174. Brave Like a Saint by Iakovina, Chapters 9 and 10 (Light & Life Publishing, 1992).

Fr. Ted contends that the story of the Pool of Bethesda is really about the relationships we have—or don't have—with our fellow Orthodox Christians.

Fr. Ted explains why we celebrate saints on the days of their deaths.

The reason the Nativity fast exists is to remind us of who we are in Christ and what we cannot take with us to the world to come.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos preaches on Jesus feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish.

The Very Rev. Dr. John H. Erickson, former seminary Dean (2002-2007), speaks at the first annual "Father John Meyendorff Memorial Lecture" at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary on September 15, 2013.

I had to put one of my dogs to sleep. He was young, healthy but had been abused. He started biting visitors to our home. I was confronted with the question, "What does love demand?" When our pets die, or we have to kill them, what do we tell our kids? What do we do for closure? Do our pets go to heaven?

Steve discusses his struggle with his recent diagnosis with cancer while caregiving his dying parents. He takes an honest, hard look at the common sayings and spiritual counsels often given to people who are suffering.

Listen to excerpts from this past Sunday's bulletin at St. John the Compassionate Mission, serving the most vulnerable in Toronto.

Listen to a short reflection about R., whose life has been difficult as he lives for the Truth.

Hear three short stories of people who are part of the community at St. John the Compassionate Mission.

Listen to reflections written by Fr. Nicolaie for the Sunday of the Prodigal Son.

Listen to reflections written by Fr. Nicolaie for the Sixth Sunday of Luke.

Reflections from Fr. Nicolaie on the Sunday of the Grateful Leper.

What does the Orthodox Church think about gay sex? The official answer is not hard to find.

Despite his often being stigmatized by later generations as “Doubting Thomas” there is nothing in his past record to indicate such a defect of character.

I note with no surprise whatsoever the news out of England, which is that the Church of England has decided to bless homosexual partnerships. This came after a compromise was struck last February following five years of debate about the church’s position on homosexuality and the inevitable apology offered for the church’s failure to welcome homosexuals.

Fr. Apostolos talks about the exclusive nature of our citizenship in the Heavenly Kingdom. "No one may hold dual citizenship in the Kingdom of God and any other kingdom."

Fr. Apostolos talks about the key of humility that unlocks God's grace.

It being the parish's Stewardship Sunday, Fr. Apostolos speak about the means whereby our resources can be sacralized and our financial lives brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, through tithing.

Fr. Apostolos Hill speaks on the theme of the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise and how we acquire a thirst for the Kingdom.

Fr. Apostolos Hill's homily talks about citizenship in the Heavenly Kingdom and how repentance is the entrance exam.

Fr. Maxym Lysack addresses a question about the Jesus Prayer.

Sermon on the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Galatians 1:11-19; Luke 8:26-39)

Sermon on the Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Colossians 3:4-11; Luke 14:16-24)

Sermon on the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (I Corinthians 15:1-11; Matthew 19:16-26)

On Friday, October 29, 2010, St Nicholas Church in McKees Rocks/Pittsburgh was vandalized. The assailants smashed through a stained glass window, ripped down a royal door, and overturned a candle stand. Fr Tom reminded his flock that though these trials may come, no one can take away the gift of our faith in God. (Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost)

The eternal Word ascends to Heaven in His resurrected body, receiving the glory He had with His Father before the world began. Fr Tom reminds us that Christ does all this so that He can share this heavenly life with us. (Sunday after the Ascension)

Today's cultural values can sometimes keep us from fully embracing important scriptural concepts like being the subject of a 'kingdom' or becoming a 'slave' to righteousness. Fr Tom reminds us that, in order to conform to the image of Christ, we must recognize ourselves as being slaves of God and servants of men. (Fourth 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)

Often the Orthodox Church is criticized for practicing what is sometimes called "closed communion," which means only Orthodox Christians are permitted to receive the Eucharist. Using the story of the miracle of feeding the five thousand, Fr Thomas reminds us that God shares his fullness with us in Holy Communion. And since we experience unity with one another at the chalice, the implications are enormous!

What must we do to be saved? Listen as Fr. Tom exhorts us to an understanding that the Christian life is not one where we can sit idly by, be a hearer of the word only, or rely on ritual action alone; it is a life whereby we must cooperatively be incorporated into Christ Himself.

The beauty of Orthodoxy is in its Christ-centeredness. Fr. Tom reminds us that Christ is everything and that we are only saved in and through Him; however, that doesn't mean we do nothing! Salvation comes not through easy belief-ism, but through following the command of our Lord to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him.

Fr Thomas reminds us that the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan Woman was not about her condemnation, but her salvation. We can also embrace a change of life through encountering Christ. (John 4:5-42) Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, May 14, 2023

St Paul startles us by claiming that he has someone living inside him; moreover this person is Christ. But it doesn't stop there! Christ is able to live inside him because he has died, or rather he has been crucified with Christ.

In his sermon on the 4th Sunday of Great Lent, Fr. Gregory says there are two chief enemies of the spiritual life, self-righteousness, or vainglory, and despair.

The glory of Jesus Christ is known in all its fullness in the resurrection of his complete person; body, mind and spirit. The Transfiguration is a disclosure of both a deified humanity and a glorified Cosmos in advance of the resurrection itself.

When we repent, when we seek to change our lives and our relationship to Christ, what is “at hand”? What is near? What is about to happen? The kingdom of heaven!

Fr. Gregory welcomes visiting priest Fr. Raphael Barberg of St James the Apostle Antiochian Church, Westminster, Maryland to speak on Pentecost Sunday.

It is fitting that we are reminded of the centrality of the Cross in our Christian lives at all times but especially before the feast of our Lord’s Transfiguration on 6 August.

Fr. Gregory speaks about the Dormition of the Theotokos and calls it the most important feast of the Mother of God in our calendar.

Fr. Emmanuel Kahn gives the sermon for the Feast of the Ascension.

Today in our cycle of veneration of Orthodox Christian Saints we remember and celebrate those of the Orthodox Church of the British Isles and Ireland in the first millennium.

Let’s consider why these three disciples—Saints Peter, James and John—were chosen by Jesus Christ to come up with Him to this “high mountain apart” from all His followers. Let’s consider also the response of St Peter as the spokesperson for the three disciples.

Fr. Gregory Hallam gives the sermon for Sunday, August 12, 2018.