St. Mary Orthodox Church

December 26, 2012 -

In the Western Rite on Christmas Eve the Prologue from St. John’s Gospel is read. It is a good choice for this night. Do you remember it? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God…"

November 26, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

Indian priest Anthony de Mello told this story: A rich industrialist from the North was horrified to find a Southern fisherman lying leisurely beside his boat. "Why aren't you fishing?" asked the industrialist. "Because I have caught enough fish for the day," said the fisherman.

October 15, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

God is the great sower of the seeds. From the beginning of creation he has been sowing and all the way to its end he will still be sowing. In one of Paul Simon’s most beautiful songs he writes "creation is never done." Science tells us that the universe is still expanding! Into what, who knows? But once a creator always a creator.

October 08, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

The first thing that strikes me about today’s Gospel reading is the compassion of the Savior. It is a characteristic that defines him throughout his earthly ministry. Another great example of this, which is a favorite of mine, is when he saved the Adulterous Woman from stoning. Although she was guilty he treated her as if her sin was nonexistent casting it, as he says in another place, "as far as the East is from the West." In His presence sin disappears.

September 16, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

For much of my life I was schooled in a theology that believed in narrow minds and rigid, inflexible positions. Since we were trapped in the sterile world of biblical literalism we were not taught the value of science, psychology, and the social sciences. This attitude predominates in the religious climate of our country and I fear it is gaining strength in our own Church.

September 02, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

I have to confess that for years I seriously misread this scripture. At the end of the passage Jesus asks the question, "When the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do to the tenants?" The point Jesus wants to make is found in the dialogue that ensues. The disciples answer him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death...?"

August 27, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

The question today is, "What good thing must I do to have eternal life?" Good question. What does Jesus say? He says to him, "Keep the commandments." When asked to name the ones he must obey, Jesus answers with a short list. "Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not tell lies against your neighbor."

August 19, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

In our last episode, the priest was so overwhelmed with the Gospel of the healing of the epileptic boy that he postponed his sermon for a week. In today's episode, he attempts to rectify his lapse in consciousness

August 06, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

The Transfiguration does not represent for us the addtion to human nature of anything foreign to it, but rather the subtraction of all that is foreign to it. In this sermon, Fr. Antony Hughes explores how the Transfiguration reveals Christ's divinity and our shared humanity as it truly is.

July 30, 2012 -

I have always wondered about how Jesus responds to the disciples here when they report that there is not enough for the enormous crowd to eat. They advise the Lord to send the people away to forage for themselves.

July 16, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

This is the Sunday of the Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon. A council we embrace fully, but a controversial one. Questions still abound about it. I don’t want to go into those today. I say that just to point out that the Church did not like to hold these councils and make creeds.

June 11, 2012 -

The Greek word for "acknowledge" in today’s Gospel lesson means to confess. That is to openly declare faith in the Lord Jesus. But since many will come before him on the day of judgment who have even worked miracles in his name and will still hear the words, "Depart from me you workers of iniquity, for I never knew you," there must be more to confessing and acknowledging Jesus that just an open, verbal declaration or demonstration of faith in him.

June 04, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

Pentecost is a theophany, a revelation of God I think best compared to other famous theophanies like Moses on Mt. Sinai or the Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor. Witnesses of these events try hard to describe them, but words fail, so there is a special type of dramatic, stylized language used in Holy Scripture using symbols.

May 07, 2012 - by Fr. Philip Begley

In the Gospel reading we heard earlier; the Evangelist John describes how a paralyzed man had been lying beside the pool of Bethesda waiting for the stirring of the waters by an angel so that he could be healed. His wait lasted not for an hour, or a few days, or even a few years, but Thirty-Eight years.

April 22, 2012 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

Thomas' encounter with the risen Lord took place eight days after the Lord appeared to the disciples who were cowering behind closed doors from fear the authorities would come after them as they had come after Jesus. The number eight is significant because it is the day after seven, the perfect day, the new day, the day of the Kingdom.

March 26, 2012 - by Arlene Marge

Do you look forward to going to confession? Personally, not always. Confession is one of the Holy Sacraments that the Church offers us as a spiritual help, and yet sometimes it is difficult to go. When we go to confession, it is because we know that we have sinned and done something wrong, and sometimes we’d rather not focus on our mistakes for fear of what we might find.

March 19, 2012 - by Sarah Byrne

Today is the Sunday of the Cross. We are now at the mid-point of Lent, a time to reorient ourselves, and to check in with our Lenten journey. How are we all doing? Are we keeping the fast - not just the fast from foods, but from engaging the passions? Are we keeping our commitment to almsgiving? Are we caring for each other?

March 11, 2012 - by Shannon Sakellariou

We have begun our journey through Great Lent, and in a few short weeks, this will culminate with the services of Holy Week, itself a journey that culminates in the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. On Wednesday of that week, we have the opportunity to receive the sacrament of Holy Unction, a service of prayers for healing, which is founded on James 5:14-16: "Are any among you sick? They should call for the leaders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven"

March 04, 2012 - by Melissa Nassiff

March is Antiochian Women’s month, and for the next four weeks our homilies will all focus on Healing through the Sacramental Life of the Church. This week we’ll look at healing in the Liturgy of St. Basil;. Others will look at healing through Unction; through End of life care, Funeral, and Memorial Services; and through Confession and Spiritual Direction.

February 26, 2012 - by Alex Orlovsky

Today is the Sunday of Forgiveness, the last Sunday before the start of Lent, the Great Fast. Perhaps you’ve asked or been asked Why should we fast? How do we fast? What does this have to do with Pascha anyways?