SERMONS FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD

“My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” (Ps 22:1; cf. Matt 27:46). These were the words Jesus cried out at about the ninth hour while He was crucified on the cross. These words were echoed in the Psalms by the prophet David. Taken by themselves, these words could be interpreted as an expression of despair. How could the …

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DO2oZLx5XQ&feature=related] “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” This declaration of a faithful man of God to his colleague, dear sisters and brothers, is not a mere figure of speech . It is not a mere thought. It is a confession of faith. And …

“Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him”(Romans 14:3). Paul had sent a letter to the church in Rome with those words. In spite of his communication to them it seems that troubles arose in whether ‘to eat or not …

For many people the impression they could get after reading the second half of this passage, might be ‘fear’.  The words in verse forty-one, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41), are truly dreadful.  Fear certainly becomes one of the motivators.  However, as a picture of hell, is the …

Today’s Gospel passage reveals to us the significance of one’s faith and humility in God. The story describes how our Lord went away from Galilee and withdrew to the north of Israel, to the borders of the ancient towns of Tyre and Sidon which are in modern day Lebanon. Christ hoped that here, away from Jewish cities, He could find …

“Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house” You have heard, dear brothers and sisters, the story of Zacchaeus many times. Being so distinctive, it is known to all. Who was Zacchaeus? What did he do? Today’s Gospel tells us briefly: “He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought …

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned and with a loud voice glorified God” (Lk 17:15)  Today’s gospel brings us the account of the cleansing of the ten lepers. We are taught just how great a sin ingratitude can be, but to be thankful is a profound virtue.  These lepers lived with the fear of death …

 In today’s Gospel the Lord upon hearing of the imprisonment of John the Baptist, now comes to Capernaum, located north of Israel. This region, the heart of Galilee, was the starting place of our Lords public ministry. Galilee at this time had quite a mixed population, with many Gentiles (non-Jews) in the area; hence Isaiah called it “Galilee of the …

Ηχος βʹ. Mode 2nd. Δόξα Τὰ σύμπαντα σήμερον ἀγαλλιά‐ σθω, Χριστὸς ἐφάνη ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ. Glory. Leap for joy today, O universe; for Christ has appeared in the Jordan. This feast day brings to us an epiphany of the true light, Jesus Christ (Isa 42:7; cf. Matt 4:16), and God’s mystery as Trinity, One God but Three Persons. Jesus does not …

Every spring when it was Passover, according to Jewish custom Joseph and Mary made a habit of going up to Jerusalem.  This story tells us that it was the time when Jesus was twelve years old.  Since Jewish children were considered adult at thirteen, this was just before that. In this gospel account, the story of the childhood of Jesus …