Homily 256 – Annunciation Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa March 25, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. On this Sunday we remember St. John of the Ladder – but rarely, the remembrance of him is overshadowed by the Feast of the Annunciation.…

Homily 256 – Annunciation Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa March 25, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. We hear the story of the Theotokos and her encounter with the archangel Gabriel, and we hear the famous words. Behold, the handmaid of the…

Homily 255 – Third Sunday of Great Lent (Exaltation of the Cross) Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa March 19, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. What we hear today, what we honor and venerate today, began several weeks ago, in the last…

Homily 254 – Second Sunday of Great Lent (St. Gregory Palamas) Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa March 12, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Throughout time, people have marveled at the miracles demonstrated by our Lord. At the crucifixion, even King Herod…

Homily 252 – First Sunday of Great Lent Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa March 5, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. In the reading for this Sunday, the First Sunday of Great Lent, we learn of our destination. We will see the…

Homily 250 – Cheesefare Expulsion from Paradise Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa February 26, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Sometimes, frequently in fact, we evaluate the expectations of events. We classify something as good, or bad, even before we know the…

Homily 249 – Meatfare/Last Judgement Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa February 19, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Throughout history, all of human history, people have asked a question. What does it take to be in favor with God. Sometimes it was…

Homily 248 – Prodigal Son Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa February 12, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. One of my mentors used to tell me that it is the person you identify with in the parable that is the most critical…

Homily 247 – Publican and Pharisee Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa February 5, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. What can I say about the publican and the Pharisee that hasn’t already been said? Likely, nothing. And still the Church gives us…

Homily 246 – Thirty-second Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa January 29, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. This morning we read two separate Gospel passages. One is the story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector who repented. The other is…