Sermons & Homilies – Tagged "Monastics & Ascetics"– Page 5 – Holy Cross Monastery

Mar 25, 2018

Sermon for the 5th Sunday of Great Lent: St. Mary of Egypt

Those who do not see their sins will not possess repentance, and those who do not acquire repentance will never draw near to contrition of heart. Those bereft of contrition will never become humble, and those who are not crushed and made tender by the grace of radiant and quiet humility will never see Who Christ—the most meek and humble of heart—really is. Those who do not see God will never know Him, and those who do not know God will never be able to be exalted by insuppressible love for Him.

Mar 18, 2018

Sermon for the 4th Sunday of Great Lent: St. John of the Ladder

In the icon of the Ladder of Divine Ascent, we only see the image of Christ at the very top, upon the last step (of love); but, this does not mean that Christ is not with us at every step. It is true that the “light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” is only seen in its full, unmediated vision, at the height of the ladder’s summit: divine love and union with God—that is, only after we have struggled long and hard, co-operating with God, and His grace has freed us from sin and passion; and He has made to grow within us the fullness of His love, making us to see Him within us in the fullness of His glory.

1 comment ·Oct 23, 2017

Sermon for the Feast of the Optina Elders (2017)

Real humility consists in accepting the crosses that God allows in our lives, whether these crosses be physical illness, mental illness, being misunderstood, falsely accused or whatever cross is laid upon us. How easy it is to “invent” ascetical practices for ourselves and then feel so justified. But how difficult it is to accept what God has allowed to humble us.

Sep 17, 2017

Sermon for the Beheading of the Forerunner (2017)

We have come to the end of the Church year. Today, we commemorate the last notable feast of the whole Church year, the Beheading of the honorable and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John. The holy Baptist came preaching: Behold the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sin of the world; prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and all the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places into plains. Whoever we are, wherever we are, at all times, places and circumstances, we always need to seek repentance...

Apr 03, 2017

Sermon on the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt 2017

Given at Christ the Savior Orthodox Church in Wayne, WV after Pan-Orthodox Vespers.

What was it that made St. Mary different from us? What made her into such a wondrous saint? And as we look back on our Lenten struggle, and as we look forward to Holy Week and Pascha, what is there left for us to do?

What did St. Mary say herself about her life of repentance in the desert?