Our Lord’s ministry violated many of the religious and cultural sensibilities of first-century Palestine in shocking ways. Contrary to all expectations for the Jewish Messiah, He asked for a drink of water from a Samaritan woman with a broken personal history, engaged in an extended spiritual conversation with her, and then spent two days in a Samaritan village. He invited Himself to the home of Zacchaeus, a corrupt tax-collector for the Roman army of occupation. And as we read today, He not only healed the servant of a Roman centurion, but said of this man, “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” This encounter is truly astounding because the Jews expected a Messiah to defeat the Romans by military force, not to praise the faith of their officers.

Consider this difficult story (Matthew 15: 21-28) of Jesus ‘refusing’ to help, and consider the mercy, rather than the fairness of our mysterious and compassionate Lord. The Fathers and the Old Testament help us through this awkward gospel reading.

Our readings for this Sunday give us deep insight into God’s practical care for the new human family that is reconstituted around the God-Man Jesus. He feeds them and suffers for them as the Good Shepherd, and teaches his disciples how to humbly care for others, as well. The Holy Theotokos is the example par excellence of one who has learned these lessons of nurture and humility. Matthew 14:14-22; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, Ezekiel 34:11-23, 2 Kings 40-44, Psalm 23.

To err is human and to forgive is divine, but our readings for this coming Sunday, illumined by the prophets, show us that the proclamation of forgiveness is now a human responsibility. The God-Man demonstrates that God has bestowed this divine characteristic, part of His glory, to those who are his sons and daughters. God forgives, and we forgive. (Matthew 9:1-8; Romans 12:6-14; Jeremiah 31:27-34; Jonah 3:1-10)

We read the well-known story of Matthew 8:28-9:1, appointed for this week’s Divine Liturgy, with special attention to the phenomenon of demon possession. Though the Old Testament has little to say about demons, it prepares us for the great miracle of the Incarnation, in which God visits us intimately, making us his own. Possession may be seen as the pale imitation of this mighty visitation, in which Satan and his emissaries try to draw near to us in destruction—but are vanquished by the Author of all goodness.

This week we consider Romans 15:1-7 and Matthew 9:27-35, in the light of Psalm 69 (LXX 68), the witness of the Old Testament, and the steadfast, encouraging character of our Triune God.

Today we read our epistle (1 Corinthians 16:13-24) and gospel (Matthew 21:33-42) in the light of Isaiah 5:1-7; 27:1-13 and 2 Peter 1: 3-12. We are led to see that there is a new song of hope that replaces the prophet’s lament over God’s people, because Jesus has become the cornerstone of God’s Temple.

This week we consider Paul’s spirited words in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, seeking to understand the importance of Holy Tradition, the apostles who saw Jesus, the crucifixion, and the resurrection, in the light of Daniel 12, Genesis 49, Exodus 1, and Ezekiel 47-48.

A Gift for Matthew, written by Nick Muzekari, illustrated by Masha Lobastov, Ancient Faith Publishing (2014)

"Saint Matthew the Evangelist and Apostle," from The Four Evangelists by Spiritual Fragrance Publishing (2012)

Today we begin a series on the use of the Old Testament in the early chapters of the Gospel of St. Matthew. We will examine his citations in his narrative of Christ’s birth, childhood and adulthood up to the time He settled in Capernaum, bringing a great light to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali and to all the world. St. Matthew (either the actual author of the Gospel or the one under whose blessing and authority it was first disseminated) took care to present Jesus as the fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, and by examining the use of the Old Testament in this Gospel we can see how deeply and creatively the Church used those Scriptures.

We continue our series examining St. Matthew’s citations of the Old Testament. Today we look at his citation of Micah 5:2. “In the Masoretic Hebrew it reads, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you will come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.” The LXX reads similarly: “And you, Bethlehem, house of Ephrathah, you are very small to be in the thousands of Judah, from which for me will come out to be for a ruler of Israel, and his goings out are from the beginning, from the days of eternity.” It is all the more surprising therefore that St. Matthew’s version reads a little differently from either the Hebrew or the Greek. It reads, “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you will come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.”

We continue our series examining St. Matthew’s citations of the Old Testament. Today we look at his citation of Jeremiah 31:15. It reads, “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are not.” The LXX renders it more or less the same way, though the order of the chapters is different. In the LXX the text is found in Jeremiah chapter 38, not chapter 31. But the meaning of the text is the same.

We conclude our series examining St. Matthew’s citations of the Old Testament. Today we look at his citation of Isaiah 40:3, which reads, “A voice cries, ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of Yahweh! Make straight in the desert a highway for our God!”

Sunday before the Nativity of Christ

Sunday before the Beginning of the Great Fast

All Saints of North America - Second Sunday after Pentecost

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Forgiveness is at the heart of the gospel message and Christian experience. As Christians living in the community of faith, we are called to share all things in common. Fr Tom explains that this includes sharing the mercy and compassion with one another that we first received from Christ. (Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost)

As Christians, we have been entrusted with the Kingdom of God. But this great gift comes with a responsibility. Fr Tom explains that the parable of the Vinedressers is God's warning to us to fulfill our essential mission to grow the Church. (Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

The scriptures are replete with examples describing the union between God and His people as a marriage. Fr Tom teaches us that the intimate union God desires to have with us begins with our baptism. It's up to us, however, to keep our garment undefiled in order to worthily partake of the eternal Marriage Supper of the Lamb with His Bride. (Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Beheading of St John the Baptist)

Asking for mercy from God is at the heart of the Church's prayer. Fr Tom teaches us that that two seeminly opposing attitudes, humility and boldness, are necessary to continually approach the throne of God. (Thirty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost - The Canaanite Woman)

On the second Sunday before the beginning of the Great Fast the Church calls to our attention the Last Judgment. Fr Tom teaches us that our fate at the appearance of the Son of Man in His glory will be determined by our reaction to the brightness of His Love and Mercy. (Sunday of the Last Judgment)

On the day before the beginning of Great Lent, the Church teaches us that our journey of repentance begins with offering forgiveness. Fr Tom reminds us that forgiveness is the essential action to grow in the likeness of God, because it is what He freely offers to us. (Forty-first Sunday after Pentecost - Forgiveness Sunday)

Third Sunday after Pentecost

On this week's Ex Libris, the podcast of Ancient Faith Publishing, host Bobby Maddex interviews Nick Muzekari, the author of the new AFP children's book A Gift for Matthew.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Stephen Powley, the Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry, about OCPM's new Matthew 25:36 Fellowship.

World champion Nick Matthew beats Ramy Ashour to become the first Englishman to win the British Open three times in the professional era.