Today’s Epistle reading from Romans 12 describe a way of life that Fr. Gregory sums up with the Greek word philotimo. This word is translated as “love of honor,” but it has no true equivalent in the English language.

This Sunday is the feast day of St. Paisios, who spoke of philotimo and embodied it radiantly, and Fr. Gregory draws from his teachings in today’s sermon. Using the rich meaning of philotimo, Fr. Gregory encourages us to notice a need before it’s announced and meet it quietly, to give more than expected and never mention it again, to offer hospitality that comforts rather than impresses, and to refuse to shame another. This is the free overflow of the grateful heart — philotimo.

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, our Lord tells us to, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Fr. Micah poses the question, “What are these good works?” He asserts that the key to this question is found in the passage that follows, when Christ says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law and the Prophets. I have come not to destroy but to complete.” And later, Christ says that the Law and Prophets can be found in two commandments: love of God and love of neighbor.

This work that shines before men is nothing but love. Fr. Micah explores love’s meaning, distilling it to the giving and sacrificing for our family, our friends, and even our enemies — something that Christ makes very clear. Fr. Micah encourages us to learn to thank those who give us difficulty and to glorify God for them, patiently, lovingly, and humbly bearing the difficulties that the other gives us, because this is the way of blessedness.

In this Sunday’s epistle reading, St. Paul gives us one of the most beautiful descriptions of the Christian life: “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Fr. Gregory emphasizes the verse that follows, though, which says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” He explains that the fruits of the spirit are given that we may be capable of bearing another’s burdens. One by one, he goes through each fruit of the spirit and connects it to how it helps us bear another’s burdens.

In today’s sermon, Fr. Gregory focuses on a specific part of the Epistle reading in Romans 6 in which St. Paul says, “Just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.” He expounds on the phrase “yield your members,” explaining that “yield” here means “to offer,” and “members” refers to our body. Fr. Gregory continues, explaining that “sanctification” is far deeper than moral self-improvement. It is participation in God’s life and light, his own holiness poured out upon us.

Taking these key phrases together, Fr. Gregory explains that St. Paul is encouraging us not to abandon our bodies but to turn every one of our members — our eyes, ears, tongue, hands, and feet — from the service of death to the service of God. He gives examples of how to do this, such as our eyes looking upon the holy icons, our ears hearing the Gospel and the cry of our neighbor, and the tongue blessing God and comforting others. Our members are always being yielded, offered, to something, and Fr. Gregory challenges us to ask ourselves if we are yielding our members to sanctification throughout our days.

In today’s Gospel reading, Christ commands us to not be anxious, and Fr. Micah presents the question, “How are we to not be anxious?” In the beginning of today’s Gospel reading, Fr. Micah asserts, we find the answer. Christ says, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness.”
This passage reminds us that we have been given the freedom to choose what we focus on, where our attention sits. Fr. Micah encourages us to focus on the good, the beautiful, and the true, because, as St. Nicholas Cabasilas said, “What we reflect on, we will desire; and that desire will lead us to action.”

Fr. Micah encourages us to practice giving our attention to the good, beautiful, and true, and he gives us examples of how to do so each day. These habits of attention can help us follow Christ’s command to not be anxious.

In this Sunday’s sermon, Fr. Gregory presents the question, “Is nothing sacred?” Beneath that, he says, lies another question: “Do we have eyes to see what is holy?”

To answer these questions, Fr. Gregory focuses on the topics of reverence and the fear of God. Reverence, he explains, is approaching and handling holy things in a holy way. The fear of God is avoiding evil out of love for God and the dread of grieving him. Fr. Gregory points out our prayers for reverence and the fear of God in every Divine Liturgy.

In our utilitarian culture, Fr. Gregory explains, most things are seen for how they can serve us. Everything is an object for our use. However, this desanctified view of reality blinds us to seeing what is holy and acting with reverence.

Fr. Gregory encourages us to ask for the gift of seeing what is holy and sacred, to approach the holy things with reverence, preparation, repentance, the fear of God, faith, and love.

Today, on the Feast of All Saints, Fr. Micah teaches the children about what it means to be a saint. He points out that “saint” means “holy” — that which is set apart for God. While Christ is the one who is holy, he overflows with holiness and shares it with all creation.
Fr. Micah explains that the saints receive the same grace and holiness we’ve all been given, but they have preserved it, not turning away from Christ or putting anything before him. He presents the question “How do we preserve the holiness that’s been given to us?” To answer that question, he points to Panagia and St. John the Baptist, who show us that preserving holiness requires obedience and humility.

Finally, Fr. Micah uses a story of a young saint to encourage the children to get to know a saint as a companion.

Fr. Gregory points out several characteristics of the Holy Spirit and the way in which it descended on the church. First, he points out that the Holy Spirit descended on a community, creating a visible, ordered, worshipping, and sacramental body called his church. The Holy Spirit does not scatter us into private spirit lives, but gathers us into the church. The Holy Spirit creates unity without destroying difference. As St. Paul writes, we are one body and individually members. The Holy Spirit places us into communion, but our individual gifts can be used to build up the church.

Finally, Fr. Gregory speaks of a current Pentecost happening in our parishes, and he encourages us to receive inquirers, catachumens, and converts with gratitude and responsibility.

On this Sunday, we celebrate the fathers of the church who gathered at the First Ecumenical Council and defended the faith that the Son of God was indeed the Son of Man, not a creature as Arius taught. Fr. Micah explains that the liturgy and worship of the church not only confess this truth but also glorify Christ’s humility. He expounds on this humility, this divine humiliation, that is a fruit of Christ’s humble and unassuming love.

Fr. Micah focuses on Christ’s love in the second half of today’s sermon, emphasizing that we sinners must remember and accept it as his children. He draws from the teachings of St. Nicholas Cabasilas, who gave us a simple prayer rule of simply remembering that God lives and that he loves us. Fr. Micah encourages us to, in the midst of our daily lives, remember, “He lives, and he loves me.” While we are not worthy of this love, we can let it transform our lives.