Homily One for the Eleventh Sunday of Luke (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

 By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered on December 30, 1951)

Hear the words of the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian, written by him in his great Apocalypse: “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a numerous people, as the sound of many waters, as the voice of mighty thunders, saying: 'Alleluia! for the Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory; for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself.' And it was given to her to put on fine linen, clean and bright; the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. And the angel said to me: 'Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' And he said to me: 'These are the true words of God'” (Apoc. 19:6-9).

Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The Lord spoke about this wedding supper in his great parable about those who were invited to the supper, which you heard in the current Gospel reading.

Homily Two for the Tenth Sunday of Luke (St. Luke of Simferopol)

By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered on November 29, 1958)

Our Lord Jesus Christ once entered the synagogue and saw a woman there who had been suffering severely for 18 years: she was crouched, low bent and could not straighten up.

He commanded her to come to the middle and with one word of His, with one Divine command, he healed her - the woman suddenly straightened up to her full height and praised God.

The people rejoiced at seeing such a miracle, but the leader of the synagogue and the Pharisees did not rejoice like everyone else, but became indignant and turned to the people with a sharp remark: "Not on the Sabbath" (Luke 13:14).

Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday of Luke (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

 By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered on December 20, 1953)

Listen again to the Gospel reading that was read today, let us delve into it, for I want to explain it to you.

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?” But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Lk. 18:18–27).

Homily for the Epistle Reading on the Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Pentecost (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered on November 23, 1952)

Today you heard in the apostolic reading part of the epistle to the Ephesians of the holy Apostle Paul. This is extremely important, you need to understand this. You didn’t quite understand the reading in Slavonic, so I’ll read it first in Russian, but don’t blame me if I read and preach while sitting, because I don’t feel very well.

Addressing the pagans who were inhabitants of Ephesus and now believe in Christ, Saint Paul says to them thus:

“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh — who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands — that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:11-18).

On Giving Thanks to God For All Things (St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite)

 

 By St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite

Job's imitator, divine Chrysostom, always used to say this memorable quote, on every occasion: "Glory be to God for all things. I will not stop repeating it always, for everything that happens to me." The great Gregory Palamas of Thessaloniki used to say the same in every matter, imitating the divine Chrysostom, who added with his eloquent tongue: "So let us give thanks for everything, for whatever happens, this is thanksgiving. For to do this when all is going well is no great thing, because the very nature of things prompts it. But if we give thanks while we are in the depths of misfortune, this is admirable. Indeed, when we give thanks for those things which others blaspheme and are discouraged by, see how much philosophy there is! First, you make God glad. Second, you have shamed the devil. Third, you have proven that what happened was nothing. That is, at the same time that you give thanks, God removes the sorrow and the devil retreats.

Homily for the Ninth Sunday of Luke (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered on December 11, 1949)

Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ (Luke 12:16–20).

Reflection on the Ninth Sunday of Luke (St. Theophan the Recluse)

 

 Reflection on the Ninth Sunday of Luke

Luke 12:16-21

 

By St. Theophan the Recluse

Having spoken the parable about the man who became rich and planned to just eat, drink and be merry, and for this was struck with death, not remaining alive for the supposed pleasures, the Lord concluded: "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." 

 

“So”—that is, such occurs, or such a lot befalls both these and others. Those who become rich and forget about God only think about pleasures of the flesh. Let those who desire to avoid this bitter lot “lay up” not “unto themselves, but be rich only toward God.” Since riches come from God, then devote them to God when they flow, and holy riches will come of it. 

 

Divide all surplus with the needy: this will be the same as returning to God what was given by God. He who gives to a poor person gives to God. Seemingly exhausting his riches, such a person becomes truly rich—rich through good deeds, rich for God. In pleasing Him he becomes rich in God, and by attracting His good will, he becomes rich from God, Who makes one who is faithful over a few things, ruler over many things. He becomes rich toward God, and not toward himself, for he does not consider himself to be master of the house, but only a steward and accountant, whose entire concern consists of satisfying all who come to him in need. But he fears spending anything in particular on himself, considering it to be an improper usage of property entrusted to him. 

Homily Two for the Eighth Sunday of Luke (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered on December 9, 1951)

The parable of Christ about the merciful Samaritan, which you have now heard, is infinitely deep and important for us, and therefore I want you to remember it well.

You heard it in the Slavic reading, now listen to it in Russian translation. (The Gospel of Luke chapter 10, 25-37 is read.)

Why do I consider this parable of Christ one of the most important and profound of His parables? Because in this parable the Lord gave us a genuine revelation, a revelation about who we should consider as our neighbors.

Homily on the Healing of the Woman With the Issue of Blood and the Raising of Jairus' Daughter (St. John Chrysostom)

By St. John Chrysostom

(Homily 31 on Matthew)

"While He spoke these things unto them, behold, there came in a ruler, and worshipped Him, saying, 'My daughter is even now dead; but come and lay Your hand upon her, and she shall live'" (Matt. 9:18).

The deed overtook the words; so that the mouths of the Pharisees were the more stopped. For both he that came was a ruler of the synagogue, and his affliction terrible. For the young damsel was both his only child, and twelve years old, the very flower of her age; on which account especially He raised her up again, and that immediately.

Homily on the Seventh Sunday of Luke (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 Homily on the Seventh Sunday of Luke

By Archpriest Rodion Putyatin

"Do not be afraid, only believe, and she will be healed" (Luke 8:50).

Many of you, listeners, noticeably care about pleasing God and saving your souls: you pray at home, go to the church of God, keep the fasts established by the Church, confess and partake of the Body and Blood of Christ - in a word, you try to live according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church. Meanwhile, you are often afraid, worried, tormented, agitated that you are not doing anything pleasing to God, that you will not be saved in any way - you are so afraid that you reach despondency, to the point that you are ready to abandon the whole work of salvation.

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Luke - Inequality and Prophecy (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

 Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Luke

Inequality and Prophecy

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

"There was a rich man ... a poor man named Lazarus" (Luke 16:19-20).

 

Beloved brethren,

In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus that we heard today, Christ expressively presented the abysmal difference between two people. The rich man had daily gluttony, while the poor man lived on the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. The rich man was physically healthy, while the poor man had "sores". The rich man lived in a mansion and had fun there with his friends, while the poor man begged at the door of the rich man's house, keeping company with the dogs. The rich man wore "purple and fine linen" every day, while the poor man was raggedy and naked. Christ depicted in the best way the great disparity between wealth and poverty.

Sermon for the 5th Sunday of Luke - The Rich Man and Lazarus (Monk Agapios Landos)

Sermon for the 5th Sunday of Luke

The Rich Man and Lazarus

By Monk Agapios Landos of Crete (1585-1657)

The Lord said, ‘There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered in sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table’.

Wanting to make us generous and charitable, to love one another and to instruct the mean and hard-hearted what perils await them and also to teach those who have sorrows and who suffer here what joy and elation they will inherit, the Lord wisely described for us the rich man as being very harsh and inhuman beyond measure and the poor man as possessing wonderful fortitude and patience. He leaves the rich man anonymous, as being unworthy of a name, as the prophet says: ‘I shall not mention their name on my lips’ [Ps. 16:4] and ‘his memorial has perished with a noise’ [Ps. 9:6]. The name of the poor man is given because the names of the righteous are recorded in the book of life. And the Jews have a tradition that, at the time of Christ, there was, indeed, a certain Lazarus in Jerusalem who endured great poverty with fortitude pleasing to God. The Lord mentions him as being virtuous and holy, since Scripture says ‘Blessed are they who fear the Lord’ and ‘their memorial remains unto the ages’ and ‘you shall be unto eternal memory’.

Discourse Three on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (St. John Chrysostom)

 

 Discourse Three

On the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

By St. John Chrysostom

1. The parable about Lazarus has benefited us not a little, both rich and poor, teaching the latter to bear poverty well, and not allowing the former to think highly of their riches; but showing, by the circumstances of the case, that he is of all men to be most pitied who lives in luxury without sharing his wealth with others. Allow me again to take up the same subject; since, also, those who work in mines, wherever they see many grains of gold, there they dig again, and do not cease until they have gathered out all that can be found. Let us, therefore, proceed, and, at the place where we left off yesterday, there again recommence the discourse. It might be possible, indeed, to unfold to you the whole parable in a single day; but we do not strive to be able to depart with the feeling that we have said a great deal, but that you, having received and retained the things spoken, may be able, through this carefulness, to gain a sense of real spiritual benefit. A tender mother about to change the food of her child from milk to more solid diet, if she were at once to give it unmixed wine would injure it, for the child would at once reject the new diet. She feeds it little by little, and thus the new nourishment is received without trouble. In order that you may not feel distaste for the offered food, we do not without preparation pour out to you from the cup of instruction; but distributing the portion over several days, we give an interval of repose from the toil of hearing, that both that which has been said may be firmly fixed in your understanding and in your heart, and that you may receive that which is about to be said with constant and increasing zeal.

Homily for the Sixth Sunday of Luke - Power in the Name (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

 

 

Homily for the Sixth Sunday of Luke

Power in the Name

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

"When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, 'What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?'" (Luke 8:28).

Beloved brethren,

The possessed man of the Gadarenes cried out, fell at the feet of Christ and said: "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" (Luke 8:28). The presence of Christ was terrible for the demons that existed inside that unfortunate man. This great power also is in the name of Jesus, which declares His presence, which is why the Fathers often recommend that we pray with "the prayer" of Jesus, in order to be freed from the exploitation and oppression of the devil.

Homily Two for the Sixth Sunday of Luke (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

 By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered in 1958)

About the great miracle of the Lord Jesus Christ, about the healing of the demon-possessed Gadarene by Him, I have repeatedly told you and my former flocks. Genuine demonic possession is, of course, rare. A huge number of demons, a whole legion of them, are infused into the bodies and souls of the unfortunate demoniacs. But demons wage an unceasing struggle against every person in order to subjugate him to their power. This is what we read about this struggle in the epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians: “... our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirits of wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12).

Homily One for the Sixth Sunday of Luke (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

 By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered on November 25, 1951)

The Lord Jesus Christ sailed with His disciples on the Sea of Tiberias, sailed to the eastern shore of this lake.

On the way, He performed a great miracle of calming the storm by one command of His: He ordered the wind and waves to calm down - and they calmed down.

We went ashore in the country of the Gadarenes, and look what happened there.

“And when He got out of the boat, immediately a man who came out of the tombs met Him, possessed by an unclean spirit, he had a dwelling in the tombs, and no one could bind him even with chains ... he tore the chains and broke the shackles, and no one was able to tame him; always, night and day, in mountains and graves, he shouted and cut himself with stones; but when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him...” (Mark 5:1-6).

Sunday of the Commemoration of the Seventh Ecumenical Synod (Fr. George Metallinos)

 

 By Protopresbyter Fr. George Metallinos

(Homily Delivered in c. 1980)

1. Today our Church celebrates the memory of the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Synod (787). As in the past, a heresy also caused this synod, the Iconoclast heresy. Apart from its undeniable Christological content, Iconoclasm had a clear ecclesiastical character. It was an overt attack by the State, which was no longer acting as "God's minister for good" (Rom. 13:3), against the Church. The two ministries of the citizens, the "Priesthood" and the "Kingdom", the priestly and the state ministry, stood opposite each other. The State sought to subjugate the Church, in an unprecedented explosion of politicism. Heresy was the spiritual background of the problem.

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Luke - Ecclesiastical Teaching (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

 

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Luke

Ecclesiastical Teaching

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

"The seed is the word of God" (Luke 8:11).

Beloved brethren,

The interpretative teaching of the Parable of the Sower and the declaration that the seed is the word of God, is one of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, which the disciples of this heavenly Kingdom deserved and deserve to know. This is the great value of preaching in the space of the church. It is a revelation and interpretation of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, to those who seek it. It is a real sacred work, a transforming power. This basic teaching will be interpreted below.

Homily on the Resurrection of the Son of the Widow (Patriarch John VIII Xiphilinos of Constantinople)

 

By Patriarch John VIII of Constantinople the Xiphilinos (+ 1075)

 

The great mystery of the Resurrection is taught to us by our Savior and God as much through His words as through His works. And in His commands and teachings and miracles, the Lord begins with the lowest, and proceeds to the greatest. As by some steps He ascends from the lowest to the highest, and slowly raises the human race to the glory and knowledge and concept of His Godhead. One can see this in many other cases as well, but particularly in this case. For first the Lord indicated and announced the power of the Resurrection in the case of a serious illness for which they could do nothing, when He rebuked the fever that was burning Peter's mother-in-law, and caused such a change in her condition as to strengthen her in the service of visitors, the one everyone expected to die.

Homily for the Third Sunday of Luke - Orthodox Training (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

 

 Homily for the Third Sunday of Luke
 

Orthodox Training

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

Then He came and touched the body, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother" (Luke 7:14-16).

Beloved brethren,

Christ, with the power of His divinity, resurrected the dead youth and then gave him to his mother (Luke 7:11-17). This miracle, like all the miracles of Christ, show His work which is the abolition of death and the revival of dead mankind.

This is also the work of the Church, since the holiness of Christ is transferred to the Church, which is His Body. Thus, the Church aims to abolish death, to resurrect man. This is called education and training. For this reason, Orthodox education-training for everyone and especially for young people has a resurrected character and cannot be understood outside the Church, outside the Divine Liturgy and outside the Christian Community.