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Sunday, September 19, 2021

Carry Your Cross

We are all faced with many obstacles throughout our lives.  We strive to be our best and to succeed in reaching our goals.  But how much are we really willing to work and fight to overcome all the difficulties we are faced with?  This is exactly what this Sunday’s gospel is about.  The Lord said “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” These words are read to us at our baptism as we begin our lives as... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, September 19, 2021
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Sunday, September 5, 2021

It's Time for a Change

It’s Time for a Change Sometimes in life we have to change the way we look at things. This is true not only in the arrangement of furniture in the Den, but our spiritual lives and September is an excellent opportunity to do this. When we look differently at our furniture sometimes we see things we never noticed before; and sometimes this can be a scratch in the sofa or a stain in the carpet. Whenever we take the chance to look at things from a different angle we are able to... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, September 5, 2021
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Sunday, August 29, 2021

The Price of Pride

Today we are honoring the gruesome martyrdom of “the greatest man ever born of a woman,” (Matthew 11.11) as a warning against pride and greed. John the Baptist stood as a bold and public defender of truth and morality when he reminded Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." (Mark 6.18) Later as Herodias’ daughter danced for Herod, he was so taken by her beauty that he swore to give her anything she wanted. Since it was Herodias that Herod... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, August 29, 2021
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Sunday, August 29, 2021

Why are we fasting today?

Why are we fasting today?   This Sunday, August 29th, we mourn the beheading of the Holy and Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John.  This feast day is a strict fast day, which usually means no oil, wine, meat, fish or dairy.  There is some exception today, because it is Sunday, we are allowed oil and wine.  There are additional fasting traditions throughout the Orthodox world which help Christians remember and grieve the violent death of St. John the... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, August 29, 2021
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Sunday, August 22, 2021

Why the Church has Services

It happens all the time. “Father, I saw there was church last night. What holiday was it?” Sometimes there was no holiday at all, but there were services in the Cathedral. I understand this can be confusing, so this week, I will answer the question, “Why does the Church have so many services?”   Ever since God commanded Moses to build the Temple, the House of God has been at the center of life for the People of God. The priests of the Temple, following... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, August 22, 2021
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Sunday, August 22, 2021

You Are God’s Temple

“Your body is a temple.” I’m sure most of you have heard this saying before, but have you thought about how important it truly is?  When we hear this saying, most times we think of our physical health.  Someone is always telling you not to smoke, or not to eat that chocolate cake because your body is a temple and you should take care of it.  Don’t fill your body with poisons because the damage done to your body is many times irreversible.  It is true... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, August 22, 2021
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Sunday, August 15, 2021

It isn’t about Being Busy

In every Feast of the Theotokos, we hear the same Gospel lesson. We hear the story of Martha and Mary, two sisters who hosted Jesus Christ in their home for dinner. When Jesus arrived, Mary ran to meet him while her sister Martha remained working in the kitchen. While Mary sat at the feet of Christ listening to His every word, Martha grew more frustrated that she had been left to work alone in the kitchen.   She complained, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, August 15, 2021
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Sunday, August 15, 2021

It’s cool to be “All In”

As our children get older, it becomes harder and harder for them to find a balance in their lives between what is the cool thing to do and what is the right thing to do.  Even as adults, we face the same problem in our daily lives trying to balance what we should be doing with what brings us more success or fame.  While we were at the Diakonia Center summer camp last week, many of the campers had this question: “How can we be cool and look cool but at the same time be humble and... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, August 15, 2021
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Sunday, August 8, 2021

Open Your Eyes

It seems like every time we hear about Jesus healing someone in the Holy Scriptures there are two types of people watching the miracle. There are those who love God and see the miracle as a gift of His grace, and those who for some reason refuse to accept what their eyes see. In each of these stories, we are invited by the Church to make a choice. Will we open our eyes to see God’s love, or will we remain blind to His grace. In today’s Gospel, as Jesus was walking, two blind men... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, August 8, 2021
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Sunday, August 1, 2021

Forgiveness and Healing

One day our Lord was traveling to His own city and a paralytic was brought to Him. Instead of healing the man from his illness, Christ dared to say, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9.2) In return for this great gift the crowd accused Christ of blasphemy. Can you imagine a group of people worrying more about physical health than the forgiveness of sin? Fortunately for the crowd, Christ loved them enough to provide what they needed to believe in Him.... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, August 1, 2021
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Sunday, July 18, 2021

“You are the light of the world”

“You are the light of the world” In this past week, on July 12th, we celebrated the feast day of Saint Paisios the Athonite of Mount Athos (1924-1994).  He is the newest saint of our Church, canonized on January 13, 2015 by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.  Elder Paisios was a humble monastic who lived most of his life in Mount Athos helping others.  Throughout his life, tens of thousands of people visited him asking for healing and guidance in their... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, July 18, 2021
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Sunday, July 11, 2021

Keep the Light On

Keep The Light On Today’s gospel shows us how to keep the light of Christ in our lives.  We have all heard the saying: “Our eyes are the windows to our soul.”  Today, Jesus explains the importance of our inner light and how we can achieve and maintain it.  How many times have you seen someone, and just by the look in their eyes, you knew something was wrong?  Or the opposite: you saw someone glowing with joy for no specific reason.  It is this inner... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, July 11, 2021
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Sunday, July 4, 2021

Answer His Call

Jesus saw Peter and Andrew fishing and said, “Follow Me.”  They immediately left their lives and followed Him.  He then saw James and John and also called out to them.  They too went with Him without hesitation.  These four men, the first disciples of Jesus, were called by the Lord to serve the Him, spread the word of God, and to help His people.  When the Lord calls upon you, will you be willing to answer His call? Jesus does not discriminate when He... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, July 4, 2021
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Sunday, June 27, 2021

Yes...you are called to be a Saint

Today is the Feast of All Saints, the day on which the Orthodox Church celebrates all those who dedicated their lives to Christ, whether we know their name or not. Today we honor those holy men and women, no matter their social status, no matter their wealth, no matter their rank, no matter their race. Today we are called to something beyond the worldly categories. Today we are called to be saints, and live our lives as those who are honored today. It is too easy to dismiss sainthood with,... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, June 27, 2021
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Sunday, June 27, 2021

The Saints Among Us

“Many that are first will be last, and the last first.”  This is what The Lord said to His disciples, but what does it mean? Before we answer this question, we must first ask ourselves: “What does it mean to be a good Christian?”  The answer may not be as simple as just be a good person and follow the rules.  We might think we have reserved a place in Heaven simply because we believe we haven’t done anything wrong.  Well, that’s not... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, June 27, 2021
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Sunday, June 20, 2021

Learn the right language

How can we spread the word of God if we do not understand each other?  Fifty days after Passover, the Apostles were gathered together to celebrate the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, which at the time was a big harvest festival, the Festival of Weeks.  Then suddenly, during the celebration, a loud sound filled the room: “the rush of a mighty wind.”  And tongues of fire appeared and one lay on top of the head of each Apostle.  In that instant, the Holy Spirit gave... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, June 20, 2021
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Sunday, June 20, 2021

The Gift of Truth

It has been fifty days since we celebrated the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Feast of Pentecost today for us is the celebration of the Descent of the Holy Spirit to the Holy Apostles and the Church. We learn about the feast in chapter two of the Acts of the Apostles. The Holy Apostles were gathered together in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon them as tongues of fire, but what were the Holy Apostles celebrating on Pentecost if... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, June 20, 2021
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Sunday, June 13, 2021

United to God

A few days ago, the Church celebrated the Great Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord and Savior Jesus, the day that Christ returned to His Heavenly Throne forty days after His Glorious Resurrection. I was blessed last year to visit the spot believed to be where Christ ascended which made a profound impression on my faith. In fact, on every stop during my pilgrimage to the Holy Lands last year, I was constantly reminded in a tangible way that we are united to God physically, not just spiritually.... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, June 13, 2021
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Sunday, June 13, 2021

We Believe in One God

This Sunday is the Sixth Sunday after Pascha, the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council.  This week we remember and celebrate the day that St. Constantine gathered 318 Fathers of our Church in Nicaea in 325 A.D., to discuss the issues threatening the unity of the Church.  The biggest issue was the threat and heresy of Arianism.  Arius, a priest in Alexandria, began to speak against Jesus, claiming that He was not equal to God. Jesus was just His son, a lesser... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, June 13, 2021
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Sunday, June 6, 2021

Blindness

There was a time, many years ago, when I was graduating from high school that I thought I knew everything about life. Then as I grew older, I realized that at 20 I thought I knew everything, then again at 30 and 40 I always figured, “NOW I know everything!” Now in my 50’s I’m realizing I still have much to learn. What I thought I knew when I was 20, 30, and 40, was just the beginning. I was blind to my own ignorance, and I am thankful to God that He has opened my eyes.... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, June 6, 2021
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Sunday, June 6, 2021

Sing Loud!

Sing Loud! In the Epistle reading this Sunday, we are again shown the power of God. Apostle Paul and Silas were traveling in Philippi, spreading the word of God, when they met a slave girl who had a “spirit of divination.” In Greek, before translation, she had pneuma pythonos, directly meaning the spirit of the python. The python was the symbol of the prophetesses at the oracle of Apollo at Delphi.  The slave girl followed Paul and Silas around, telling everyone that they... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, June 6, 2021
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Sunday, May 30, 2021

Escape is not the solution

Escape is not the solution The Samaritan woman in Sunday’s gospel, at first, was trying to escape from the difficulties in her life. But this time, when Jesus approached her, the Samaritan woman did not feel shame or try to hide the truth of her sins.  Instead, when Jesus revealed to her the details of her life, she was so excited to find out to who she was talking to. But why was she so excited? Because she was thirsty for the truth and for salvation. This is why Jesus started to... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, May 30, 2021
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Friday, May 28, 2021

Looking to the Future

It is hard to imagine that just one year ago we reopened the Cathedral for public worship after being closed for nearly three months. Everything seemed strange that day, while at the same time being familiar. We were back in the Church, but life had changed due the pandemic. Looking back on that day, I recall the emotions I felt turning around during Divine Liturgy and blessing ACTUAL people rather than a camera. It was a good feeling. Today one year later, things are slowly getting back to... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Friday, May 28, 2021
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Sunday, May 23, 2021

We Have THE Man to Help Us

During Holy Week we heard Pontius Pilate, when he had given Christ over to be crucified, say to the people, “Behold the Man,” (John 19.5) and they took and He was crucified, ultimately saving us from death. In this simple phrase, unknowingly Pilate offered each of us a solution and an example. Christ is THE Man, the perfect human example for us to live our life in sacrifice for each the salvation of others, and in total harmony with the will of God. Things are a bit different for... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, May 23, 2021
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Sunday, May 23, 2021

Do you believe in miracles?

Do you believe in miracles? The Apostle Peter traveled around the villages from Jerusalem and beyond, where the first Christian communities had formed. He supported them and provided spiritual guidance. When he visited Lydda, he met a paralyzed man named Aeneas.  Naturally, St. Peter felt compassion for him and sensing Aeneas’ faith, he said to him: “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” Aeneas immediately rose and was healed. Through the power of... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Sunday, May 23, 2021
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Saturday, May 15, 2021

2nd Sunday after Pascha

This Sunday we are celebrating the Second Sunday after Pascha.  We remember and celebrate the brave myrrh-bearing women.  The myrrh-bearing women we know of were the most Holy Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Chouza the Commissioner of King Herod, Mary the wife of Cleopas, Salome the mother of the Apostles James and John, Mary and Martha the sisters of Lazarus, and Susanna.  These were very brave women.  They were with Jesus throughout His life.  They... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Saturday, May 15, 2021
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Friday, May 14, 2021

The Resurrection didn’t “Just Happen”

As Orthodox Christians we spent ten weeks preparing our souls for the Feast of Feasts we call Pascha, the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Week after week the Church asked us to consider a life of repentance, a life of prayer, a life of forgiveness, a life of sacrifice, a life of constant preparation to encounter Christ. Week after week, the Church invited us to rededicate our lives not only to thinking about Christ, but to living united to Him in communion with Him. All... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Friday, May 14, 2021
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Monday, May 10, 2021

A Mother’s Love

A Mother’s Love   Happy Mother’s Day! In the gospel reading this Saturday, we are told the story of when Mary saw Jesus on the cross. John, one of Jesus’ disciples, took Mary, the mother of Jesus; her sister; Mary, the wife of Clopas; and Mary Magdalene to Jesus.  Jesus tells his mother “Here is your son,” referring to John.  And he tells John “Here is your mother,” referring to His mother.  At that moment, Jesus is telling them... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Monday, May 10, 2021
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Sunday, May 9, 2021

Keep the Flame Bright

Only one week ago, we were sitting in the darkness when the Church invited us to “Come receive the Light! Δεῦτε λάβετε φῶς!” One by one, we lit our candles and the Cathedral was filled with the Light of Christ. As the night went on, again one by one, we went home carefully holding our lit candles to bring the Light into our home and bless our home. It seems like so long ago when we began our... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, May 9, 2021
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Sunday, April 25, 2021

Time for a Pilgrimage

Today is Palm Sunday, the day the Church commemorates the Triumphant Entrance into Jerusalem of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ. Today marks the beginning of His final journey for our salvation. Today He begins His final pilgrimage to Golgotha. The idea of pilgrimage is ancient as the first books of the Old Testament. Ever since God established His relationship with people, human beings have participated in spiritual pilgrimages. In the ancient world, people would travel days,... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, April 25, 2021
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Saturday, April 24, 2021

Saturday of Lazarus

Saturday of Lazarus On this Saturday before Holy week, we remember the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus.  When Lazarus was very ill, his sisters Martha and Mary sent word to Jesus, hoping that He would come quickly to heal His close friend, Lazarus. But Jesus waited two days before beginning His journey and then said to His disciples, “Let us go into Judea that I might awake My friend who sleepeth.” His disciples did not know that Lazarus had already passed away, and... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Saturday, April 24, 2021
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Friday, April 23, 2021

The Tradition of Lazarakia

The Tradition of Making Lazarakia We make Lazarakia, or little Lazarus breads, to honor the miracle of resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  It is a tradition that began in Cyprus because after his resurrection, Lazarus traveled to Cyprus and became the first bishop there.  These little Lenten breads, or cookies, are made in the shape of a man with his arms crossed and eyes decorated with cloves, to look like Lazarus wrapped in his funeral shroud.  Some Lazarakia... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Friday, April 23, 2021
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Sunday, April 18, 2021

Keeping the Proper Perspective

Today is the final Sunday of Great Lent, and the Church continues to teach us about Christian humility within the proper context. As Christ was preparing His Disciples to understand what was soon about to happen in Jerusalem, rather than acknowledging the great blessing they were receiving, they could only think about themselves. The Disciples had just been told, in clear concise language, that Jesus was the Son of Man, that He was going to be betrayed, judged, mocked, beaten, condemned,... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, April 18, 2021
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Saturday, April 17, 2021

Saint Mary of Egypt

On the fifth Sunday in Lent we remember Saint Mary of Egypt. She was a sinner, publicly known, a temptation and a scandal to men. One day she came to a church and she felt that she couldn’t enter it.  There was some miraculous force that was preventing her from entering.  She realized that it was all her sins that were keeping her out. This was her wake-up call. All her past was darkness, and she knew only one way to get out of it. She needed to shake off all the evil and to... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Saturday, April 17, 2021
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Thursday, April 15, 2021

Welcome from Fr. Theofanis

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, by God’s Grace, I am very happy and grateful to be welcomed back to St. Nicholas Cathedral. This pandemic has changed our lives.  It has kept us physically away from each other and away from the Church.  It has made it difficult for us to participate in the Divine Liturgy and receive Holy Communion. We missed a year of celebrations together, including Pascha, Christmas, and Holy Epiphany.  But spiritually and mentally, I... Read More
Posted by Fr Theofanis Katsiklis at Thursday, April 15, 2021
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Sunday, April 11, 2021

We Can’t ‘Do It’ without God

As we get closer and closer to Pascha, the Church recalls the story of the man who brought his son to Jesus to be healed because nobody else could help him. Even the disciples could not help him. He had nowhere else to go so he came to Jesus, “Teacher, I brought you my son who has a mute spirit.” (Mark 9.17) The father explained everything, how the demon would torture his son, how his son would so often come very close to death, and even how the disciples could not cast out the... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, April 11, 2021
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Saturday, April 10, 2021

Gospel Accuracy and Divine Healing

Saturday's Gospel from Mark starts with the words, "At that time, Jesus returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of Dekapolis" (Mark 7:31). It is absolutely fascinating that Mark includes such precise geographic detail from the Holy Land. When I was in the Holy Land for the Senior Holy Cross Seminarian trip, our Tour Guide pointed out that a trip or rather a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is like a Fifth Gospel. Such a... Read More
Posted by Fr Simeon Pardalis at Saturday, April 10, 2021
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Sunday, April 4, 2021

Why All the Talk About Fasting?

You can’t escape the topic of fasting during Great Lent. In fact, the topic can be quite stressful for many people in the Church. The conflict is understandable since everyone fasts in a different way during Great Lent, and some choose not to fast at all. From the outside looking in, it can seem as if the Church teachings are being either ignored all together, or at the very least altered to our individual desires. There must be some reason the Church emphasises fasting so much during... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, April 4, 2021
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Saturday, April 3, 2021

Renewed in Christ Jesus

Christ tells us that, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:13 and Mark 2:17). Throughout the Gospels, we see that Christ, as the True Physician of Souls & Bodies, does in fact call sinners to repentance, He calls those who are spiritually sick to work with Him so that He can make them spiritually well. In Luke 7:36-50, Christ accepts the repentance of the Sinful Woman... Read More
Posted by Fr Simeon Pardalis at Saturday, April 3, 2021
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Sunday, March 28, 2021

Salvation is a Group Effort

Here we are on the Second Sunday of Great Lent, and after spending weeks reminding us during the Triodion about our personal spiritual journey, and after reminding us of the truth of the Church last week on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, today the Church makes a bold statement. Salvation is a group effort. Today the Church brings us a beautiful understanding that when our personal spiritual commitment is aligned with each other as members of the Church, healing can take place. In today’s... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, March 28, 2021
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Saturday, March 27, 2021

Different Types of Prayer

There are different types of prayer. There is communal prayer and private prayer. In Church we collectively pray together, this is communal prayer or prayer as a community in Christ. Then there is private prayer, which one does on his or her own. In Saturday's Gospel (Mark 1: 35-44) we learn about private prayer. It says at the beginning of Saturday's Gospel, "[a]t that time, Jesus rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed" (Mark 1:35). Through this incident our... Read More
Posted by Fr Simeon Pardalis at Saturday, March 27, 2021
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Saturday, March 20, 2021

The ‘Plucking of the Ears of Wheat’ Part II

Saturday’s Gospel Reading from Mark (2:23-28; 3:1-5) is the second time we see it over the past few months, the last time we read it on a Saturday was on January 23rd. The Gospel Readings are full of layers and layers of teaching, as we learn one teaching we uncover more. Last time we talked about that the eating by the Holy Apostles of the grains was actually a lawful act and not condemnable as it was permitted by the law of Moses. God allowed it so that the weary travelers would not die... Read More
Posted by Fr Simeon Pardalis at Saturday, March 20, 2021
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Saturday, March 13, 2021

Why and Old Covenant and Why a New Covenant? Saturday’s Gospel (Matthew 6:1-13) has the Answer.

In the Old Testament, God made an agreement – a Covenant – with His people. This First Covenant was given to Moses alone to the Hebrew People. With the Old Covenant, God would also agree to give the Hebrews the promised land if they would follow His Commandments and offer the Sacrifices. With the New Covenant, God Himself through His Incarnation as Jesus Christ, God promises us His Heavenly Kingdom if we follow His Commandments and participate in His Sacraments.  The Old... Read More
Posted by Fr Simeon Pardalis at Saturday, March 13, 2021
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Sunday, March 7, 2021

Don’t Be Shocked!

As we continue our Triodion journey of preparing our mindset for Great Lent, the Church offers to us, Judgment Sunday. Today’s Gospel lesson, one of the more popular social justice lessons from the Holy Scriptures, reminds us that judgment is coming to everyone. That much we can all agree on, but what happens after the judgment might be another story. In the Gospel for today found in Matthew 25.31-46, we hear about the moment God will judge us. Sometimes we like to focus on the works... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, March 7, 2021
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Saturday, March 6, 2021

Washing, Watching and Watchfulness

On the grounds of the Great Church of Christ, Agia Sophia in Constantinople, there historically was a water fountain that had an inscription on it, Νίψον ἀνομήματα, μὴ μόναν ὄψιν. This fountain is no longer there, but the meaning remains. It is a very interesting statement because if you write it backwards in Greek, the words are the same and the meaning also remains the same: Wash your sins, not only your face.... Read More
Posted by Fr Simeon Pardalis at Saturday, March 6, 2021
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Sunday, February 28, 2021

What Does it Mean to Be Yourself?

It is quite common for people today to use the expression “I have to be myself,” or “Be who you are!” These expressions are related to an ancient Greek saying “Γνώθι Σ’αυτον” which is translated as “Know Yourself!” If we are to get anywhere in life, we must first know who we are “on the inside” with all honesty. Then, and only then, can we progress toward our goals in life.... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, February 28, 2021
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Saturday, February 27, 2021

The Widow who gave all that her life had

  I would like to draw our attention to the Poor Widow in Saturday’s Gospel Reading. Our Lord Jesus Christ pointed her out as the correct example to follow: a person with true love for God and for her neighbor. The poor widow who gave all that she had to the treasury for the poor! In giving all she had to the poor, it was as if she had given it to the Lord Himself (Matthew 25:40).  The treasury at the Temple was a public fund for charity and the poor widow had such love in... Read More
Posted by Fr Simeon Pardalis at Saturday, February 27, 2021
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Sunday, February 21, 2021

Mercy, Justice, or Both?

Today we begin our annual great journey to Pascha. To send us off on the correct path for our salvation, the Church recalls the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. If we are able to hear this parable with humility and an open mind, only then will the journey before us be of any value. The story should be familiar to us. One sinner and one supposedly religious man both go to Church. Both pray, but only one returns home justified. As the story reveals to us, it is only when we accept our... Read More
Posted by Fr Athanasios Haros at Sunday, February 21, 2021
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Saturday, February 20, 2021

Spiritual Justice, Healing through Prayer and Faith

Saturday’s Gospel reading reveals to us one of these many aspects of prayer; which is that even after we have asked God repeatedly for something and for a long time and do not receive it, we must not lose our trust in God. We must undeterred continue to pray. We must trust that God will never abandon us, He tells us in John 14:18 that He will never leave us as orphans. If, in Saturday’s Gospel, the Widow received justice by essentially being annoying to the Unjust Judge, how much... Read More
Posted by Fr Simeon Pardalis at Saturday, February 20, 2021
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