the prayer, " Our Father, who are in h...

Today, on the Sunday before Epiphany the Gospel comes to us from Mark 1:1-8. Scholars consider Mark to be the oldest Gospel writer and the inventor of the genre of the Gospel, the idea of a story about Jesus. Father Gregory shares a history of the meaning of the word Gospel so that we might appreciate Mark's intent to the people with his radical announcement. Saint Mark is announcing a new Gospel...

Today, on the Sunday after the Nativity, the Gospel comes to us from Matthew 2:13-23. The second chapter of Matthew corresponds to the Old Testament book of Exodus. This pericope begins with the wise men departing after worshipping the Christ child. The wise men traveled from the East in faith, like Abraham and Joseph the betrothed. Father Gregory shares with us that faith has to have a follow-thr...

Today on the Sunday before the Nativity, the Gospel lesson is taken from Matthew 1:1-25. In this pericope, we hear the genealogy of Jesus Christ and all generations beginning with Abraham. We also hear the fulfillment of a prophecy from Isaiah 7:14, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). Fr. Micah reflects on the name Emm...

Today, on the 11th Sunday of Luke, the Epistle reading comes to us from Ephesians 5:8-19. In this pericope, St. Paul encourages the faithful to walk as children of light and take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness. We are to awake and arise from the dead and receive light from Christ. Fr. Micah shares the truth that many persons are asleep as they walk through life. They are not aware of...

Today, on the 10th Sunday of Luke, the Gospel reading comes from Luke 13:10-17. In this pericope, Jesus encounters a woman with a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years. She was bent over unable to straighten herself. Fr. Micah shares a practical message which frees us from our infirmities and allows us to see others and pray with wings. First, we must do as the woman does and come to church. Seco...

Today on the 13th Sunday of Luke the Gospel reading comes to us from Luke 18:18-27. A ruler comes to Jesus seeking the answer for eternal life and learns that his possessions are like chains binding him to this temporal life. Fr. Dcn. Tikhon reminds us that we cannot do anything without God and we should never be secure in ourselves or our possessions. In our preparation for the Nativity of Christ...

Today we celebrate The Entrance of the Theotokos into the temple. This Feast commemorates Joachim and Anna's offering of Mary to God in the temple as a small child. Joachim and Anna were elderly, faithful Israelites who realized that all we have is a gift from God. They had no children of their own, therefore each of them prayed for a child they could offer to God for His service. Joachim and Anna...