In reflecting on the Sunday of the Last Judgment, the Very Rev. Dr Bogdan Bucur calls our attention to the difference between the Lord’s invitation to those at his right hand in Matthew 25.34: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,” and the injunction to those on His left, “‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25.41). In this account of the last judgment, the difference between those on the right and the left is their deeds during their earthly lives. Fr Bogdan urges us to consider the concrete actions the Lord is expecting us to take during our time on this Earth to physically and practically minister to all those in need around us.

All of the words of the Saviour are important, even the words spoken that were strictly rhetorical. One such utterance is found in the story of the sinful woman, told in Luke 7:36f.

Fr. Apostolos concludes his discussion of the Lord's Prayer.

Fr. Apostolos talks about financial pressures, contentment, and priorities. "As we grow in contentment, and learn to resist the allure of the never-ending parade of consumer goods that we didn't know existed a moment ago, but somehow cannot now possibly live without, a new world of possibilities will emerge for us in the freedom that only Jesus Christ can give."

Fr. Apostolos shares from the book of Exodus and the life of St. Columba to prepare us for the Feast of Theophany.

Fr. Apostolos helps to prepare us for Great Lent with reflections on the humility of the Publican.

Fr. Apostolos shares encouragement for the start of Great Lent.

Fr. Apostolos reviews the services of Holy Week and the opportunity the faithful have to enter deeply into the mystery of God's demonstrated love for us.

Fr. Apostolos Hill discusses the Sunday of the Cross and the importance of learning to pick up our cross in the simple day-to-day choices we make.

Fr. Apostolos Hill preaches a homily taken from the end of the Epistle reading about the weight of our words.

Fr. Apostolos Hill delivers a homily at the 200 year anniversary of Greek Independence about the true freedom wrought for us in Christ.

Fr. Apostolos Hill delivers an offering on All Saints Sunday, a reflection on the gritty reality of the saints in all three dimensions of life and not the two-dimensional caricatures to which we often reduce them.

Fr. Apostolos Hill preaches on what to do when we come upon disagreeable passages in Holy Scripture, such as Abraham's statement to the Rich Man that he has already received his "good things" in his life and can expect nothing more.

Fr. Apostolos Hill speaks on the difference between Independence and Freedom with a brief history lesson about Independence Day.

In this inaugural episode, Fr. Maxym addresses the question "How can we see our sins in humility and how can we fight despair?”

Sermon on the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Cor 4:6-15; Luke 5:1-11)

Sermon on the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Cor 9:6-11; Luke 8:5-15)

Sermon on the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost (Ephesians 2:14-22; Luke 13:10-17)

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Beginning of the Lenten Triodion

Sunday of the Paralytic - Fourth Sunday of Pascha

We can all relate to the father who cries out to Jesus, "help my unbelief!" But Fr Tom teaches us that focusing on the unchanging promises of God will keep us faithful.

Jesus is given various titles in the New Testament: Teacher, Master, Lord and others. Fr Tom reminds us that, as Orthodox Christians, we must strive to approach God for not only who He really is, but who we really are too. (Thirty-first Sunday after Pentecost)

As we begin preparing our hearts for the annual Lenten journey, the Church presents us with the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. Fr Tom reminds us that fulfilling God's commandments should not be a cause for pride, because humility teaches us that we are only doing our duty to Him as unprofitable servants.

Our Lord taught his disciples to put away anxiety about life and instead trust in God. Fr Thomas reminds us that by seeing life through the teachings of Christ, even the difficulties and tribulations of life will build us up to be stronger followers of Him. (Third Sunday after Pentecost)

The Parable of the Publican and Pharisee is the Church's herald to prepare for Great Lent. To begin, Fr Thomas presents three important principles to bear in mind when approaching God in prayer. (Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee)

Orthodox Christians around the world will embark upon the most important time of the year, Holy Week, leading to the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. Fr Thomas reminds us that Holy Week is our opportunity to experience the value of Christ above all things in our life. (Palm Sunday)

We can often take membership in the church for granted, wrongfully thinking it's just another organization. Fr Thomas reminds us that our calling is not just to be a member, but a disciple, a follower of Christ. (Second Sunday after Pentecost)

As we prepare to celebrate the Nativity of Christ, the eternal Word of God become man, we remember that the Lord Jesus Christ has both a familial and spiritual lineage. Through His birth, He heals the brokenness of His, and our, human family. (Sunday before the Nativity of Christ)

The celebration of Palm Sunday is juxtaposed against the dark events that we experience in the life of Christ during Holy Week. Fr Thomas reminds us that our Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem is an example of having the "peace from above" even if you're marching to the Cross.

Today, many view religion with a consumerist mentality in a marketplace of choices. Fr Thomas enumerates three Orthodox distinctives to encourage and challenge us and those who are seeking the true faith. (Gal 1:11-19)

We can sometimes take the blessings we receive and miracles we read about in the New Testament for granted. The reading about the healing of the blind man is one such event, because the Lord didn't simply heal his sight, He actually created eyes for the man! Fr Thomas teaches us that the health of our sight is measured by what we're willing to see regarding the love and works of God.

On the First Sunday of Great Lent, Fr Thomas teaches us that icons are not merely beautiful decorations, but rather absolutely necessary witnesses to the incarnation of Christ and the presence of the Kingdom of God.

On the Sunday of the Healing of the Paralytic, Fr Thomas took the opportunity to speak honestly and encouragingly to his congregation about what it is to be a healthy church. Using the gospel and epistle readings, he gently reminded them that we're called to be a house of mercy, intentionally Christian, and a place of good works and of love for one another.

The raising of the Widow of Nain's Son is a dramatic scene where the Power of Life confronts the reality of death. Fr Thomas reminds us that we experience this encounter every time we participate in the Divine Liturgy, entering into the presence of the One Who has victory over Hades and death. (Our apologies for the poor audio quality of this recording.)

St Paul's letter to the Galatians opens with an impassioned plea to those who once embraced the truth of the Gospel, to return to it. In our own day, numerous Christians are succumbing to the spirit of the age and compromising fundamental truths. Fr Thomas makes his own fervent plea not to accept any other Gospel but that which is given to us by the apostles and their successors. As a listener to the podcast wrote, "truth doesn't bow to feelings."

The healing of the blind man in John 9 is a dramatic story of the healing power of God. Fr Thomas teaches us that we also have been healed by virtue of our baptism and we should tell others the story of our recreation.

Fr Thomas reminds us of the value of learning to deepen our faith.

In the story of the healing of the Blind Man, the willfully blind refuse to believe the truth about Jesus even when confronted with irrefutable proof. Fr Thomas reminds us that we must carefully consider all the teachings and deeds of Jesus so that we can be witnesses to the Son of God.

The famous parable of the Good Samaritan is often relayed as a story about doing good to others. However, Fr Thomas teaches us the background of the story and why the Good Samaritan points directly to Christ as the one who heals us in the Church.

What would you do if God gave you the silent treatment? Fr Thomas reminds us that we must persist in our pleas to God and in so doing, exercise great faith.

In the healing of the Blind Man, Jesus restored the sight of a man born blind. Fr Thomas reminds us that the goal of our spiritual life is to purify ourselves so that we can see the glory of God.

Listen as Fr. Tom encourages all seekers to follow in the path of the Canaanite woman.

Fr. Alexander Rentel, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America brings us a preparatory message in anticipation of Great Lent: observe the religious practice of the Church like the pharisee, but beg our Lord for the humble heart of the publican.

In this back-to-basics message, Fr. Tom reminds us that the real triumph of Orthodoxy begins with being a true follower of Christ.

Fr Thomas teaches us that we need to cultivate in ourselves an openness to the truth based on all the goodness of the teachings of Christ. (John 9:1-38) Sunday of the Blind Man, May 21, 2023

In the second of his Holiness Month series, Fr Thomas dispels three myths about Christianity. (Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38, 19:27-30) All Saints Sunday, June 11, 2023