The World's Premier Online Orthodox Christian Homiletics Resource
by St. Maximus the Confessor If you bear a grudge against anyone, pray for him and you will stop the passion in its tracks. By prayer you separate the hurt from the memory of the evil which he did you and in becoming loving and kind you completely obliterate passion from the soul. On the other hand, if someone else bears you a grudge, be generous... and humble with him, treat him fairly, and you will deliver him from the passion. … [Read more...]
by St. John Chrysostom Fasting is a medicine. But medicine, as beneficial as it is, becomes useless because of the inexperience of the user. He has to know the appropriate time that the medicine should be taken and the right amount of medicine and the condition of the body which is to take it, the weather conditions and the season of the year and the appropriate diet of the sick and many other things. If any of these things are overlooked, … [Read more...]
He was a student of Rabbi Gamaliel, and converted by the direct revelation of Jesus Christ, on the road to Damascus. Paul's preaching often either converted his listeners or left them enraged, and they often had him stoned, beaten with rods, flogged, imprisoned and falsely accused. When he reached the end of his earthly journey, he was beheaded in Rome - according to Tradition, on the same day St. Peter was crucified. Now that's great preaching! … [Read more...]
He was a fisherman, and Jesus' premier apostle during His earthly ministry, and after the Ascension. To him, Christ gave the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. He preached in Jerusalem, converting over 3,000 souls on Pentecost. He also preached in Antioch and Rome. For his evangelistic successes in Rome, he was crucified upside down in a.d. 64. Now that's great preaching! … [Read more...]
By St. John Chrysostom The mighty preacher, St. John, Archbishop of Constantinople, provides an excellent example of his homiletic prowess in this sermon - as poignant today as it was then in the 4th century. It is easy to see why St. John is the patron saint of preachers. Against those who say that demons govern human affairs, and who are displeased at the chastisement of God, and are offended by the prosperity of the wicked and the hardships … [Read more...]
St. John was the Archbishop of Constantinople during the fourth century. He was fearless when denouncing sin in high places, and was a prolific writer, and bold preacher, unafraid to hit the topical issues of the day squarely between the eyes with all the subtlety of a ball peen hammer. He had many powerful enemies, but they feared him, and had him banished. He had to march, at the age of 60, to the place of his banishment, and died on the way. … [Read more...]
St. Maximus the Confessor was a monk and teacher, well versed in rhetoric and the classical arts. He wrote against false teachings about Christ when few would do so. His enemies had little defense against his logic, and so rather than answer his arguments, they cut off his right hand and tore out his tongue, so that he would be able to neither preach nor write about the Truth. Now that's great preaching. … [Read more...]
St. Leo the Great was the bishop of Rome during difficult times. He was an eminent scholar of Scripture and rhetoric. During an invasion by Attila the Hun, St. Leo met him outside the gates of Rome. After some short words, to everyone's surprise, Attila turned and left. Three years later, during an invasion by Genseric the Vandal, St. Leo's intercession again saved the Eternal City from destruction. Now that's great preaching. … [Read more...]
St. John the Baptist was the Forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. We celebrate his nativity on June 24th. He preached repentance to all, and though a celibate himself preached especially for the honor of marriage (to Herod and Herodias). He preached for about 90 days, then was imprisoned and beheaded. You know when they want you dead after only 3 months of preaching, well... Now that's great preaching. … [Read more...]
The Prophet Jonah lived in the 8th century b.c. Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh, and was so successful that not only did the king repent in sackcloth and ashes, but he ordered all his people to fast, and not just the people - even the cattle, in order to turn God from His righteous chastisement of the great city. God did spare Nineveh. Now that's great preaching. … [Read more...]
English