Sts Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Institute
1 Nov 09: Website of the Diocese of Canada
The website of the Canadian Diocese is now online.
1 Nov 09: Homily on the 21st Sunday after Pentecost
21st Sunday after Pentecost – the Sower
Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)
Brothers and sisters! Did you know that there exists a psychological law by which under the influence of thought, a feeling, a desire is kindled; and from desire comes action. This law was discovered back in the first centuries by the Fathers of the Church, and then it passed on into secular life. In any sphere of life, there isn’t a single action which is not provoked by feeling and desire. And in their turn, feeling and desire are kindled by thought; just as any flammable substance will catch fire if, for a sufficient length of time, one holds over it a magnifying glass through which a ray of sun is concentrated. And so: thought — feeling — action.
Both readings for this Sunday, the Apostle and the Gospel, are in a wonderful way connected with this law. Even more: without this law we wouldn’t even be able to understand them in all their depth. The Gospel tells us about the Sower, the seed, and the ground. Different kinds of ground are mentioned: the ground by the wayside, the stony ground, the ground overgrown with weeds, and finally, good ground. (more…)