Homilies and Talks
What’s your spiritual credit score?
Homily 530 – 32 APE Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa January 22, 2023 Epistle: (280-ctr) 1 Timothy 1:15-17 Gospel: (93) Luke 18:35-43 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Healing is a major part of the New Testament. We hear frequent accounts of physical…
Read MoreOur minimum is our maximum.
Homily 529 – 31 APE Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa January 15, 2023 Epistle: (280-ctr) 1 Timothy 1:15-17 Gospel: (91) Luke 18:18-27 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Why are we obsessed with doing the minimum necessary? That is exactly what the ruler…
Read MoreNo competition in Christianity.
Homily 528 – 30 APE Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa January 8, 2023 Epistle: (224-ctr) – Ephesians 4:7-13 Gospel: (8) – Matthew 4:12-17 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. We are coming out of one of the more intense periods of the liturgical…
Read MoreWhat we should want for Christmas.
Homily 527 – 27 APE Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa December 18, 2022 Epistle: (328) Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40 Gospel: (1) Matthew 1:1-25 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. This Sunday, the Sunday before the Nativity, we always hear the genealogy of Christ. …
Read MoreYou’re invited. Will you go?
Homily 526 – 26 APE Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa December 11, 2022 Epistle: (257) Colossians 3:4-11 Gospel: (76) Luke 14:16-24 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…
Read MoreThankfulness, redux.
Homily 525 – 25 APE Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa December 4, 2022 Epistle: (224) Ephesians 4:1-6 Gospel: (85) Luke 17:12-19 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Are we thankful? We just celebrated thanksgiving, but does being thankful end there? Today we find…
Read MoreSilly rich.
Homily 523 – 23 APE Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa November 20, 2022 Epistle: (220) Ephesians 2:4-10 Gospel: (66) Luke 12:16-21 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Today’s Gospel seems perfect for our time. The acquisition of wealth has become epidemic in our…
Read MoreWe are neighbor. We are Christ.
Homily 522 – 22 APE Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa November 13, 2022 Epistle: (215) Galatians 6:11-18 and (318) Hebrews 7:26-8:2 Gospel: (53) Luke 10:25-37 and (36) John 10:9-16 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. In the story of the good Samaritan, the…
Read MoreThe cause and effect of salvation.
Homily 521 – 21 APE Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa November 6, 2022 Epistle: (203) Galatians 2:16-20 Gospel: (39) Luke 8:41-56 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. No one is justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.…
Read MoreEvery distraction is a demon.
Homily 520 – 20 APE Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Ames, Iowa October 30, 2022 Epistle: (200) Galatians 1:11-19 Gospel: (38) Luke 8:26-39 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. You don’t have to be naked and live in the graveyard to be affected by the…
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