Give Me A Word

In this homily given on the secular New Years Day, on which the Church celebrates the feastday of St Basil the Great and commemorates the Circumcision of Christ, Fr Vincent Temirov exhorts us to consider St Maximus the Confessor’s words on acquiring a “circumcision of our hearts”. What can we learn from the Lord’s circumcision? How can we orient our hearts so as to cut off our inclinations towards sin, following the example of holy people like St Basil?

In his sermon for the great feast of Theophany, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield emphasizes the significance of water in the scriptures, and how it appears again and again as an instrument in God’s saving actions towards creation and humanity. All of creation is touched and healed by the blessed water of baptism, and Fr Chad exhorts us all to take part and glorify God.

The Gospel narrative about the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ contains many elements for our meditation and reflection. Among these, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield asks the listener to consider two questions: What do we mean when we pray, Most Holy Theotokos, save us? What is the significance of the continuous recurrence of bread as a theme in the history of God’s plan to bring about salvation for the human race?

On the Sunday of the Fathers, Dn Vitaly Permiakov reminds us to consider why the Gospel reading lists all the names of the ancestors in the flesh of Christ, including those who lived more obscure, or in some cases, questionable lives. How does the Lord call us, also deeply imperfect people, to participate in his salvation of the human race? How are we to become part of his family, a new and consecrated humanity?

In this homily given on the feastday of St Herman of Alaska, The Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield relates anecdotes and personal details about the life of St Herman, passed down by generations of native Alaskans. Although he was a humble man who never assumed the priesthood, St Herman’s impact on the indigenous populations in Alaska and on American Orthodox churches cannot be understated.

As we prepare for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, the gospel reading of the parable of the wedding banquet appears for our contemplation. Fr Alexander Rentel counsels us to consider who we are most like in this story - are we the preoccupied farmers tending to their fields, the busy husband or wife preferring to stay home with a spouse? And furthermore, how are we to relate to the poor, the blind, the maimed, the lame - those in the highways and hedges?

Where we place our attention tells about what we value and love. In this fallen world, it is very easy to give our attention away to people or institutions, only to realize that none of these can really fulfill us. Fr Alexander Earl calls us to re-focus on Christ, to patiently trust him to grant us the eyes to see his care and love for us, and to understand that our true fulfillment is in him.

Fr Bogdan Bucur delves into the gospel account of the ten lepers who cried out to Jesus from afar, Lord, have mercy on us. We all marvel at the nine who did not return to thank Jesus, when, on the way to show themselves to the priests, realized they had already been healed by Jesus. We hope that we would all have the decency to go back and thank Jesus, like the one Samaritan. Fr Bogdan expands on the implications of the Samaritan's choice to return to Christ and give glory and thanks, and encourages us all to follow his example.

God is not limited in his love for his creation in any way, and is always revealing his care for us, sometimes even in tangible healings and miracles. However, if we are focused on the wrong things, Fr Vincent Temirov says, we can miss these revelations in our lives entirely, just as the ruler of the synagogue did when he objected to Jesus healing the woman with a "spirit of infirmity" on the Sabbath. When we follow the outward rites of the church, do we feel anything beyond the physical realm? Are we trying to conform to God's commandments, or are we hiding behind them?

On the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, The Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield summarizes the wisdom of the fathers regarding this feastday. Drawing on the writing of St Gregory Palamas, Fr Chad invites us to consider the account of Zachariah leading the child Mary up into the Holy of Holies - how did this "setting apart'' prepare her for her future role as the Mother of God and intercessor for the human race?