In this homily, Fr. John Dresko reflects on the Gospel story of the paralytic and why the Orthodox Church places this reading during Great Lent. The story is simple but deeply meaningful. A paralyzed man is brought to Christ by his friends, and through forgiveness and healing he rises and walks again. Fr. John uses this Gospel to show something important about the human soul and our need for Christ.

He begins by describing the crowded house where Christ is teaching. People gather there for many different reasons. Some are curious. Some hope to witness miracles. Others come seeking healing or guidance. In the middle of that crowd, four friends carry a paralyzed man and refuse to give up until they place him before Christ. Their determination becomes a powerful image of faith and desire.

Fr. John reminds us that Great Lent is not simply about fasting from certain foods or attending more services. It is about rediscovering the true desire of the heart. Orthodox Christianity teaches that sin can paralyze the soul, leaving a person unable to move toward what is good. Through repentance and forgiveness, Christ restores life and freedom to the human person.

The homily also highlights the responsibility Christians have toward one another. Just as the friends carried the paralytic into the presence of Christ, believers are called to help bring others to Him. Sometimes that happens through prayer. Sometimes through encouragement, teaching, or simply walking beside someone who is struggling.

Through this Gospel, Fr. John shows how Great Lent becomes a journey from paralysis to healing. Christ does not come only to judge the broken. He comes to forgive, to lift up, and to restore. The message of the Gospel invites every Christian to come before the Lord and allow His grace to heal the soul.

In this talk we reflect on a prayer heard during the Presanctified Liturgy that calls us “sinful and useless servants.” At first, these words can sound harsh. Why would the Orthodox Church speak about human beings in this way?

The answer reveals something important about Orthodox Christianity. The Church teaches that we come to Christ because we are broken and in need of healing. Orthodox worship speaks honestly about sin so that we will turn toward the mercy of God.

The services of Great Lent especially remind us that the Church is a spiritual hospital. Christ is the physician of our souls. Through prayer, repentance, and the sacraments, He slowly restores our hearts.

When we feel overwhelmed by our struggles, the answer is not to run away from God. The answer is to run toward Him. The Church invites us to come, stand before Christ, and receive the healing that only He can give.

In this adult Bible study, Anthony Ally reminded us that holiness is not reserved for monasteries or clergy. After we worship in the Divine Liturgy and receive Christ in the Eucharist, we are sent back into the world to live what we have received. Work, marriage, parenting, and daily responsibilities become the arena where we are shaped into the likeness of Christ.

Scripture tells us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men” (Colossians 3:23, RSV). From Genesis to Exodus, we see that work is holy and rest is holy. God created us to labor and to worship. The rhythm of both forms us.

During Lent especially, we are called to guard our attention and offer our time to God. Even twenty quiet minutes before an icon can begin to heal the heart. The workplace, the home, and the Church are not separate worlds. In Christ, they become one path toward salvation.

On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, we celebrate victory in the very first week of Lent. That may seem strange in a season of repentance. But this feast reminds us why we are fasting and struggling in the first place. Our true identity is not found in politics, culture, sports, or personal branding. Our true identity is in Christ.

The Church defended icons because the incarnation is real. God truly became man. We are truly made in His image and likeness. When we were baptized, we put on Christ. That is who we are before anything else. Christian first. Everything else second.

As we continue through Great Lent, let us remember that everything we do, every prayer, every act of repentance, every sacrifice, is meant to draw us deeper into communion with Him. Our identity is not something we create. It is something we receive in Christ.

On Saturday of Orthodoxy, the Church remembers a time when believers boldly proclaimed that Jesus Christ is truly God. They did not keep their faith private. They processed through the streets holding icons and declaring that the Word became flesh. The defense of icons was really a defense of the Incarnation.

If Christ is truly God, then our faith cannot remain quiet or optional. The Church building is not just a meeting place. It is the Kingdom of Heaven made present. And if we believe that, then we must invite others into it.

The call of Orthodoxy is simple. Proclaim Christ. Build His Church. Tell people to come and see.

Clean Week is intense because it is meant to wake us up. The Great Canon of St. Andrew confronts us with our weakness and reminds us that we are not as invincible as we often imagine. In a culture that constantly tells us we are good and self sufficient, the Church calls us back to reality. We are broken, and we need salvation.

But the message is not despair. It is hope. When we finally admit that we are sick, we can begin to seek healing. Repentance is not about self hatred. It is about honesty and transformation.

The life of St. Mary of Egypt stands as proof that no one is beyond God’s mercy. Her story shows that even the most fallen person can be restored through sincere repentance. If she could turn her life around completely, then there is hope for every one of us.

Lent gives us the opportunity to open our hearts to God. If we allow Him to work within us, He will heal us. The question is not whether God is willing to save us. The question is whether we are willing to respond.

In this homily, Fr. Stephen reflects on the Presanctified Liturgy and why it is so essential during Great Lent. Though it is one of the oldest services in the Church, many Orthodox Christians attend it only a few times each year. Yet this deeply penitential service meets us in the middle of our weekly struggle and reminds us that heaven is still present even in the darkness of repentance.

At the powerful moment when we sing “Now the powers of heaven invisibly worship with us,” the altar lights come on, revealing hope breaking into the dimness of Lent. Fr. Stephen explains how this ancient service strengthens us, sustains us, and prepares us to continue carrying our cross toward Pascha.

In this homily, Fr. Stephen reflects on a powerful verse from the Canon of St. Andrew that calls us to prepare our souls and be courageous like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Great Lent is not simply about feeling sorrow for our sins. It is about taking responsibility for them and doing something about them. Repentance is active. It involves confession, prayer, almsgiving, and service.

Stewardship during Lent means more than financial giving. It means using our time, energy, and strength for God. It means recognizing that every person is made in the image of God and acting like that is true. As we strive for holiness, we do not only change ourselves. We also bless those around us. Lent is our opportunity to begin again with courage and intention.

In this homily, Fr. Stephen reflects on the Canon of St. Andrew and reminds us that Lent is not only about inward repentance. Yes, we fast. Yes, we pray. But healing does not stop there. The early Christians did not change the world by retreating from it. They changed it by serving it.

True fasting moves outward. It means forgiving someone who hurt you. It means helping someone in need. It means seeing every person as made in the image and likeness of God, even when it is hard. This Lent, stewardship is not just about resources. It is about action.

You can give up certain foods and still miss the point. But when prayer and fasting lead to love and service, the soul begins to heal.

In this homily, Fr. Stephen Osburn reflects on what true forgiveness really means as we enter Great Lent. Drawing from a personal story from seminary, he shares the powerful definition given to him in confession: real forgiveness is being able to stand in the Kingdom of Heaven next to the person who hurt you and still say, “Glory to God for all things.”

As we prepare for the fast, we are reminded that resentment is heavy and distracts us from Christ. Forgiveness is not excusing sin. It is freeing our own heart so we can focus on repentance, prayer, and growing closer to God. Great Lent begins not just with fasting from food, but with letting go of anger and choosing mercy.