Fr. James Guirguis

New Year (In September)

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (4:16-22)

Fr. James Guirguis

It is said that before the end of the world the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt and someone will enter that temple to receive worship. This will no doubt be an anti-Christ or The AntiChrist. But as Christians we are reminded that we have no need of a temple since we as Christians become the temple of the Holy Spirit.

He Stands in the Storm

The Reading from the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew. (14:22-34)

Fr. James Guirguis

We see some storms happening in the world around us. Sickness, disease, lawlessness, tyrannical governments, and much more. In our own lives we struggle with the trial of our own fallenness and we deal with our brokenness and the resulting broken relationships with others.

Turning Trials Into Hope

The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans (12:6-14) and The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew (9:1-8)

Fr. James Guirguis

What St. Paul is telling us is that each one of us has a part to play within this story of life. Each one of us has been placed here by God in order to serve and to love and to help one another.

The Difficult Path To Peace

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke (6:31-36)

Fr. James Guirguis

Our Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t tell us to do the things that are easy or come naturally, He tells us to do what is quite difficult and will take work for us in our current state. Have you ever known someone who loved their enemies? Or does that seem like a foreign concept to us?

Spiritual Housekeeping

The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (16:13-24)

Fr. James Guirguis

What does St. Paul mean when he says “Be watchful”? We can often study other parts of Holy Scripture in order to illumine the meaning of hard to grasp phrases. In particular we should hear the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the gospel according to Matthew the Lord Jesus says “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

Rating: 9.5|Votes: 28

It Is Possible Through Him

On Phillippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.”

Fr. James Guirguis

This is a verse that can bring us great joy in the midst of our struggles. It can be our fuel when we think that we have nothing left in our tank.

Rating: 8.5|Votes: 15

Guarding the Truth in the Church

The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles. (20:16-18, 28-36) and The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (17:1-13)

Fr. James Guirguis

On this day, we celebrate the Holy Fathers of the first ecumenical council which was assembled in Nicaea in the year 325ad. Why was this council convened? What did it mean? Why was it so important?

Rating: 9.2|Votes: 29

Why We Reject Christ

Fr. James Guirguis

When Christ is not the light of your world, everything is darkness. But when Jesus Christ is the light of your world, you begin to see clearly. Everything takes on a new look, everything is exposed and healed by the light of Christ. As Christians, it is very important that we take this seriously.

Rating: 8.4|Votes: 14

He Gives Us New Life

Fr. James Guirguis

The simple fact remains, according to the words of the Lord “Without Me you can do nothing.” Christ asks each of us if we want to be healed, let’s not fall into the trap of looking for healing in all the wrong places.

Rating: 9.1|Votes: 21

Why Do We Call It Pascha?

Fr. James Guirguis

My beloved, we are now in the joyous season of Pascha. It occurred to me that perhaps some of you do not know why we call what is known in the west as Easter by this term Pascha. What does it mean? Where did it come from?

Rating: 9.8|Votes: 49

How Not To Lose the Blessings of Holy Week

Fr. James Guirguis

This is the one week of the year when we spend the most time in the church and I want to take a few moments to talk about what we can do to make the most of this time, to gain great benefits.

Rating: 9|Votes: 26

Instructions For The Laity From St. John Climacus

Fr. James Guirguis

In a brief paragraph that is dripping with spirit-filled wisdom, St. John all but hands us the keys to the kingdom. He shows us what is required if we want to live in communion and fellowship with the Holy Trinity.

Rating: 9.1|Votes: 10

The Way That Leads to Life

Fr. James Guirguis

One of the worst things that can happen to us is to begin thinking that if we love God or have true faith, that somehow our life will be easier, or less painful or have less suffering.

Rating: 9.4|Votes: 57

What Can Happen When We Pray

The Second Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, St. Gregory Palamas Sunday

Fr. James Guirguis

I’m amazed every year when I’m reminded that St. Gregory Palamas was once called “the cause of all disorders and disturbances in the Church.” Now imagine that he was called “the cause of all disorders and disturbances in the Church” by the Patriarch of Constantinople himself.

Rating: 9.4|Votes: 21

Why The Sunday of Orthodoxy is the starting point

Fr. James Guirguis

The culmination of the great lenten struggle is found in the glorious events of the crucifixion and resurrection of Our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. According to Christian teaching these are the most important events in the entire history of the universe. Yet, in order for them to be understood as more than myth or legend, something must anchor them to reality.

Rating: 10|Votes: 13

Rock Bottom and The Return To God

Fr. James Guirguis

The Church knows that we as her children often lose our way. We often lack focus. We lose track of time. We lose track of ourselves. But the Church does not lose track of us. She is like a good mother who is watchful, and patient and gently teaches and corrects and makes sure that her children are on the right path.

Rating: 10|Votes: 21

A Few Words For The Newly Baptized and Chrismated

Fr. James Guirguis

This is only the beginning. Let this not be another day in your life, but the day that you recommit yourselves to live only for Jesus Christ and what is profitable for your salvation.

Rating: 9.7|Votes: 30

A Family Tree Full of Bad Apples

Fr. James Guirguis

The Lord became part of this family tree in order to save this tree, to heal this tree and to allow this tree to bear fruit that would feed the whole world, and indeed, the whole universe.

Rating: 9.5|Votes: 20

Are We Sons of Obedience or Disobedience?

Fr. James Guirguis

We might be quick to say “Father, I do not worship idols.” And it is true that you may not have a stone statue of the buddha or krishna or some other deity in your home (at least I hope you don’t), but we worship things by the focus of our attention, our love and our resources. Whatever I give my time, my energy and my money, is a true and sure sign of my priorities.

Rating: 9.8|Votes: 46

Will we have a name when we die?

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (16:19-31)

Fr. James Guirguis

Today we hear the story of the rich man and Lazarus. It is a story that ought to make us stand back and take account of our lives and see whether or not we are on the right path. Why should we do this? Because Jesus our Lord offers us a reality that we in the modern world do not really accept.

Rating: 9.8|Votes: 19

What Your Schedule and Your Budget Reveal about Your Faith

Fr. James Guirguis

Why does one person become a saint and another choose a different way? Why does one person seek goodness, beauty, truth and life while another runs towards evil things and death? Why do some people live their lives toward God and others spend their lives running from Him?

Rating: 9.8|Votes: 16

When Jesus Interrupted a Funeral

Fr. James Guirguis

What the Lord has done for this young man, He offers to each of us; He takes our lives and our situations which often seem bleak and He transforms them just as he transformed the casket from a place of death into a place of new life.

Rating: 10|Votes: 12

What Fruit Does the Master Seek?

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew (21:33-42)

Fr. James Guirguis

How did the master of the vineyard respond to this? He sent even more servants in the hopes that he might get a different result. But it was no use. The result was the same. And finally the master decided to send his own son while he said to himself “They will respect my son.”

Rating: 9|Votes: 9

The Nativity of John the Baptist

Fr. James Guirguis

St. John is an amazing prophet and the Lord Jesus actually calls him the greatest born of a woman. Imagine just how important St. John must be that the Lord would speak so highly of him!

Rating: 9.7|Votes: 37

The Supreme Court and the Healing of the Demoniacs

Fr. James Guirguis

Pray that our country will wake from the fog of ungodliness and that the Lord would remove the demons that possess our culture and offer us His healing and sanity in their place.

Rating: 9|Votes: 21

What happened to the Church of Acts?

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (17:1-13)

Fr. James Guirguis

Imagine the deep desire of the Lord Jesus Christ for unity. Imagine the love that He has for His Church! His prayer is not for Himself but for His followers. His goal is our unity. When someone loves God he desires peace and unity everywhere.

Rating: 9.6|Votes: 14

The House of Mercy

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (5:1-15)

Fr. James Guirguis

Today’s reading paints a vivid picture of pain and suffering and the hope of healing.

Rating: 8.7|Votes: 13

The healing power of forgiveness

Fr. James Guirguis

These are precious words of our Lord Jesus Christ and they remind us that what is contained within the 4 gospels is more important than anything that has ever been written in history.

Rating: 10|Votes: 26

Fixing the problems of the world

Fr. James Guirguis

It is a great temptation to see the world around us and to try to fix it. We see the troubles, the trials, the suffering and we attempt to apply our human logic in a productive way to address the many problems of our world.

Rating: 9.1|Votes: 22

Some New Year’s Resolutions

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark (1:1-8)

Fr. James Guirguis

In today’s reading, given to us on this the eve of the New Year, we hear these words “Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.” If that is not a worthwhile New Year’s resolution, I am not sure what would be. Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. But what does that actually mean for us? What is this path that we need to make straight? What is the way of the Lord, and how do we prepare it?

Rating: 9.5|Votes: 17

When Religion Is Used As A Weapon

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke (13:10-17)

Fr. James Guirguis

When our religious practices don’t start with the love of God, they become like weapons. They no longer can do good for us or for others. They no longer help us to heal but cause wounds.

Rating: 9.6|Votes: 8

Exposing Our Darkness to Light

The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians. (5:8-19)

Fr. James Guirguis

Thankfully St. Paul gives us a way out of such a mess. He says “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but expose them.” There are many ways that we can expose our sins but I will focus on the most important one, the one that the Church provides for all of it’s people, free of charge. The sacrament of confession.

Rating: 9.7|Votes: 24

Did The Early Church Believe in Icons?

Fr. James Guirguis

There is however one potential, what happens when two different groups of Christians each claim to be following the word of God and yet they come up with dramatically different interpretations and ideas based on the same texts?

Rating: 10|Votes: 1

Marching Orders

The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (16:13-24)

Fr. James Guirguis

We are also watchful when we take care that we don’t neglect our own spiritual lives and lose our focus. The Lord Jesus says that if we are not ready for His coming, it will be “like a thief in the night.” We can meet our king at any moment. The apostle asks us to be watchful so that the moment does not catch us off guard.

Rating: 9.7|Votes: 20

How To Heal the Divide

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (18:23-35)

Fr. James Guirguis

All statistics point to a significant change happening in the fabric of our society. Today there are more atheists in the United States than at any time in history, that is a statistical fact. Why does this matter?

Rating: 8.8|Votes: 25

“Lord Have Mercy” As a Way of Life

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew (17:14-23)

Fr. James Guirguis

Often people who come to the Orthodox Church for the first time are quite amazed at the number of times they will hear us pray “Lord have mercy” at every service and especially at the Divine Liturgy. This is no accident but a purposeful habit that the Church, our mother, is trying to form within us.

Rating: 9.8|Votes: 4

Bringing Everything to Christ

Fr. James Guirguis

Today’s gospel passage about the 5 loaves and the 2 fish is a great reminder that God doesn’t need much in order to accomplish His will. But there is one thing that He requires…that we entrust everything to Him.

Rating: 9.9|Votes: 9

Are We Wax or Fire?

Fr. James Guirguis

Nothing attracts others to God like people who are genuinely faithful to God and to His commandments. In fact, it is sometimes said that people have no problem with Jesus but that they have a problem with the followers of Jesus whom they’ve encountered.

Rating: 6.7|Votes: 3

Giving Christ the Key to the City

Fr. James Guirguis

When does the Lord visit us? Every time that we have a thought that reminds us of God. Every time that our conscience speaks to us and attempts to correct us. Every time that we think about praying.

Rating: 9.7|Votes: 19

Telling the Truth is a Revolutionary Act

Fr. James Guirguis

What is the beginning of sainthood? According to the Lord, it is the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ before others. How do we acknowledge our Lord and master on a daily basis before others? It is a really important question that is worthy of reflection and a thoughtful answer.

Rating: 9.8|Votes: 13

How Do Christians Receive the Holy Spirit?

Fr. James Guirguis

Today we celebrate the Holy Feast of Pentecost. We celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples and Apostles of Our Lord Jesus Christ. But what about us?

Rating: 9.3|Votes: 3

The Truth is Life

Fr. James Guirguis

There is in our society a concerted effort which begins at the university level, to discredit the idea of absolute or objective truth. In the life of a Christian there is nothing that is more important than the absolute truth.

Rating: 9.8|Votes: 10

Do All Paths Lead to Salvation?

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John 4:5-42

Fr. James Guirguis

I would like to focus on some of the difficult things our Lord Jesus Christ says to the woman at the well. In our society we are being very well trained not to cause any waves with the things that we say. We are taught to be politically correct with all of our speech. We are taught that there are no absolute truths and objective realities only opinions and feelings are relevant.

Rating: 10|Votes: 1

The “Troublemaker” Who Became a Saint

The Second Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, St. Gregory Palamas Sunday

Fr. James Guirguis

He was once called “the cause of all disorders and disturbances in the Church.” Now imagine that he was called “the cause of all disorders and disturbances in the Church” by the Patriarch of Constantinople himself.

Rating: 2|Votes: 1

Jesus Christ: Heart Surgeon

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (6:14-21)

Fr. James Guirguis

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” These are the words of our Lord God and savior Jesus Christ given to us today as we are now at the edge and preparing to leap into Great and Holy Lent. Our Lord has this amazing way of reorienting our thinking and even removing our blindness in order to help us to see.

Rating: 7.6|Votes: 7

Seeing the Son of Man in Every Man

The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew (25:31-46)

Fr. James Guirguis

The teachings of Our Lord, God and savior Jesus Christ are often quite difficult for us. In fact, it cannot be any other way since God is speaking to man. God is attempting to raise man from his earthly nature which makes him similar to the beasts, and He is trying to raise him to the level and stature which alone is God’s. We do not take lightly the idea that God desires to call us “sons and daughters.”

Rating: 10|Votes: 1

How Zacchaeus Reclaimed Paradise

Fr. James Guirguis

Zacchaeus demonstrates his willingness to struggle to know God. He may look foolish as a grown man who is climbing into a tree. He probably got sweaty and dirty. It took effort. But it was all worth it wasn’t it?

Rating: 10|Votes: 3

What kind of a God would allow such things to happen?

Fr. James Guirguis

The evangelist St. Matthew has left a wonderful present under the tree and he teases us to contemplate it and think about it and perhaps even to peek into it and discover something of the mystery of this joyous feast.

Rating: 6.7|Votes: 3

When “being religious” is a sickness

Fr. James Guirguis

One of the things we learn from Our Lord, God and savior Jesus Christ is that outward observances don’t matter, in fact they are downright evil, when they do not transform those who practice them. We encounter just such a situation here.

Rating: 5.3|Votes: 180

The prayer that terrifies demons

Fr. James Guirguis

As Christians we learn to be at peace with the presence of Christ in our lives as we grow in our relationship with Christ and then we do not have to be tortured and tormented and caught off guard like the demon possessed man.

Rating: 9.2|Votes: 9

Why Politicians Fail So Often

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 6:31-36

Fr. James Guirguis

The teachings of Jesus Christ are often radically different than those of our culture. It seems that if we only obeyed the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ we could probably fire most of our politicians.

Rating: 8|Votes: 5

Denial as a Path to Life

Fr. James Guirguis

We each have struggles and difficulties and crosses in our lives, some of them are quite painful. What is the thought process that we go through when we encounter difficulties?

Rating: 7|Votes: 6

Many atheists believe in God

Fr. James Guirguis

One of the worst ideas that has ever been circulated about Christianity is this idea that God is full of wrath and that He is actively seeking people to punish and throw into a place called hell.

Rating: 10|Votes: 1

Do We Seek Justice or Mercy?

Fr. James Guirguis

What God demands of us seems like too much. But what God asks of us, He has already done for us. The Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated the ability to forgive even in the midst of His ordeals and great suffering upon the cross! He cries out Father forgive them, for they know not what they do! By demonstrating such an ability, the crucified Lord affirms that it is indeed possible for us to do the same. And by opening up this possibility of forgiveness, God will open to us the doors of His heavenly kingdom and He will allow us to dwell with those who have suffered injustices and triumphed through forgiveness.

Rating: 10|Votes: 2

"You have no faith"

Fr. James Guirguis

In today's gospel we are witnesses to another encounter of Jesus with a family that has suffered. A father has just brought his son to the Lord Jesus because he is an epileptic who “suffers terribly”. This father has to bring his son to Jesus Christ because the Lord's disciples had failed to heal the boy. After the Lord has healed the boy, the disciples are curious as to why He was able to heal when they were unable to do so. Jesus' answer to them is also an answer to many of our problems “because you have no faith.”

Rating: 5|Votes: 1

How We build the Church, Part 2

The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans 15:1-7

Fr. James Guirguis

Last week we spent some time speaking of what it takes the build up the Church and specifically this church in this particular place. We were reminded by the Holy Apostle Paul that each and every individual within the Church receives divine gifts by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

How We Build the Church

The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans 12:6-14

Fr. James Guirguis

In today’s epistle we hear some of the words of encouragement from the great Apostle St. Paul to the Christians of Rome. These words are a beautiful reminder to all of us who are here together to build this mission and spread the Orthodox faith.

Rating: 9.6|Votes: 12

When Jesus Only Said One Word

Fr. James Guirguis

What is this one word that the Lord spoke? What is this one word that changed the lives of two troubled men? What was this word that troubled a whole city? What was this word that caused the Lord to have to leave again for His own city?

Rating: 9|Votes: 9

God, or Mammon?

Fr. James Guirguis

Mammon is wealth or money but in this case it is understood as having the potential to greatly influence our moral compass as well. We live in a world that requires us to make money. We need financial resources to do much of what we do. The Lord understands that completely. The issue here is not whether or not we need money.

Rating: 8|Votes: 6

Steps to Sainthood according to Jesus

Fr. James Guirguis

Let’s be faithful to acknowledge Jesus Christ in word, in deed and in thought. Let us love nothing more than we love Christ. Let us each carry the cross with faith that God sees our personal sacrifices and numbers each of them and will never forget them, but will truly reward us by pouring out His Holy Spirit upon us and transforming us into people who are filled with the love of Christ, into people who are illumined, into people who are glorified as real saints.

Rating: 2|Votes: 1

The Courage to Follow Christ

Fr. James Guirguis

In today’s gospel passage we recognize and celebrate the virtues of the Myrrh bearing women. They are known for their dedication and service and these are truly important attributes that everyone can learn from and imitate. But what is not thought about often is the exceeding strength and courage required of them.

Rating: 5.3|Votes: 4

Occam’s Razor and the Resurrection

Fr. James Guirguis

We have just celebrated Pascha or Easter as it is otherwise known and the celebration that we partake of for 40 days is the celebration of Life over death, of Good over evil, of Light over darkness, of Holiness over sin. In the midst of our celebration it is easy to lose focus and to forget that this is not just a story that has been passed down to us for 2000 years.

Rating: 10|Votes: 3

Transforming “Crucify Him!” into “HOSANNA!”

Fr. James Guirguis

We are now entering into the busiest week in the life of the Church. This is the week where we witness the turning point to the greatest story of the human race.

Rating: 10|Votes: 3

Could Demons Exist?

Fr. James Guirguis

We all want to change, we want to become better humans, some of us want to know Jesus Christ more intimately, some of us want to become saints. These are all big results and if you want big results you better have big faith. And if you want to have big faith you better exercise that faith through prayer and fasting.

Rating: 10|Votes: 3

We Are At War

Fr. James Guirguis

This Cross is not magic. It is the remembrance of Christ Our Lord’s sufferings and trials at the hands of sinners. It is the remembrance of the manly, heroic courage of Our Lord in the face of unrestrained evil. But the reminder is of a dual nature. We are reminded of Christ’s heroic struggles on our behalf and the demons are reminded of their ultimate defeat at the hands of the Holy Son of God.

Rating: 10|Votes: 3

Can we actually experience God?

Fr. James Guirguis

This Second Sunday of Great Lent teaches us so much. We learn that the work of the body is important work. We learn that we are saved together as an integral whole, body, mind and soul. We learn that when we harness our hearts, minds and souls to agree on working together towards knowledge of our Creator, we are then able to truly share in the benefits of the title “Child of God.”