On the Sunday of the Last Judgment, we are faced with Christ's direct account of the judgment of all nations, and the test by which each man shall be judged. This Gospel narrative puts the lie to the dangerous teaching that a mere mental "faith" or repetition of a prayer can bring any man to salvation. Let us hear the plain teaching of scripture and enliven our faith through ministry to all in need: poor, hungry, naked, sick, imprisoned or sojourning.

On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, the themes of repentance and forgiveness are foremost in our minds as we prepare to enter Great Lent.

Pride comes easily to man. Humility, though, takes work. As we enter the Triodion with the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, Bp. Irineos discusses a few ways that we can seek to acquire humility. This does not happen by accident, but rather by purposeful transformation of our lives in the image of Christ.

On Zacchaeus Sunday, Bp. Irineos notes that it was not until Zacchaeus had worked to ascend above the crowd that Christ saw him and came to abide with him. As we prepare to enter Great Lent, how do the cares of the work keep us from seeing and abiding with Christ? How can our Lenten preparation help us rise above the crowd?

Whenever we read about the Canaanite woman, everyone focuses on Christ's comment to her, "it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." Some people thing this an aggressive, insulting Christ. Others think it justifies their own bad behavior. But all this misses the point. There was never enmity between the two. It's not at all about that comment. It's about the faith and humility of this woman and the reward she receive. May we have such humility and faith, in both good times and bad.

Bp. Irineos discusses the writings of St. Ephrem of Syria and how they might apply to our life in the interconnected world of social media. He challenges us to take the strong accusations of St. Ephrem to heart, and realize that how we receive such a rebuke tells a lot about one's spiritual state.

On the Sunday after Theophany, Bp. Irineos considers our Gospel reading which includes a fulfillment of the prophecy of Esaias. First commenting on the Orthodox approach to the Old Testament, Bp. Irineos then looks at the meaning of the people who sat in darkness, their modern compatriots and the importance of Christ's preaching in this Gospel Reading. (Matthew 4: 12-17)

Bp. Irineos shares a brief homily on the Feast of Theophany.

On the Feast of the Synaxis of the Seventy Holy Apostles, Bp. Irineos reflects on these champions of the faith who spread the Gospel across the known world, often at great cost to themselves and their lives. Calling them our ancestors in the faith, Bp. Irineos argues that we are called to continue their labors even if it comes at a cost to us.

On the Sunday before Nativity, we always read the genealogy of Christ from the Gospel of Matthew. Bp. Irineos discusses how this account is not just an affirmation of the humanity of Christ but also supports the example of the faithfulness of the Fathers that we read in the Epistle. Will we patiently endure in faith as those who came before us?