Confronting The Weakness of Our Faith in This Unusual Lent: Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent in the Orthodox Church

· Fr. Philip LeMasters

Hebrews 6:13-20; Mark 9:17-31           “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”  The father of the young man in today’s gospel lesson cried out these words with tears in response to the Lord’s statement that “all things are possible to him who believes.”  The father was not sure that the Savior could actually deliver his son from a condition that had threatened his life since childhood. He had seen…

Responding to the Global Pandemic in Light of the Cross This Lent: Homily for the Third Sunday of Great Lent and the Veneration of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross in the Orthodox Church

· Fr. Philip LeMasters 2 Leave a Comment on %s

Hebrews 4:14-5:6; Mark 8:34-9:1             Today we venerate the precious and life-giving Cross upon which Jesus Christ offered Himself for the salvation of the world.  The God-Man conquered death by death through a public, torturous execution that was intended to strike fear in the hearts of any who would dare challenge the authority of the Roman empire.  He is our great High Priest who “sympathize[s] with our weaknesses,” for He entered personally…

Becoming Radiant with Light in a World Paralyzed by the Fear of Death: Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent in the Orthodox Church

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Hebrews 1:10-2:3; Mark 2:1-12            Lent this year is not what any of us had anticipated.  Prudence about our own health and concern for the elderly and those with underlying conditions will lead to changes in our habits and routines.  Some of us will have to adjust to new schedules at work and school.  Many events and trips have been cancelled.  At least until further notice, the schedule…

Becoming Truly Human and More Like God in Holiness This Lent: First Sunday of Great Lent (Sunday of Orthodoxy) in the Orthodox Church

· Fr. Philip LeMasters

Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-40; John 1:43-51           We often overlook one of the most fundamental issues facing people today:  What does it mean to be a human person?  It is so easy to get caught up in worry about all kinds of lesser matters that we ignore the central one of who we are before God.  Of course, that is the central point, for we cannot even begin to…

Forgiveness and the Journey Back to Paradise in Lent: Homily for the Sunday of Forgiveness (Cheese Fare) in the Orthodox Church

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Romans 13:11-14:4; Matthew 6:14-21              As we prepare to begin our Lenten journey tomorrow, we remember today how Adam and Eve stripped themselves naked of the divine glory and were cast out of Paradise into a world enslaved by death.  They used God’s great blessings to fulfill their self-centered desires, and made themselves miserable as a result.  The murder of their son by Abel by his brother Cain provides a vivid portrait…