Referencing the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Fr. Apostolos shares about suffering. "Suffering can make no sense to us unless we view it from an eternal perspective. Our suffering is made worse because we have lost the vision of the goal of suffering."

Fr. Apostolos shares about the life of Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis and encourages us to follow his example of humility, gentleness, perseverance, and devotion.

Fr. Apostolos shares from 2 Corinthians 6:1-10.

Fr. Apostolos introduces the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, "O Lord and Master of my life..."

Fr. Apostolos Hill addresses the joy of the many gifts Jesus gives us and how to combat our forgetfulness in sometimes taking them for granted.

Fr. Apostolos Hill gives a sermon on the Gospel reading from the Sermon on the Mount.

Fr. Apostolos Hill examines the feast of the Presentation and its application to the theme of collaborating synergetically with God as did the Virgin and her parents in the events of the feast.

The Parable of the Ten Lepers provided an opportunity to examine Levitical laws pertaining to leprosy and to the offering of sacrifices of thanksgiving in the Temple. Fr. Apostolos Hill underscore thes essentiality of the Holy Eucharist as the means whereby we as Orthodox Christians can offer our own sacrifices of Thanksgiving to God.

Fr. Apostolos Hill challenges us with reflections on the Gospel reading of St. Peter's impetuous faith on the Sea of Galilee.

Fr. Apostolos Hill speaks on the theme of the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Cross with a challenge to consider that we have been viewing the Cross incorrectly; e.g. as an impediment to our happiness and not as the cause of joy in the life of the redeemed.

In this 2nd episode, Fr. Maxym addresses the question about love in the spiritual life.

Sermon on the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Romans 12:6-14; Matthew 9:1-8)

Sermon on the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (I Corinthians 9:2-12; Matthew 18:23-35)

Sermon on the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost (Ephesians 2:4-10; Luke 12:16-21)

Sermon on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Galatians 4:4-7; Matthew 2:1-12)

Sermon on the Sunday After the Theophany (Ephesians 4:7-13; Matthew 4:12-17)

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Originally given July 27, 2008)

Ninth 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)

Faith is initiated in us by the gift of God in Christ being given to us in baptism. Fr Tom reminds us that it is our responsibility to live a life in light of that gift. (Twenty-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)

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)

Being a believer in Christ is more than just assenting to doctrines about God. In a stirring homily, Fr Thomas reminds us that it's not "what the gospel means to me" that's important, it's how we apply the true meaning of the gospel in our life that helps us to grow in the likeness of God. (Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost)

The parable of the talents can sometimes seem unfair. Why have some been given more than others? Fr Thomas relates this parable to the contemporary decline in religious faith and reminds us that, today, our cross is to take up the gift of faith and grow it. (Sunday after the Elevation of the Precious Cross)

The Christian life is surely a paradox. Our Lord teaches those who love Him that if they want to be exalted, they must be humble; if they want to be great, they must be a servant. Fr Thomas leads us into Holy Week by telling us that the Lord Jesus Christ not only teaches this paradox, but He lives it, and by so doing, He wins our salvation.

In an age when people are cynically feeling distant from (the concept of) God, it is important to be reminded that God is nearer than our very breath. Citing the gospel story of the great catch of fish, Fr Thomas teaches us concerning the assurance of the living God in our lives and the abundant life He promises.

In the powerful parable of the Great Banquet, Jesus teaches us about the eternal Kingdom of God that awaits those who follow Him. Fr Thomas reminds us that we are given a foretaste of this glorious union with God through the reception of the Holy Eucharist. (Luke 14:16-24)

The question, "What must I do to be saved?" is usually interpreted of as, "How can I get to heaven?" Fr Thomas teaches us that eternal life is defined by Jesus as something we can have here and now and He teaches us what we need to do to experience it.

Fr Thomas uses the stories of two different healings by Jesus (Mt 9:27-35) to demonstrate the importance of developing an interior life. After the sermon (at 20:00) Fr Thomas talks with three nuns from the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration in Ellwood City, PA, about cultivating the interior life and the challenges and blessings of monasticism.

The raising of the Widow of Nain's Son is a dramatic scene where the Power of Life confronts the reality of death. Fr Thomas reminds us that we experience this encounter every time we participate in the Divine Liturgy, entering into the presence of the One Who has victory over Hades and death. (Our apologies for the poor audio quality of this recording.)

When an Orthodox Christian is baptized, the priest proclaims, "you are justified!" But what does it mean to be righteous before God? Fr Thomas cites the readings of the Sunday, Ephesians 2 ("For by grace you have been saved through faith...") and the parable of the Good Samaritan, to outline the Orthodox understanding of our salvation in Christ.

On the fourth Sunday of Lent, the Church presents the Gospel reading of the healing of the demon possessed boy, and we also commemorate St John of "The Ladder." Fr Thomas teaches us that, if we want to spiritually grow, we have to be able to accept God's difficult answers to our ultimate questions.

On the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers, Fr Thomas reminds us that every Sunday, the Lord's Day, is set apart for us to sacrificially offer our time to worship the Risen Christ.

Fr Thomas challenges us to recognize that our task as Christians is not simply to come to church to be fed for our own purposes, but to be sent out to build up the body of Christ.

Everyone has difficulties and problems that they face on a daily basis. Fr Thomas teaches us that in the midst of the storms of life we can experience the "peace from above" which is found only in Christ.

Using the example of the crowd who followed Jesus to a deserted place where he healed and fed them, Deacon Luke Loboda encourages us to trust Christ to come into the desolate places of our life to be present with us and heal us.

Christians are called to live in the will of God, but how do we find it? Fr Thomas teaches us that living in the will of God means identifying with God's Kingdom and not with the values of this fallen world.

On the Sunday before Christmas, the kingly lineage of Jesus according to St Mathew is read. Fr Thomas teaches us that the names recount that Jesus is anything but a distant ruler, but rather that He identifies with the brokenness of humanity and comes to redeem us from it.

"God is Love" has become one of the most abused verses of Scripture. It's used today to justify every sin and excuse every condition. Fr Thomas urges us to look at the entirety of the Gospel message to truly understand the implications of being a creature of God Who is Love.

The Gospel reading for the fifth Sunday of Lent relates the story of the audacious question posed by the apostles James and John, who asked for glorification without first drinking the cup of humiliation. Fr Thomas reminds us that this basic principle of the Christian life proves true even for seemingly mundane things that we might mistakenly think are unimportant, like going to church to worship.

Fr. Tom draws from both of the Scripture readings to tell us about the inner life of God and how it plays out in our interactions with one another.

Leading into the feast of Theophany, Fr. Tom calls to remembrance the Forerunner and how he points us to repentance in order to see clearly our Savior in the Holy Trinity.

Unpacking the Sunday epistle reading, Fr. Tom helps us to enter into the cosmic mystery that is Christ and the New Covenant. The Divine Liturgy is not a dead work; it is a provision to allow us to enter into the eternal sacrifice of God every time we gather.

Tying together the Gospel readings from this week and the week prior, Fr. Tom lays out the reality that the One who prays, the One who walks on water, the One who gives us Himself in the Eucharist is always present . . . especially in our trials.

We've all heard the saying "paradoxy is Orthodoxy". Fr. Tom discusses the path to salvation found by embracing the paradoxy of life and choosing to bear our cross.