On the Sunday of the Last Judgment, we read the Gospel in the last judgment from the 25th chapter of Matthew. We are preparing for Great Lent as it is very near. We must have a goal during Great Lent. We must try to accomplish something. A good goal this great Lent would be to learn to see everyone as Christ according to the gospel: “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” We also talk quite a bit about one of the most important prayers that will help us reach this goal. I guarantee you that if you say this prayer with intensity twice a day during the week during Great Lent, you will be a changed person, and you will learn to see people as Christ. We are talking about the prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KORSn680lcg
The story of the ten lepers healed by Jesus teaches us gratitude and faith. We are like the lepers, afflicted by our passions and sins. We receive healing through confession and repentance, but do we like the one Samaritan, return to give thanks? How to be “strong in the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:10–17
Luke 17:12–19
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bd23pEGYJY
The services are full of beautiful images, many of which teach us new ways to accomplish the spiritual life. We look at a hymn from Vespers which talks about the clever thief who “stole” forgiveness. We are told to emulate him, and we speak of the many ways in which we can emulate the good thief. We have no excuses! It doesn’t matter how bad we are. If we are clever we can find a way.
“When the good-hearted thief beheld Thee, the fruitful Vine, O Christ, he became a better thief and more skilled, for with a few words he quite naturally stole the forgiveness of the ancient offenses. Let us all, then, make haste to emulate him, crying: Remember us also, O Thou Who lovest mankind!” (Tue Vespers, Tone 2, Octoechos, “Lord I have cried”)
YouTube:https://youtu.be/85d9T_PrTYI
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85d9T_PrTYI
Video: https://youtu.be/N8vxEfbiUWc
Audio: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/exaltation_2022+preaching-christ-crucified.mp3
On the Exaltation of the Holy Cross we read St. Paul’s famous words which are well-known but are not well understood: “The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” and “ we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” To know the preaching of the cross, we must know the way of the cross, and to know the way of the cross we must know our Lord Jesus Christ. This is very fundamental and simple, although not always easy because the world does not understand and calls the Christian way foolishness. We must learn what is foolish and what is wise.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8vxEfbiUWc
The Christian life is simple, and following of the commandments is not complex. We have freedom and owe no man anything if we understand that all is fulfilled by loving every man. This is not complex and becomes *easy* for those who dare to attempt it. Exegesis of the Saturday Epistle reading for the 7th Saturday after Pentecost, specifically: “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law“ Romans 13:8-10,
BTW: I apologize, that my head is a little bit “chopped off”. I am a mediocre amateur in setting up a video camera.
Audio: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/pen-sat-07_2023+owe-no-man-any-thing-but-to-love-one-another_romans13-1-19.mp3
Video: https://youtu.be/mOlYTYQaVHQ
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOlYTYQaVHQ
Galatians 1:11–19, Luke 7:11–16
The Gospels are wonderful and beautiful, and filled with the life of God. Reading the Gospels gives us the spiritual strength and nourishment we need to endure hard times and tragedy. The story of the widow of Nain. Christ reaches out to touch us, directly, as a sign of His love.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u1s_XzeV1c
Partial Timestamps
0:26 - 1:42 What is faith
2:24 – 4:50 The Main message of the book of Ruth. We are in the midst of the mercy of God.
9:01 – 10:12 Death or life? The meaning of the words of Boaz to Ruth: “… Hast thou not heard, my daughter? go not to glean in another field; and depart not thou hence, join thyself here with my damsels. (9) Let thine eyes be on the field where my men shall reap, and thou shalt go after them: behold, I have charged the young men not to touch thee: and when you shalt thirst, then thou shalt go to the vessels, and drink of that which the young men shall have drawn.” Ruth 2:8-9
Audio only: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/nativity-02_2021+holy-fathers+ruth.mp3
YouTube: https://youtu.be/-gtsKekdmRo
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gtsKekdmRo
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ZRa5k5A_h0Q
AUDIO: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/september-01-indiction_2023+the-spirit-of-the-lord_luke4-16-22.mp3
In light of the “Church New Year,” and the American propensity to make “resolutions”, we conduct exegesis of the Gospel reading for the Indiction (Luke 4:16-22 = “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;” ) ), combined with the reading for St Symeon the Stylite (Matthew 11:27-30 – “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”) We have need for daily resolutions!
Partial Timestamps:
0:57 – 4:14 What do we call Jesus “Christ”? And why do we say of Him, that He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin?” Heb 4:15
4:24 Beginning of exegesis of Luke 4:16-22
17:23 Beginning of exegesis of Luke 11:25-27
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRa5k5A_h0Q
AUDIO: http://www.orthodox.net/catechesis/catechism_2023-10-01+ephesians-3.mp3
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/8u5XMSAktaY
Partial Timestamps:
0:00 – 1:24 Chuck Norris was just ordained a priest….
1:24 – 2:44 Letter from Abbas Arsenia
2:44 – 5:18 Letter from Abbess Arsenia – Is anything by God’s allowance, or is everything by His will?
5:18 Discussion about God’s allowance vs God’s will
6:22 - 8:00 God is never passive, and you should never be passive about ANYTHING!
10:24 – 11:12 If you have any addictions, never be passive about any of them! Fight actively!
11:12 The difference between the two kinds of men – the one who saves his life, and loses it, and the one who loses his life, and is saved.
14:57 The story about 1:00:06 GREAT advice for those who are distracted with their small children, and cannot pray with attention in church!
26:23 Beginning of Exegesis of Ephesians 3
1:02 The best Baptist Joke!
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u5XMSAktaY