Homily 292 – 29th Sunday after Pentecost (Eve of Nativity) Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa December 24 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. The Sunday before Nativity we always read St. Matthew’s genealogy of our Lord. It is more than just a…

Homily 291 – 28th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa December 17 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Sometimes people ask me why a loving God sends people to hell. They are bewildered occasionally when I tell them God doesn’t…

Homily 290 – 27th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa December 10 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. We are all lepers. Let me repeat that. We are all lepers. Our soul, our nature, our humanity is stained with the…

Homily 289 – 26th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa December 3, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. St. Paul could have been writing to us today. I’m not one to watch the news, but you cannot have missed the…

Homily 288 – 25th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa November 26, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. The Jewish law commanded that no work be done on the Sabbath day. This was not a minor point, but one of…

Homily 287 – 24th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa November 19, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Ever wonder how we define a fool? In the New Testament, we don’t use that word much. But this morning, our Lord…

Homily 286 – 23rd Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa November 12, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. The Gospel asks a question – who is my neighbor. The Law, that is the requirements to be Jewish and part of…

Homily 285 – 22nd Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa November 5, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. We think we know everything. Modern society answers all our questions – life, death, growth, and everything surrounding. We define when life…

Homily 284 – 21st Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa October 29, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. We hear this morning of the Gadarene demoniac, delivered from his possession by Christ in a very visible manner. I venture to…

Homily 283 – 20th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa October 22, 2017 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Blessed Theophylact was a Byzantine biblical commentator in the late 11th century. He was the Bishop of Ochrid, and Metropolitan of the…