Homily 267 – 1st Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa June 11, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Our Lord tells us that in order to be His disciple – his follower – we have to follow him above everything.…

Homily 266 – Eighth Sunday of Pascha Holy Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa June 4, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. We see and conceptualize many things in thinking about the Holy Spirit. Some see a power source, enabling us to…

Homily 265 – Seventh Sunday of Pascha (Fathers 1st Ecumenical Council) Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa May 28, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. The perception of the Church, and the role the Church plays in our lives, has changed over time.…

Homily 264 – Sixth Sunday of Pascha (Man Born Blind) Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa May 21, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Christ is Risen! The Gospel goes to great lengths to tell us that the blind man, healed by our…

Homily 262 – Fifth Sunday of Pascha (Samaritan Woman) Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa May 14, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Christ is Risen! I’ve always been overwhelmed by this Gospel passage. There are so many things going on. Christ is…

Homily 262 – Fourth Sunday of Pascha (Paralytic) Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa May 7, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Christ is Risen! How long does it take before we give up? What is our patience tolerance level? Could we wait…

Homily 261 – Third Sunday of Pascha (Myrrhbearers) Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa April 30, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Christ is Risen! The Myrrhbearing Women had been with Christ virtually since the beginning of his ministry. The Mother of St.…

Homily 260 – Second Sunday of Pascha (Thomas Sunday) Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa April 23, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Christ is Risen! Sometimes Pascha brings a huge relief. We hear the sermon of St. John Chrysostom, extolling the triumph…

Homily 259 – Palm Sunday Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa April 9, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Palm Sunday, the Sunday called “The Triumphal Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem” can be baffling without a bit of context. The triumphal entry…

Homily 258 – Fifth Sunday of Great Lent – St. Mary of Egypt Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa April 2, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. On this Sunday we remember St. Mary of Egypt. The tradition of the Church is that…