A temptation for some Orthodox Christians is to take in the beauty of the church services while remaining somewhat mentally disengaged. Fr Tom reminds us that Christ's command to "launch out into the deep" is given to everyone to plumb the depths of the wisdom and word of God. (Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich man is a dramatic story about the end result of a selfish life. Fr Tom reminds us that our most fundamental call as Christians is, not only to love God, but also to love our neighbor. (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)

In the parable of the Rich Fool, Christ warns us of the dangers of acquiring too many material possessions. Fr Tom reminds us that our life should always maintain an eternal perspective, focusing on love of God and of neighbor. (Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost)

On the great feast of Theophany, God shines the light of the Truth, in the person of Christ, to the whole world. Fr Tom reminds us that we also are individually given the gift of this light through our renewal, by virtue of our baptism.

The parable of the talents can be perplexing to understand if we see the Master's demands as unreasonable and unfair. Fr Tom reminds us that God has given every believer certain abilities to build up the church. But more importantly, He gives everyone the ability to love. (Thirty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

God uses even the difficult circumstances of our life for our salvation. Fr Tom reminds us that in these tests of life, God wants us to persevere and draw closer to Him. (Thirty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost)

The Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee is presented to us by the church to set the tone in our preparation for Great Lent. Fr Tom reminds us that both our actions and our attitude counts when it comes to loving God and neighbor. (Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee)

The awesome day of the Lord's return in glory to judge the earth is presented powerfully by the words of the Lord Himself. Fr Tom reminds us that we will experience the mercy and truth of God's presence as the ultimate judgment of how we've lived His command to love God and neighbor.

The healing of the paralytic is a wonderful gospel scene rich with meaning for us. Fr Tom reminds us that God demonstrates His power when formerly "paralyzed" lives are healed and transformed to become living testimonies to the truth of Christ.

The story of the appearance of Christ to his disciples on the evening of the Resurrection, as well as eight days later, richly demonstrates the importance of gathering together on the Lord's Day - Sunday. Fr. Thomas Soroka reminds us that our gathering together allows us to experience the coming eternal kingdom here and now. (Antipascha - St Thomas Sunday)

The Samaritan Woman encountered the giver of Living Water at the well of her forefathers. Fr Thomas teaches us that we must seek the Living Water Who is pure Truth, and ourselves be clean containers to receive the grace that God grants to us.

On the second Sunday after Pentecost, the Orthodox Church celebrates local Saints of a particular land. Fr Thomas reminds us that Saints teach us in their way of life that they are devoted to accomplish a divine mission, that they have become holy through their practice of the Orthodox way of prayer, and most importantly, that they love God above all else. (Second Sunday after Pentecost - All Saints of North America)

Our Lord taught his disciples to put away anxiety about life and instead trust in God. Fr Thomas reminds us that by seeing life through the teachings of Christ, even the difficulties and tribulations of life will build us up to be stronger followers of Him. (Third Sunday after Pentecost)

Christ walking on the water is often portrayed as a demonstration of His power over creation. But Fr Thomas reminds us that even though the storms of this life are always present, Jesus uses this difficult circumstance to remind his disciples that He is always with those who love Him and that they should never fear. (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost)

Time is both an inescapable reality and a gift of God full of promise. On the Church New Year, Fr Thomas reminds us that God takes the finite time of each day and redeems it to become an experience of the Kingdom of God for us.

The Orthodox Faith is rich with tradition and discipline, but sometimes we can seem disinterested in being faithful to it all in our lives. Fr Thomas reminds us that obedience done out of love for God and each other is the "linchpin" which holds it all together. (13th Sunday after Pentecost)

The cross of Christ is the ultimate sign of God's love for his creatures. Fr Thomas reminds us that the cross is also a sign of the path that awaits us: our own cross. (Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross)

The American religious scene is full of false teachers preaching a "gospel" that is focused solely on making people feel good about themselves. Fr Thomas reminds us that the truth of Christ promises us God's comfort in suffering, not the absence of suffering in this world. (Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

The parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man is a dramatic illustration of the importance of being merciful to those in need. Fr Thomas reminds us that the torment experienced by the Rich Man is a result of his choice to ignore Lazarus laying at his gate. (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)

The parable of the soils sets the tone for other parables taught by our Lord. Fr. Thomas reminds us that this parable brilliantly expresses the importance of both hearing and actively receiving the Word of God in us. (Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Technology has become so pervasive that many people are now enslaved to their smartphones, constantly looking down into them! Fr. Thomas reminds us that, like the woman bent over with a spirit of infirmity, the Lord heals us so that we can look up to see the gift of life in Christ. (22nd Sunday after Pentecost)

We all know of someone who's given up on The Faith for one reason or another. Fr Thomas reminds us that our love for God and for one another must be the bond that brings us together and keeps us together. (Thirtieth Sunday after Pentecost)

Though oftentimes it seems God is silent and does not hear our prayers, Fr Thomas reminds us that God is always reaching out to us and uses the circumstances of our life to draw us closer to Him. (Thirty-first Sunday after Pentecost)

When we hear about Old Testament Temple worship, we can sometimes think we're far removed from it. Fr Thomas reminds us that Orthodox Christian worship is, in fact, directly related to Old Testament Temple worship, because it's the fulfillment of those old forms and rituals. (Great Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple)

The Parable of the Publican and Pharisee is the Church's herald to prepare for Great Lent. To begin, Fr Thomas presents three important principles to bear in mind when approaching God in prayer. (Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee)

In order to further prepare our thoughts for the coming of Great Lent, the Church presents us with our Lord's description of His return in glory. Fr Thomas reminds us that the Last and Final Day is both terrifying and awesome, dread and joyful, as we prepare now in this life for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Sunday of the Last Judgment)

Lent is a time of great anticipation as we move toward the celebration of Christ's holy Pascha. But Fr Thomas reminds us that it is also a preparation for our entire Christian life, where we face the challenges of increased prayer, fasting and almsgiving and in turn, learn much about our true selves. (Forgiveness Sunday)

At the mid-point of Great Lent, the church brings out the precious cross in our midst for veneration. Fr Thomas reminds us that the cross is more than just a lifeless symbol, it's the very path of our salvation. (Third Sunday of Lent)

While discerning the will of God for us is an important aspect of our life, Fr Thomas reminds us that becoming a humble servant of all in every situation will ensure that we are always doing His will. (Fifth Sunday of Great Lent)

Orthodox Christians around the world will embark upon the most important time of the year, Holy Week, leading to the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. Fr Thomas reminds us that Holy Week is our opportunity to experience the value of Christ above all things in our life. (Palm Sunday)

In the story of the Samaritan Woman at Jacob's Well, Jesus has a life-changing conversation with her. Fr Thomas reminds us that each one of us needs to have this conversation with God, which can ultimately lead us to put Him first above all things. (Fifth Sunday of Pascha)

In the healing of the man born blind, Jesus heals not only his blindness, but also his spiritual understanding. Fr Thomas reminds us that just as the man born blind came to a fuller revelation of who Jesus was, we too must also allow the mercy and grace of God to heal us in order to experience Him in a deeper way. (Sunday of the Blind Man)

It's becoming more and more common today for some people to leave the religion of their childhood and explore other faiths. While Orthodoxy has recently gained a tremendous number of converts from this movement, admittedly, "the door swings both ways." Fr Thomas teaches about why the Church is one and gives an impassioned and compelling presentation on the remarkable uniqueness of the Orthodox Faith. (Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council/7th Sunday of Pascha)

We can often take membership in the church for granted, wrongfully thinking it's just another organization. Fr Thomas reminds us that our calling is not just to be a member, but a disciple, a follower of Christ. (Second Sunday after Pentecost)

Jesus issued a stern warning in the book of Revelation for the church which was lukewarm and apathetic: "I will spit you out of my mouth." Fr Thomas reminds us that every Divine Service we attend at church, we have an opportunity "practice" the unity and care that we're called to manifest every day of the week. (7th Sunday after Pentecost)

Orthodox Churches are often culturally rich and sometimes churches hold festivals to showcase their delicious ethnic foods. Fr Thomas reminds us that, while there is nothing wrong with ethnic foods or festivals, we should ensure that our emphasis is on the Faith and that our focus is on Christ. (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)

The accusation is sometimes leveled against Orthodox Christians that they are "concerned with symbols over substance." Fr Thomas reminds us that both symbols and the meaning behind them are important for deep faith in God. (Sunday before the Elevation of the Cross)

The two great commandments of loving God and neighbor are presented by Christ as the focus of all the Law and Prophets. Fr Thomas reminds us that in fulfilling these commands, we grow in God's likeness, accomplishing our original purpose. (15th Sunday after Pentecost/Leavetaking of the Exaltation of the Cross)

As cultural changes rapidly sweep across the Western world, the question of who we are as individuals becomes a persistent theme. Fr Thomas reminds us that one of the central doctrines of our faith, growing in the likeness of God, reveals who we truly are in Christ. (19th Sunday after Pentecost)

The parable of the Lazarus and the Rich Man is a story rich with lessons about life and about death. Fr Thomas focuses on the implications of living with unprecedented wealth in our modern society.

The New Testament is full of amazing stories about the healings performed by Jesus and the Apostles. Fr Thomas reminds us that in order to be made completely whole by the Lord, we must continue in our effort to glory in the cross by dying to the world. (22nd Sunday after Pentecost)

The parable of the Good Samaritan is universally known as an encouragement to good works, to serve those who are in need. Fr Thomas reminds us that behind the parable is a deeper meaning which helps us experience the Church as a spiritual hospital.

Sometimes Christians unfortunately feel burdened by the frequent call to worship. Fr Thomas reminds us that worship is not only one thing we do as Christians, it is the very purpose of our life: to constantly give thanks to God.

As we prepare to celebrate the Nativity of Christ, the eternal Word of God become man, we remember that the Lord Jesus Christ has both a familial and spiritual lineage. Through His birth, He heals the brokenness of His, and our, human family. (Sunday before the Nativity of Christ)

The feast of Theophany heralds the light which overcomes all darkness. Fr. Thomas reminds us that this darkness, which is present in many places in our life, is destroyed by the truth and life of Christ himself.

On Meatfare Sunday we commemorate the Last Judgment, when Christ returns to His creation to judge the world and redeem His people. Fr Thomas reminds us that our fasting is related to the Judgment. As we fast to prepare for Pascha, the Lord's resurrection is the first sign of our resurrection and the coming Judgment.

With the words, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem," the Lord Jesus Christ invites all of us to journey with Him to His Passion. Fr Thomas teaches us that the ransom that Christ freely pays on our behalf saves us from sin and death, but also allows us to freely follow Him.

The celebration of Palm Sunday is juxtaposed against the dark events that we experience in the life of Christ during Holy Week. Fr Thomas reminds us that our Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem is an example of having the "peace from above" even if you're marching to the Cross.

On the Sunday after Pascha, we commemorate the Lord's appearance to His disciples and St Thomas's proclamation, "My Lord and My God!" In this practical and helpful message, Fr Thomas teaches us three important points from this story to help us turn unbelief into belief.

In Christ's encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, we find the Master Teacher deftly bringing her to faith in Him. Fr Thomas relates this gospel message to the imperative of sharing our own story of faith in Christ with those who are thirsting for God.