Sermons & Homilies

How the Righteous Suffer - Sermon for the Sunday after Nativity (2026)

Today, on the Sunday after the Nativity of Our Lord and God Jesus Christ, we commemorate the Holy Righteous Prophet-King David, the Holy Righteous Joseph the Betrothed, and the Holy Apostle James the brother of God and first bishop of Jerusalem. Each of these saints requires their own accolades. Each requires their own sermons. Each requires their own rightful place of honor. Each possesses their own rich history. Each possesses a rich tradition of hagiography. Each is perpetually honored by the Church, whether explicitly or implicitly.

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Becoming Good Soil - Homily for the Parable of the Sower (2025)

What is the state of our heart? In today’s Gospel our Savior presents the parable of the Sower in order to get us to ponder this question. What is the state of our heart? Are we able to bear spiritual fruit? This is the most important question of our life, and we need to be constantly reminded to keep it front and center.

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The Easy Yoke of Christ - Homily for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost (2024)
In today’s Gospel lesson, we heard how Christ comes to save a man tormented by the thousands of demons inside him. This possessed man was driven out of human society. The other Gospels report two such men, but really, there is no communion in evil. Two wicked men together are not a company. In separating themselves from God, they truly are separated from each other as well, despite seeming evidence to the contrary. In the description of the man possessed by a legion of demons, the Gospel portrays so vividly the effects of sin on man. Sin leaves a man insane, naked, and alone, a walking corpse living amongst the tombs.
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The Descending Ascent of Pride & the Simplicity of Humility - Sermon for the Synaxis of the Glinsk Elders (2024)
Today we celebrate a great synaxis of Holy Elders, Elders who are, with the Optina Elders, spiritual children of the great St. Paisy Velichkovsky. I want to focus on one word of one of these Elders. Of course, it comes from my patron saint, St. Makary of Glinsk. It is the only direct piece of advice you hear from him in the short life contained within the Glinsk Patericon. There are many more in the longer version of his life.
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