Pastoral Reflections

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things but one thing is needful and Mary has chosen the better part and this shall not be taken away from her.” Listen »

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”  These words offer a summary of the life of the Virgin Mary, because they show how she lived a life totally dedicated to serving God and proclaiming the Good News of the Savior of the world. Listen »

How many of us prefer to ignore the demons in our lives? When I’m talking about demons, I’m talking about certain passions we can’t we get under control? Our temper. Our pride. Our anger. Our greed. Our lust. Our laziness. What about certain addictions or daily habits that control us? It’s so easy to get used to many of these demons and to simply accept certain habits as a part of who we are. Listen »

What can we learn from a nonconformist, chain-smoking, twice divorced Russian nun who scandalized many people with her non-traditional behavior? People in church circles sometimes found it hard to relate to Mother Maria Skobtsova, better known as St Maria of Paris, whose feastday we celebrate  this week on July 20th. Listen »

Why worry about anything? Instead, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all your worries will be taken care of by Your Father in Heaven! Listen »

“Come and follow me!” On one hand it seems like such a simple invitation, and yet, when one understands the implications, it demands a radical response! Listen »

How many times we pray at every Divine Liturgy: “Remembering the most holy, pure blessed Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commit ourselves, and one another, and our whole life to Christ our God.” Listen »

How many of us try to do something but don’t have the discipline we need? We want to change certain things in our lives but simply don’t have the strength or fortitude to do it. We realize we are weak or undisciplined or maybe a bit complacent or lazy and can’t accomplish certain goals or changes in our lives. Where do we find strength? Where can we discover a Source of power? Listen »

Greatness inspires! Think of someone who has inspired you in your life, someone who has pushed you to strive for greatness. Listen »

In part 2 of this sermon series of “Why Believe and What to Believe?” I want to turn to another commonality among the world’s religions and the experiences of all peoples throughout every culture. Throughout history we have seen how all humanity strive to discover answers to the existential questions about the world we live in, about our experiences in life, and what is ultimate reality. Listen »

I recently had the opportunity to sit with 13 young adults between the ages of 16-30 and talk about faith issues. I asked them “What do you believe? Why do you believe or don’t believe? And what do you think about the Church? Is it something necessary or unnecessary, helpful or unhelpful, for someone’s journey of faith?” Listen »

How many of us struggle with certain issue in our lives? Maybe they are issues which we think can never change. It could be an illness, or a bad habit we have had since forever, or some personality or character flaw. Some of us have gotten so used to our weaknesses or brokenness that we think there’s nothing we can do about it; there’s no hope for change or renewal. Listen »

Christ is Risen! And with His Resurrection, Christ changed the world! That’s a bold statement, and yet when one studies world history and understands the impact of Christians throughout the centuries, there’s no denying the influence of Christianity on a global scale. Christ, and His followers, changed the world for the better. We can also point to the fact that one out of every three people who live on planet earth claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. This means that more than 2.3 billion people would say that Jesus Christ has played some role in their identity, and of course, for those who are serious in their commitment to Christ, surely His Resurrection has touched them and fundamentally influenced their worldview! As bold as this statement is – that Christ changed the world - it’s truly not an exaggeration. Listen »

What does this statement imply when we say it with faith. “My Lord and my God.” Thomas the Apostle, whose memory we celebrate today, was the first to proclaim these words a week after our Lord’s Resurrection. We heard his story in the Gospel reading of today. First, the Risen Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb, then to Peter and 10 of the 12 disciples in the upper room, as well as to Cleopas and Luke on the road to Emmaus. Jesus had truly risen from the dead, and numerous people had encountered the Risen Lord, much to their astonishment and delight. Listen »

If we learned anything from our journey through Holy Week, it should be this. Nothing happens outside the knowledge and will of God. No matter how dark and unsettling things appeared during the Passion of Christ – especially with the betrayal of Judas, the rejection of Jesus by His own people, the hypocrisy and blindness of the religious leaders, the cruelty of the Roman soldiers, and the unfairness of the perfect man becoming a sacrificial lamb crucified on the Cross for an ungrateful world – nothing happened outside the knowledge and will of God. Listen »