Fr. Stephen concludes chapter 13 and begins discussing chapter 14.

Fr Stephen wraps up Luke 14 and discusses Luke 15.

Fr. Stephen concludes discussing chapter 15, and begins Luke, chapter 16.

Fr. Stephen concludes the study of Luke 16.

Fr. Stephen begins discussing Luke, Chapter 17

Fr. Stephen continues Luke, Chapter 17.

Fr. Stephen finishes discussing Chapter 17, and begins Chapter 18

Fr. Stephen continues the discussion of Luke, chapter 18.

Fr. Stephen concludes the discusion of chapter 18, and begins 19.

Fr. Stephen discusses Luke 19:29-44.

Fr. Stephen finishes with the discussion of Luke 19 and begins Luke 20.

Fr. Stephen wraps up his discussion on chapter 20, and begins chapter 21.

Fr. Stephen wraps up his discussion of Luke, Chapter 21.

Fr. Stephen begins his discussion of Luke, Chapter 22.

Fr. Stephen finishes commentating on Luke, Chapter 22.

Fr. Stephen begins discussing Luke, Chapter 23 and the Crucifixion of Christ.

Fr. Stephen finishes his discussion of the Gospel of Luke.

Fr. Philip explores the significance of St. Luke, the patron saint of his parish.

Consider how the gospel readings from various jurisdictions for this Sunday clarify St. Paul’s difficult retort to St. Peter in Galatians concerning the Law, faith, and the faithfulness of Christ, and how the OT clarifies the meaning of the phrase “Son of God” used in all these passages!

Let’s consider the story of the Samaritan leper in terms of God’s love for his one fold, shepherded by Christ our Lord, and foreshadowed in stories and prophecies about Gentiles in the Old Testament. Jesus recognized the thanksgiving of an outcast and heretic in his day; what, then, ought we to think about the descendants of God’s ancient people, Israel?

This week we look at Jesus’ first meeting with Peter in the light of Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah to come. We are helped to understand Peter’s great fear at Jesus’ ability to see into the depths of the sea, and the human heart. We are also given courage by St. Paul as we hear how our Christ God has reconciled enemies, and continues to work in his Church. (Luke 5:1-11; 2 Cor 1: 21-2:4; Col 1:13-23; Isaiah 11:1-9)

This week we concentrate upon the epistle reading, where St. Paul mentions (as he does elsewhere), God’s armor for our use in life. This imagery may be difficult for a contemporary audience, but it is found many places in Scripture, and cannot be dismissed. We consider the “active” and “passive” weapons wielded by our Lord Jesus, and commended to us, by means of other NT readings, Isaiah, and the book of Wisdom. (2 Corinthians 6:1-10; Isaiah 59:15-17; Wisdom 5:17-20; Isaiah 11:3-5)

The prophet Jeremiah helps us to consider, along with this Sunday’s gospels and epistle, the different ways in which God makes himself intimately known to each of us, and to all of us together, in the Church. (Luke 8:26-39; Gal 1:11-19; Luke 16:19-31; Jeremiah 31:31-34)

The prophet Isaiah and St. John Chrysostom help us to understand why God hides and reveals, as we read Galatians 1 and Luke 8:41-56. We are led to pay special attention to the epistle, since we have heard it twice in the space of two weeks!

Looking at the heart of things clearly a principle of the Old Testament as well as the New. But in the NT, we learn also that God has concern for the material world and for the details of life, for in the Incarnation He took on all that it is to be human. We read our passages for Divine Liturgy in the light of other Old and New Testament readings that help us to see things in perspective. (Galatians 6:11-18; Luke 12:16-21; 1 Chronicles 28:9)

We look at the Psalms, the purpose of the Torah for the Hebrew people, and the story of David dancing before the ark to illumine the theme of liberty seen in our readings for this coming Divine Liturgy.

Daring to be Different: Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, Second of Luke, and feast day of the Apostle Ananias. Our readings for this week (2 Cor 6:16-18, 7:1; Luke 6:31-36) bring us face-to-face with an uncomfortable part of our faith: we are to be “holy” or different. We look to the challenge God gives to Israel in Exodus, and the promises to fulfill this holiness in the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel to help us to understand our calling.

This week, in the middle of the season of Luke’s gospel, and looking forward to Luke’s feast-day, we consider the many uses that Luke makes of the Old Testament Scriptures, and his careful attention to what “is written” there so that we may better know the LORD. His intimate knowledge of the Old Testament is an indication of its importance, and how we should aspire to know and understand it better.

This week our two readings (Luke 8:29-56, Galatians 2:16-20) lead us to consider the deep relationship between faith and Christ’s power, a debated issue since the Reformation times. We look to these passages, and back to the example of Abraham (Genesis 15; Genesis 18) in order to understand what St. Paul and Holy Tradition tell us about faith, and how we should answer those who insist that salvation is “by faith alone.” Dr. Edith's new book is titled, "Further Up and Further In: Orthodox Conversations with C.S. Lewis on Scripture and Theology

This Sunday, the fourteenth of Luke, we also commemorate the prophet Zephaniah, whose tiny book in the OT speaks eloquently both of the dark state of God’s people, and his aim to bring them into the light (Zephaniah 1:14-17; 3:9-20). Those themes help us to think more concretely, and as a community, concerning the gospel and epistle for today (Ephesians 5:8-19; Luke 18:35-43), where spiritual blindness and sight is also addressed.

This week we hear the apostle Paul’s vulnerable plea to his congregation, and are reminded to pray and encourage our pastors (bishops, priests, deacons) as they work together with Christ, taking on his suffering for our sake, that we might be effective ministers in the world. (2 Cor 6:1-11; Psalm 68/69; Isaiah 52:13-53:12)

The prophet Habakkuk, who waits with us during the Paschal vigil, gives us much to consider in the fourth Old Testament canticle, taken from Habakkuk 3. Modelling humility, giving us grounds for hope by remembering God’s mighty acts in Exodus and Joshua, and lifting our eyes to the places on high, he continues to speak with force and poignancy even to those of us who know the fuller story of the Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension.

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

Brother Luke shares about an addict and a group of mourners he met at St. John the Compassionate Mission.

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Sermon on the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost

Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost

Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday of Zacchaeus

Beginning of the Lenten Triodion

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Christ was obedient to His Father in all things. Fr Tom teaches us that God blesses those who are obedient to His commands and the result of loving obedience to God is the growth of the Church. (Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Our God is not a benign spirit in the sky. Our God is the God Who reaches out to us in our sinfulness. Fr Tom teaches us that we are called to have a life-changing encounter with the God Who snatches us from the grip of sin and death. (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)

We are partakers of the rich mercies and blessings that God has liberally poured out upon our lives. Fr Tom reminds us that all of our blessings, both spiritual and material, are meant to be freely given to others, just as they have been given to us. (Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost)

While the story of the Good Samaritan can inspire us to do good works, Fr Tom reminds us that ultimately the parable points to something much greater: Our salvation. (Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

As the popular holiday of Thanksgiving in the USA approaches, we gather around our tables to focus on being thankful to God for the many blessings He has given us. Fr Tom reminds us that the only thing we will take with us when we die is our virtue, not our 'stuff.'

Throughout the scriptures the imagery of the supper is used to depict the hospitality of God toward us. Fr Tom reminds us to respond well to the invitation to be united to Christ. (Twenty-ninth Sunday after Pentecost. Sermon given in Florida.)

The Gospel contains both words of comfort and words of challenge and warning. Fr Tom reminds us not to make the mistake of listening only to messages which comfort us, but to live up to the words that challenge our faith to continue on the difficult way of Christ. (Thirty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost)