baptism Archives — Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

Are There Wrong Reasons to Become Orthodox? Yes.

June 7, 2021 · Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

Someone who comes to the door of the Church is indeed asked to give everything up in order to become one with Christ. It is not expected of him that he will instantly be able to shed all of his baggage of sin and worldly attachments. But it is expected that he will commit to repentance.

Jacob and His Well: Baptism for the Nations

May 8, 2018 · Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, May 6, 2018 Acts 11:19-30; John 4:5-42 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Christ is risen! Today let us begin by contemplating the meaning of water. The Gospel we read today is focused quite literally on water, in which Jesus meets with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s…

A Covenant in Flesh and Spirit

January 3, 2017 · Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

Circumcision of Christ / Feast of St. Basil the Great, January 1, 2017 Colossians 2:8-12; Luke 2:20-21, 40-52 V. Rev. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Today is the eighth day from the Nativity, and on the eighth day from birth, newborn Jewish boys were circumcised. The Lord…

Christians are Naturalized Citizens

December 3, 2016December 3, 2016 · Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

The following is the naturalization oath that makes someone a citizen of the United States when immigrating from another country: I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the…

Christianity is Not About Your Spiritual Life

January 12, 2016January 14, 2016 · Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

Sunday after Theophany, January 10, 2016 Ephesians 4:7-13; Matthew 4:12-17 Rev. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. “To each one of us is given the grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” This phrase from Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians is appointed for us to…

Can the Virgin Mary “save” us?

January 29, 2015February 19, 2021 · Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

Today I read the comments on this YouTube video. I know, I know—YouTube comments generally are the lowest form of discourse on the Internet, and I wasn’t terribly surprised to see that someone thought that the musical line “Most Holy Mother of God, save us” was “blasphemous.” (He preferred to hear his blasphemy in Latin, apparently.) I must admit to being a bit baffled,…

The Beginning of Baptism

January 14, 2014 · Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

Sunday after Theophany, January 12, 2014 Rev. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick A recording of this sermon can be heard via Ancient Faith Radio. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Today is the Sunday after the Great Feast of Theophany, and even though the feast is now past, we are still within the…