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6th Sunday after Pentecost – the Paralytic

Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

The Gospel reading of last Sunday told us how the Gadarenes went out to meet Jesus and how they asked Him to “depart out of their coasts.” And this happened because all of them were infected with one sin, the passion for profit, the love of money. This was an insatiable thirst for wealth, more and more of it. And wealth came to them through large herds of swine which were grazing in their pastures. But according to Jewish Law, they had no right to keep them. In this was their sin, and they lived in sin, to satisfy only this passion, this idol of getting rich. And this passion seemed to unite them all. See how the Gospel says: “And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus and…besought Him that He would depart out of their coasts” (Mt. 8:34).Continue Reading

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6th Sunday after Pentecost

MATINS (VI)

Luke 24:36-53

36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them.Continue Reading

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5th Sunday after Pentecost – the Two Demoniacs

Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

The Gospel reading for last Sunday taught us a lesson on the deep humility of the Roman Centurion, who came to ask Christ for the healing of his servant. But today’s Gospel does not give us a lesson of what we should do, but rather shows us what we should avoid, what we should not do. This shows us the striking reality of the existence of the power of evil. In our time such a reality doesn’t even require proof. Every day, every newspaper tells about a whole list of crimes which simply cannot be explained without recognizing that the person is possessed by an external, evil power.

Today’s Gospel draws a terrible picture for us: two demoniacs came out from the tombs, “exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way” (Mt. 8:28). Christ permitted the de-mons to enter into a huge herd of swine. The possessed ones were healed, but the whole herd of swine jumped from the precipice into the sea. What a terrible force! A real, overt force of evil!Continue Reading

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5th Sunday after Pentecost

MATINS (V)

Luke 24:12-35

12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. 13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? Continue Reading

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Sunday 5 July 2009. On a beautiful, crisp, clear Canberra morning, the parishioners of St John the Baptist, led by their rector Archpriest Alexander Morozow, welcomed their beloved hierarch His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, Archbishop of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand to their Church to celebrate their patronal feastday – the Nativity of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John.

On the preceding evening, His Eminence celebrated the All Night Vigil Service with Litia (Blessing of the Loaves), and earlier that morning according to the traditional practice, a Blessing of the Waters service was conducted by the assistant Priest of the parish Fr Alexander Borodin and Fr Protodeacon Alexander Kotlaroff (from Sts Peter and Paul Cathedral in Strathfield, Sydney), with assistance from Reader Victor Kargin.Continue Reading