Monthly Archives: October 2019

October 13, 2019 · 12:52 pm

Preparing soil – Sermon on the Fourth Sunday of Luke

Sunday Sermon on the Fourth Sunday of Luke, Luke 8: 5-15

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God.

We live in a world obsessed with outcomes.
Winning – regardless of the methods, regardless of the means – counts. Nothing else.
In nearly every area of our lives – our athletics, our politics, our business – winning is the criteria by which people are assessed.
A person is either successful, by winning, or a loser.
I don’t think that was always the case. It was not that long ago when people of good character were winners. People who played by the rules were winners.

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October 13, 2019 · 12:44 pm

Seek first the Kingdom of God

~ Words of the Church Fathers ~

God loves His creation, His image, and provides the things which man needs. If one does not believe this and struggles by himself to acquire these earthly gifts, he will suffer.


But even if God does not provide some of these earthly, material things, a person who is leading a spiritual life will not worry about it.

If we seek first the Kingdom of God and this is our only concern, all the other things will be given to us, as well. Will God abandon His creation? The manna which God provided for the Israelites in the desert would spoil if they kept it for the next day. (Cf. Ex 16:19-20.) God arranged things this way so that the people would have confidence in His divine providence. We have not yet understood the words of Jesus.

Saint Paisios of Mt Athos, “Seek first the Kingdom of God” (Cf. Mt 6:33)

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October 6, 2019 · 9:25 pm

Sunday Sermon on the Third Sunday of Luke

Luke 7: 11-16

O Lord, Do you know my pain?
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and Of the Holy Spirit, Amen
O Lord, Do you know my pain?
O Lord, Do you see my struggle?
I am lost in the world; will you find me and bring me home?

Gifts are something we do not deserve, but rather are given to us because of love. Divine Love, the Love of God sees all that we are, all that we will be, and what will become of us. One mystery of life is that the divine patience and love of God gives us true freedom, and choice, even though God knows already what is to come.

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October 6, 2019 · 9:15 pm

If God had not been incarnate upon earth…

~ Words of the Church Fathers ~

If God had not been incarnate upon earth, if He had not made us godly, if He had not taught us in His Own person how to live, what to hope for and expect, if He had not pointed out to us another perfect and eternal life, if He had not suffered and died and risen from the dead—then we should still have had some reason to live, as we all now live—that is to mostly lead a carnal, earthly life.

But, now, we ought to meditate upon higher things, and count all earthly things but dung, for, everything earthly is nothing, in comparison with heavenly things.

Meanwhile, the Devil, the father of lies, in spite of the Savior’s teaching and His spirit, teaches us to attach ourselves to earthly goods, and forcibly nails our sensual heart to them.

The heart naturally seeks happiness—and the Devil gives a false direction to this tendency, and allures it by earthly happiness, that is—by riches, honors, splendor of dress, furniture, silver, equipages, gardens and various amusements.

St John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ

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