Some people have asked me for a blessing to get a falsified (medical) “passport”. This is my answer to them. It is pretty easy to know what to do. I have a comment to make regarding my advice. Some people hear one word, and they look for something that is said that disagrees with their view of that word. My comments, which are VERY FIRM, are not giving a direction about that word, but rather to those who want or need a passport in order to keep their job, travel, etc. Those who know me have heard me advocate more than a hundred times for free-will in making medical and life decisions, and that we must never “other” those who do not agree with our opinions, whether they be medical, political etc. I will always give private advice to those who ask for it, but I will not act like some sort of tyrant and base my relationship with someone on whether or not they agree with my advice or opinions. It would be a better world if politicians, and even some benighted Orthodox hierarchs would follow this principle. uberTu Audio: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/misc_2021+a-blessing-to-get-a-falsified-passport.mp3 YouTube:https://youtu.be/VNAvaGfpSlI ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNAvaGfpSlI

Recorded live at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in McKinney, Texas. Visit us online at www.orthodox.net Commemorated today: ᛭ Synaxis of the Saints of Kemerovo ᛭ Icon of the Mother of God "Enlightener of Minds" Readings: 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 Matthew 19:16–26 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkZi5GZ75k

Comforted and Comforting. St Paul’s prescription for victorious living 2 Corinthians 1:1-1 10th Thursday after Pentecost. 2023-08-10 Audio: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/pen-thu-10_2023+comforted-and-comforting_2corinthians1-1-7.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/NnO4oZE9Mgk Being a Christian is simple (but not easy at first). St Paul speaks of comfort here, and assures us that being comforted by God (by the Comforter!), whether in tribulations or not, and transmitting that comfort to others is the victorious way to live. If we have this comfort, we can even enthusiastically emulate Paul and joyfully describe our tribulations as *abounding*, unto our comfort and consolation. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnO4oZE9Mgk

Audio: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/pen-sun-01-2023+a-practical-thing-everyone-can-do-to-become-a-saint.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/jtDyOA4HXdA Many of us are burdened by our sins and may not be able to pray well, don’t read the Bible very often, and other things that we know we should be doing but for some reason we don’t do . How can we be saved? It’s real easy if we concentrate on doing one thing that everyone can do no matter what their spiritual state is, or how much they pray, etc. And the wonder is that the more we do this thing, the more everything gets better. “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” Mat 19:30 A clip (from 8:18 – 14:49) from the sermon on Pentecost, 2023 (https://youtu.be/F5ueLVemLjY, Audio: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/pen-sun-01_2023+becoming-a-saint.mp3) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtDyOA4HXdA