In today's Gospel Passage we hear about the parable about a man who gave money to three people, and trusted them to use it in the right way.  This parable teaches us a great lesson, that God has given us all special gifts/talents.

Did you know that He gave us this faith of Orthodoxy as a gift?

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Sermon inspired by Children's Word 

We all have heard and know the story of the Parable of the Talents, but did you know that 1 talent at that time equaled 15 years of wages of work?

Why did the master call the third servant wicked and lazy in the parable and why did the previous two receive great honor and joy?

It is because that those who do wrong in the world are equal to those who do nothing in the world.

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We know that there are 10 Commandments that God gave Moses to give to the people of Israel, but did you know that in the Old Testament there are 613 commandments???

Today in the Gospel Passage we hear how Pharisees got together and someone asked our Lord which is THE greatest Commandment.  Our Lord responded that one is to love God with all heart, soul and mind and your neighbor as yourself.

This sermon focuses on how to love and be in love with God while also reminding us that there are 2 Commandments in The Divine Liturgy. 

Did you know that ?  What are those two commandments?

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A few years ago, one of our boys (who was a toddler at the time) woke up in middle of the night and said "okay daddy, I'm all done, turn the dark off." I told him it is still sleep time and to go back to bed.  But then I couldn't go back to sleep because of what and how he said, "ok daddy, turn the dark off".  This meant that he always thought the light was there.

What does this mean to us from the Epistle Reading and Gospel Reading today?

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We hear in the Epistle Reading today as St Paul writes to Timothy, "...be an example to the believers in word; in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

How can we do this?  Well, we get a form of guidance from Zacchaeus in the Gospel passage.

What is that guidance and how are the Epistle and Gospel Passages today intertwined?

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In the Gospel Passage today we hear about how a man named Zacchaeus wanted and desired to see Christ, but couldnt becasue of his height (he was short) and the crowd was too large.

What did he do that is an example to all of us today?

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In the Gospel Passage today we hear how 10 lepers called to Christ for mercy.  He healed them and one came back to give thanks.

What does this mean though for us here today?   Well, it means we need to get up, get out and then get back to God!
How?

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We hear in the Gospel Passage today that 10 lepers came asking God for mercy.  He healed them of their disease but ONLY one came back to say thank you.

What does this mean for us today?
Do we say "THANK YOU" to God on a daily basis?
You can even write a THANK YOU note to God.  How???

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Last week we celebrated the Feast of Holy Theophany and as a Tradition in the Liturgical Life of the Church we have the Services of the Blessing of the Waters.

But what do we do with the bottles of Holy Water that we bring home?
Do they just stay on a shelf by the Icons?

Well, listen...