“Orthodox Christian conscience is created by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ acting within us. It is difficult to form this conscience but once a Christian  acquires it, an alarm is sounded in his heart and mind whenever he comes close to improper actions, lack of charity toward others, false ideas, and deviations from the holy traditions of Orthodoxy.”

Excerpt from an article entitled, “How to Form an Orthodox Christian Conscience”

“Would you not say, Is not that which is best, above all, and surpassing all, and that which by preference is most worthy of love, the Very Lord, our Jesus Christ, who created us, adorned us with such ideals, gave life to all, sustains everything, nurtures and loves all, who is Himself Love and most beautiful of all men?

Should we not then love God above every thing, desire Him more than anything, and search Him out?”

St. Herman of Alaska

Listen to Fr. Michael’s sermon delivered August 22, 2010. If you have multimedia player installed, simply click on the link below and it will play automatically.

Sermon August 22, 2010

AUGUST 22nd, 2010
HOLY MARTYR AGATHONIKOS OF NICOMEDIA
THIRTEEN SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (21:33-42)
The Lord spoke this parable: “There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country.  When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.  Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them.  Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’  But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’  And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him.  When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”  They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”  Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?’”

Read Sunday Bulletin (August 22, 2010):

Sunday Bulletin - August 22, 2010

Listen to Fr. Michael’s sermon delivered August 22, 2010.
If you have multimedia player installed, simply click on the link below and it will play automatically.
Sermon August 22, 2010

August 21, 2010

August 21, 2010

“One must not harbor anger or hatred towards a person that is hostile toward us. On the contrary, one must love him and do as much good as possible towards him, following the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you” (Mt. 5:44). If then we will try to fulfill all this to the extent of our power, we can hope that God’s light will begin to shine in our hearts, lighting our path to the heavenly Jerusalem.”

from St. Seraphim’s teaching

“What is there that cannot happen to a man? Yet in every suffering one must have hope in God. Covered with festering sores and seated in his humiliation upon a dunghill, the righteous Job cried out: Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him! (Job 13:15)”

– St. Nikolai of Zica

Listen to Fr. Michael’s sermon delivered August 15, 2010.
If you have multimedia player installed, simply click on the link below and it will play automatically.

Sermon August 15, 2010

DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke (10:38-42, 11:27-28)
At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.  But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful.   Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”
As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
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Sunday Bulletin - August 15, 2010

Listen to Fr. Michael’s sermon delivered August 15, 2010.
If you have multimedia player installed, simply click on the link below and it will play automatically.

Sermon August 15, 2010