This homily was given by Fr. Matthew Howell on the Third Sunday of Pascha on which the Orthodox Church celebrates the Holy Myrrhbearing Women, Righteous Nicodemus, and the Noble Joseph of Arimathea who was "waiting for the kingdom of God" (Mark 15:43; Luke 23:51).

This homily was given by Fr. Matthew Howell on Sunday May 9, 2021, the feast of "Thomas Sunday" in the Orthodox Church. 

This homily was originally given by St. John Chrysostom (+407 AD). In the Orthodox Church, this homily is read during the Pascha Vigil in every parish throughout the world. This reading of the homily was done by Fr. Matthew Howell on  May 2, 2021 during the Pascha service at St. Herman Antiochian Orthodox Church. 

This homily was given by Fr. Matthew Howell during the Vesperal Divine Liturgy on Holy Saturday on May 1, 2021.

The Old Testament Readings done before this homily included: 

Genesis 1:1-13

Isaiah 60:1-16

Exodus 12:1-12

Jonah 1:1-4:11

Joshua 5:10-15

Exodus 13:20-15:19

Daniel 3:1-88

The Epistle was Romans 6:3-11. 

The Gospel was Matthew 28:1-20

This homily was given by Fr. Matthew Howell on Friday April 30, 2021 at the end of the service of Orthros for Holy Saturday (known as the "Lamentations" service). 

In this homily Fr. Matthew references the April 23, 2021 episode of the "Lord of Spirits" podcast. 

The reading that Fr. Matthew references from Ezekiel which was read during the service is Ezekiel 37:1-14:

Again the hand of the Lord came upon me,

and brought me by the Spirit of the Lord, and set

me in the midst of the plain, which was full of

human bones. So He led me round about them, and

behold, there was a great multitude of bones on

the face of the plain. They were very dry. Then He

said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

So I answered, "O Lord, You know this." Then

He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say

to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the of the

Lord. Thus says the Lord to these bones: "Behold,

I will bring the Spirit of life upon you. I will put

muscles on you and bring flesh upon you. I will

cover you with skin and put my Spirit into you.

Then you shall live and know that I am the Lord."'"

So I prophesied as He commanded me, and it came

to pass while I prophesied that, behold, there was

a shaking, and the bones came together, each one

to its joint. So I looked, and behold, muscle and

flesh grew upon them, and skin covered them over; 

but no breath was in them. Then He said

to me, "Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of

man, and say to the wind, 'Thus says the Lord:

"Come from the four winds and breathe upon these

dead men; and let them live."'" So I prophesied

as He commanded me, and the Spirit entered into

them; and they lived and stood upon their feet,

an exceedingly great assembly. Again the Lord

spoke to me, saying, "Son of man, these bones are

the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones

are dry, our hope has perished, and we are lost.'

Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the

Lord: "Behold, I will open your tombs, bring you

up from your graves, and bring you into the land

of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord,

when I open your tombs to lead you, My people,

up from their graves. I will put My Spirit in you,

and you will live; and I will place you in your own

land. Then you will know that I am the Lord, I

have spoken, and I will do it," says the Lord.'"

This homily was given by Fr. Matthew Howell on Friday April 30, 2021 at the end of Great Vespers for Holy Friday in which the Orthodox Church commemorates the reverence with which Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took down the body of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Cross. 

This reflection was given by Fr. Matthew Howell on Thursday April 29, 2021 at the end of the Orthros Service for Holy Friday which includes the 12 Passion Gospels. 

by Fr. Paul Lazor

Holy Thursday begins with the celebration of vespers and the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil with a Reserved Eucharist in representation of the earthly presence of Christ realized at the Last Supper.

In the evening, anticipating the Matins of Friday morning, the Holy Passion service of the reading of the Twelve Gospels is conducted. In these readings Christ's last instructions to his disciples are presented, as well as the prophecy of the drama of the Cross, Christ's prayer, and his new commandment. The twelve readings are:

The main feature of this service is the reading of twelve selections from the Gospels, all of which are accounts of the passion of Christ. The first of these twelve readings is Jn 13:31-18:1. It is Christ's long discourse with his apostles that ends with the so-called high priestly prayer. The final gospel tells of the sealing of the tomb and the setting of the watch (Mt 27:62-66).

This homily was given on April 29, 2021 by Fr. Matthew Howell in the middle of the Vesperal Divine Liturgy for Holy Thursday, on which the Orthodox Church commemorates the Mystical Supper. 

This homily was given by Fr. Matthew Howell at the end of the Holy Unction service on Holy Wednesday, April 28, 2021. 

In one part of the service, there are seven sets of Epistle and Gospel readings and prayers.

This homily was given by Fr. Matthew Howell on April 27, 2021 at the end of the Bridegroom Matins service for Holy Wednesday (served on the night of Holy Tuesday). At this service, the Orthodox Church remembers the repentance of the sinful woman who anointed the feet of Jesus with costly spikenard and contrasts her repentance to the wickedness of Judas Iscariot. 

Here is the text of the "Hymn of Kassiani" (referenced by Fr. Matthew in the homily) about the sinful woman's repentance:

"O Lord, the woman who had fallen into many sings perceived Thy divinity, and taking upon herself the duty of a myrrh-bearer, with lamentation she bringeth Thee myrrh-oils before Thine entombment. Woe unto me! saith she, for night is become for me a frenzy of licentiousness, a dark and moonless love of sin. Receive the fountains of my tears, O Thou Who dost gather into clouds the water of the sea. Incline unto me, unto the sighings of my heart, O Thou Who didst bow the Heavens by Thine ineffable condescension. I will kiss Thine immaculate feet, and wipe them again with the tresses of my head; those fee, at whose sound Eve hid herself for fear when she heard Thee walking in Paradise in the cool of the day. As for the multitude of my sins and the abyss of Thy judgments, who can search them out, O Savior of souls, my Savior? Do not disdain me, Thy handmaiden, O Thou Who art boundless in mercy."