Sermons at St. Nicholas

The role of God in suffering has long been questioned: trials, tribulations, wars, sickness, death - Where is God? Why would He allow it? Fr Thomas reminds us that, though God is not the author of these things, He teaches us to endure them to draw us closer to Him. (Mt 14:22-34)

The role of God in suffering has long been questioned: trials, tribulations, wars, sickness, death - Where is God? Why would He allow it? Fr Thomas reminds us that, though God is not the author of these things, He teaches us to endure them to draw us closer to Him. (Mt 14:22-34)

The scriptural readings for the eighth Sunday after Pentecost reveal a clear picture of who we are to be in Christ. St Paul teaches us that we are to be of the same mind, while St Matthew records the miracle of feeding the 5,000. Fr Thomas teaches us that we must consciously reject the choices the world presents to us, but rather fully immerse ourselves into the Church's life, which is transforming us into the likeness of God.

Recent news has reported that, in the US, church attendance is down, in direct relation to the social changes sweeping the country. Fr Thomas teaches us that when the winds of change blow, the most important thing we can do is assess our own commitment to faith in Christ by checking for spiritual blindness.

In light of the national unrest after numerous shootings of black men during police stops, followed by the ambush shooting of over a dozen police in Dallas where five died, Fr Thomas uses the providential lectionary readings of the following Sunday to illustrate how to seek peace with other people, and the importance of casting off anxiety to put our trust in God.

Today it's fashionable in some circles to sanction any "lifestyle" under the rubric of humanity being "created in the image of God." Fr Thomas teaches us what bearing the image of God implies for every human person, and why the gospel is at the heart of it.

On the first Sunday after Pentecost, the feast of All Saints, Fr Thomas teaches us that, because we are created in the image of God, we have the calling to become Saints who have grown in the likeness of God.

On the great feast of Pentecost, guest homilist Fr Basil Biberdorf teaches us the importance of knowing Who the Holy Spirit is, and of His role in our Christian life.

Cutting through the din of religious pluralism, Fr Thomas reminds us that the Orthodox Faith uniquely gives us everything for life, faith, and spiritual understanding.

We can sometimes take the blessings we receive and miracles we read about in the New Testament for granted. The reading about the healing of the blind man is one such event, because the Lord didn't simply heal his sight, He actually created eyes for the man! Fr Thomas teaches us that the health of our sight is measured by what we're willing to see regarding the love and works of God.