Sermons & Homilies
There is no substitute for the Church and no other way to draw close to God, which equals the Church. And it is here, in the Church, into the Holy of Holies, to which the Mother of God was brought to live and to learn, to be fed by angels and to be taught by God.
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If we ourselves are to be good Samaritans, then, it means that we must not only engage in acts of charity, but that we must do so towards those who hate us, those who are outside of the Church, who even oppose and blaspheme it.
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We celebrate today the Synaxis of the Bodiless Powers, the feast-day of all the holy angels, from their Chief Commanders Michael and Gabriel to each of the guardian angels whom the Lord God appointed to watch over every one of us — throughout all our lives — at Holy Baptism.
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Although we already celebrated the feast of the Synaxis of the Elders of Optina, it seems only appropriate to continue our celebration of them through a homily because throughout these days we celebrate the feast of Elder Ambrose of Optina one day, and of Elder Leo another, and then another for Elder Sebastian of Karaganda who learned eldership in Optina under Elder Joseph.
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To our cynical, carnal minds, Christ’s commandment seems a bit naïve and idealistic—a fine sentiment for dreamers, but in the end simply impractical. How could we get on with our lives if we were constantly giving of ourselves, if we loved others without discrimination or distinction?
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