Fr. Michael Gillis
December 12, 2020
Celebrated March 7
Today’s Gospel reading is Matthew 25:31-46, the parable of the Last Judgment. It reminds us that while trusting in Christ’s love and mercy, we must not forget His righteous judgment when He comes again in glory.
If our hearts remain hardened and unrepentant, we should not expect the Lord to overlook our transgressions simply because He is a good and loving God. Although He does not desire the death of a sinner, He also expects us to turn from our wickedness and live (Ezek. 33:11). This same idea is expressed in the prayer read by the priest after the penitent has confessed his or her sins (Slavic practice).
The time for repentance and forgiveness is now, in the present life. At the Second Coming, Christ will appear as the righteous Judge, Who will render to every man according to his deeds” (Rom. 2:6). Then the time for entreating God’s mercy and forgiveness will have passed.
As Father Alexander Schmemann reminds us in his book GREAT LENT (Ch. 1:4), sin is the absence of love, it is separation and isolation. When Christ comes to judge the world, His criterion for judgment will be love. Christian love entails seeing Christ in other people, our family, our friends, and everyone else we may encounter in our lives.
We shall be judged on whether we have loved, or not loved, our neighbor. We show Christian love when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit those who are sick or in prison. If we did such things for the least of Christ’s brethren, then we also did them for Christ (Mt.25:40). If we did not do such things for the least of the brethren, neither did we do them for Christ (Mt.25:45).
Today is the last day for eating meat and meat products until Pascha, though eggs and dairy products are permitted every day during the coming week. This limited fasting prepares us gradually for the more intense fasting of Great Lent.
Fr. Michael Gillis
December 12, 2020
What We Want in Our Political Leaders
Website of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship
"....In a word, we want leaders who are not prisoners of power, profit, possession, position, privilege and pleasure."
Church Services
Saturday Vespers 5pm
Sunday Divine Liturgy 10am
Prayers of the Hours 9:40am
Lenten Services start with
Forgiveness Vespers
Sunday March 14 @1pm
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Sermons
Fr. Lawrence Gaudreau
Feb 14, 2021 | " I come to seek those who are lost" |
Feb 07, 2021 | Show faithfulness and tenacity to cleansing of our heart |
Jan 31, 2021 | Multiply the gifts God has given you |
Jan 17, 2021 | Live in the world with joy and peace |
Jan 03, 2021 | We can grow more and more in Christ |
Jan 01, 2021 | Circumcision of our Lord and Svior Jesus Christ |
Dec 27, 2020 | Who is the Messiah? |
Dec 25, 2020 | Nativity of our Lord and Svior Jesus Christ |
Dec 20, 2020 | The whole cosmos celebtares and enjoys the coming of Jesus Christ |
Dec 13, 2020 | God's intimately dwells within us |
Dec 06, 2020 | St. Nicholas Sunday |
Great Lent
March 15th through May 1
Extensive and excellent guide to Orthodox
Christian vocabulary
by the Orthodox Church of the Mother of God