The Second Sunday of Great Lent - 31 March 2024

On this second Sunday of our precious season of Great Lent, we commemorate the great Father of the Church, St. Gregory Palamas. He was a 14th century monk, bishop, and profound theological writer from Mount Athos in Greece.  

St. Gregory boldly defended the reality of the uncreated, deifying energies of God against the rationalistic philosophers of his day. He taught that while the essence of the Holy Trinity remains forever unknown and inaccessible, God's energies pervade all creation and make it possible for us to truly know and enter into communion with the living God.

This reality finds its supreme expression in the uncreated Light that shone forth at our Lord's Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. Moses and Elijah appeared, representing the Law and the Prophets, bearing witness that Christ is truly the fulfillment of all God's revelation. The three disciples beheld Christ's divine glory shining brilliantly, dazzling with the very Light that illumined the saints throughout all ages.

St. Gregory experienced this same uncreated Light of the Transfiguration during times of deep prayer and spiritual struggle. He understood this to be the same Light that will fill and permeate the universe at Christ's Second Coming. Even now, through repentance, prayer, and fasting, our purified hearts can experience a foretaste of this brilliant, deifying grace. 

On this Lenten journey, let us be inspired by St. Gregory's example of unceasing prayer, ascetic struggle, and theological insight. Let us open our hearts to receive the deifying energies of God, that we too may be transformed by the radiant Light of Christ's glory. Through the intercessions of St. Gregory Palamas, may the Lord illumine our minds, souls and bodies as we press on toward the great Feast of Feasts. Amen.

The First Sunday of Great Lent - 24 March 2024

The holy icons that adorn the walls of our church are much more than mere artistic depictions. They are profound theological statements that affirm a core tenet of our faith - the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. But the Word also became flesh and dwelt among us. Christ took on human nature, while remaining fully divine. This uniting of the immaterial, eternal God with material creation is a profound mystery. 

The holy icons bear witness to this reality. They depict Christ, His mother the Theotokos, the saints and angels - all with physical form and material substance. Yet at the same time, they reveal the divine energy, grace and glory that radiates through creation.

When we venerate icons, we affirm that matter itself can become a vehicle for the immaterial, a means by which the spiritual can be perceived. The icon is a window into the Kingdom of Heaven. Just as Christ made the invisible God visible through His incarnation, so too do icons make the immaterial spirit-world perceptible to our physical senses.

The icon is no mere illustration, but a living presence in the Church. As we contemplate the icon, that prototype projects rays of divine grace, virtue and power upon us. Let us give thanks for these holy icons that proclaim the good news that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).

Cheesefare Sunday - 17 March 2024

Today we celebrate Cheesefare Sunday, the last day before the holy season of Great Lent begins. It is a day of forgiveness.

As we prepare to embark on the spiritual journey of fasting, prayer and repentance, we must first make an effort to forgive all those who have sinned against us. Holding grudges and resentment in our hearts closes us off to the healing grace of God.

Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." If we cannot forgive the minor trespasses of our friends and family members, how can we expect God to forgive our own grievous sins?

On this Cheesefare Sunday, take time to ask forgiveness from those you have wronged through word, deed or thought. And be quick to forgive those who have hurt or offended you. Purge your heart of anger, bitterness and pride.

Only by forgiving others can we become worthy to receive forgiveness from the Lord on Pascha night. Let us enter the Lenten season with hearts full of love, humility and contrition.

Through the prayers of the most holy Theotokos and by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, may God grant us the strength to forgive and the peace that comes with being forgiven.

Sunday of the Last Judgment - 11 March 2024

Beloved brothers and sisters, on this solemn Sunday of the Last Judgment, we hear Christ's weighty words separating the righteous from the unrighteous, based on how they treated the least of His brethren. "For I was hungry and you gave me food...I was a stranger and you welcomed me...As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me."

These words should pierce our hearts as we prepare to embark on the great spiritual journey of Lent. As St. John Chrysostom exhorts: "If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice."

Our fasting must not be mere abstinence from food, as St. Basil the Great instructs: "Let us not be confined to the aspect of fasting alone...True fasting is to put away all evil, to control the tongue, to banish anger, to suppress lust, to avoid falsehood, to keep ourselves innocent of detraction."

For how can we claim to be fasting for the sake of the Kingdom, while neglecting the King's commanded works of mercy? As Christ makes plain, on the Day of Judgment our eternal destination will hinge on whether we saw His face in the poor, the hungry, the naked, the prisoners, the outcasts - and tended to them as we would the Lord Himself.

So my brothers and sisters, as we take up the Lenten disciplines, let us adorn our fasting with generous almsgiving. Open your hands and hearts to "the least of these." Welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, feed the hungry. In so doing, you serve Christ directly. For He fully identifies Himself with the suffering and rejects of our society.

The Sunday of the Prodigal Son - 03 March 2024

We continue our preparations for the holy journey of Great Lent with the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).  This story, filled with both folly and forgiveness, offers profound lessons for our Lenten preparation.

The younger son, yearning for independence, demands his inheritance and squanders it in reckless living.  St. John Chrysostom remarks, "By the younger son is signified every soul that has departed from God..."  Like the prodigal son, we can sometimes stray from God's path, seduced by worldly temptations.  Great Lent is a time to reflect on these detours and recommit ourselves to our spiritual well-being.

The son's descent hits rock bottom when he finds himself feeding pigs, a state unthinkable for a Jew.  St. Chrysostom emphasizes this, saying, "For the feeding of swine is the extreme of impiety."  This low point becomes a turning point.  The son recognizes his folly and prepares a humble confession: "I am no longer worthy to be called your son..." (v. 19).

The father's response is the heart of the parable.  He doesn't dwell on the son's mistakes but celebrates his return with open arms.  St. Chrysostom beautifully captures this essence: "Let us then return... the Father is ready to receive us... He will not reproach us for our past sins..."  God's forgiveness is boundless, waiting for us to embrace it through repentance and a renewed commitment to following His teachings.

Great Lent is a time for introspection, fasting, and prayer.  The Prodigal Son reminds us that true repentance isn't about earning God's love, but about recognizing our shortcomings and seeking His forgiveness with a sincere heart.  As we embark on this Lenten journey, let us reflect on where we may have strayed and, like the prodigal son, return to the loving embrace of our Heavenly Father.

The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee - 25 February 2024

As we begin our preparations for the holy journey of Great Lent, the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14) offers a powerful reflection on humility and self-awareness.

The Pharisee, a religious leader, approaches prayer with an air of self-righteousness. He thanks God for not being like "other men," including the tax collector standing nearby. He meticulously lists his good deeds: fasting twice a week and tithing his income.

The Publican, on the other hand, stands afar off, filled with shame. He doesn't even raise his eyes to heaven but beats his breast in repentance, uttering a simple yet profound plea: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (v. 13).

In his homily on this passage, St. John Chrysostom beautifully captures the essence of true prayer: "For it is not fasting or prayer or anything else that makes a man righteous, but humility."

The Pharisee's elaborate prayer becomes a display of pride, not devotion. The Publican's heartfelt plea, however, resonates with God.

Chrysostom continues, "Let us learn... not to boast of our good works."  Great Lent is a time for introspection, not self-congratulation. We are called to acknowledge our shortcomings and seek God's forgiveness.

This Lenten season, let us follow the example of the Publican. Let our prayers be filled with humility and an honest recognition of our need for God's grace. As St.  Chrysostom reminds us, "True fasting is to subdue the anger of the soul."

May our focus be on inner transformation, not outward appearances. With a contrite heart and a genuine desire for spiritual growth, we can approach Pascha prepared to receive the joy of Christ's Resurrection.