Homily - Sunday after Nativity - 12/29/13

Homily given on the Sunday after The Nativity by Fr. Rankin.  In his homily, Fr. Rankin spoke of the gifts of the Magi, honored on this Sunday in the Eastern Church.  To further illustrate the gifts of the Magi, Fr. Rankin tied those gifts into the newly englightened servant, Evan Joseph, who was baptized, christmated and received his first eucharist today.

Homily - Sunday after Nativity - 12/29/13

Gospel - Sunday after Nativity 2013 - 12/29/13

Byzantine Catholic Gospel reading for the Sunday after the Nativity 2013.

Gospel - Sunday after Nativity - 12/29/13

Homily - Christmas 2013 - 12/25/13

Homily given by Fr. Rankin on Christmas Day 2013.

Homily - Christmas 2013 - 12/25/13

Gospel - Christmas 2013 - 12/25/13

Byzantine Catholic Gospel reading for Christmas Day.

Gospel - Christmas 2013 - 12/25/13

Homily - Sunday before Christmas - 12/22/13

Homily - Sunday before Christmas - 12/22/13

Gospel - Sunday before Christmas - 12/22/13

Gospel - Sunday before Christmas - 12/22/13

Homily - Sunday of Holy Forefathers - 12/15/13

Homily - Sunday of Forefathers - 12/15/13

Gospel - Sunday of Holy Forefathers - 12/15/13

Gospel - Sunday of Forefathers - 12/15/13

Homily - 29th Sunday after Pentecost - 12/8/13

Homily given on the 29th Sunday after Pentecost by Fr. Rankin.  Fr. Rankin reflected on the Gospel passage reading during the Divine Liturgy, of the man throwing a feast and the invited not showing up for the feast.

Homily - 29th Sunday after Pentecost - 12/8/13

Gospel - 29th Sunday after Pentecost - 12/8/13

Byzantine Catholic Gospel reading for the 29th Sunday after Pentecost.

Gospel - 29th Sunday after Pentecost - 12/8/13

Homily - 28th Sunday after Pentecost - 12/1/13

Homily - 28th Sunday after Pentecost - 12/1/13

Gospel - 28th Sunday after Pentecost - 12/1/13

Gospel - 28th Sunday after Pentecost - 12/1/13

Homily - 27th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/24/13

In his homily, Fr. Rankin reflected on the Gospel reading for the day by talking about what it means to be touched by God.  In many ways, Jesus touched several people in the Gospel reading from Luke 13:10-17.  Fr. Rankin continued by reflecting on the Epistle reading where St. Paul exhorts us to put on the armor the God gives us so that we may withstand the spiritual attacks from the Devil.

Homily - 27th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/24/13

Gospel - 27th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/24/13

Byzantine Catholic Gospel reading for the 27th Sunday after Pentecost.  The Gospel reading came from Luke 13:10-17

10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” 13 And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” 17 As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.



Gospel - 27th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/24/13

Homily - 26th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/17/13

Homily given on the 26th Sunday after Pentecost by Fr. Rankin.  In his homily, Fr. Rankin spoke on the problems and causes of materialism in our society and how nicely that ties in to the Gospel reading for the day.

Homily - 26th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/1713

Gospel - 26th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/17/13

Byzantine Catholic Gospel reading for the 26th Sunday after Pentecost.  The Gospel reading comes from Luke 12:16-21:

16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”



Gospel - 26th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/17/13

Homily - 24th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/3/13

Homily given on the 24th Sunday after Pentecost.  In his homily, Fr. Rankin reflected on the Gospel reading of the woman who touched Jesus and was healed of bleeding.  Fr. Rankin spoke of this "interruption" of Jesus, who was speaking to a man named Jairus.

Homily - 24th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/3/13

Gospel - 24th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/3/13

Byzantine Catholic Gospel reading for the 24th Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel reading came from Luke 8:41-56:

And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus’ feet he besought him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As he went, the people pressed round him. 43 And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and could not be healed by any one, 44 came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

49 While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Gospel - 24th Sunday after Pentecost - 11/3/13

Homily - 23rd Sunday after Pentecost - 10/27/13

In his homily, Fr. Rankin reflected on the Gospel of the Gerasene demoniac who filled with many demons and Jesus cast them out into a nearby swine herd.  Fr. Rankin used a well known reading from radio personality Paul Harvey entitled if "If I Were The Devil".  Fr. Rankin read this and spoke about it in the context of the Gospel reading of the Gerasene demoniac and how just as Jesus cast out the demons 2,000 years ago, He can do the same for our world today.

Homily - 23rd Sunday after Pentecost - 10/27/13

Gospel - 23rd Sunday after Pentecost - 10/27/13

Byzantine Catholic Gospel reading for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost.  The Gospel reading came from Luke Chapter 8:26-39:

26 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And as he stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

Gospel - 23rd Sunday after Pentecost - 10/27/13

Homily - 22nd Sunday after Pentecost - 10/20/13

Homily given by Fr. Rankin on the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost.  Fr. Rankin spoke about the Gospel parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  To illustrate what it means to turn your life around and follow Christ, Fr. Rankin used the story of Oskar Schindler and his moment of conversion when he realized what was happening to Jews in Poland at the hands of the Nazi's.

Homily - 22nd Sunday after Pentecost - 10/20/13

Gospel - 22nd Sunday after Pentecost - 10/20/13

Byzantine Catholic Gospel reading for the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost.  The Gospel reading came from Luke 16:19-31:

19 “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.’”


Gospel - 22nd Sunday after Pentecost - 10/20/13

Homily - Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council - 10/13/13

Homily given by Fr. Rankin on the Sunday of the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council and the 21st Sunday after Pentecost.  Fr. Rankin briefly spoke on the iconoclasm and how that was broken by the 7th Ecumenical Council.  Afterwards, Fr. Rankin reflected on the parable of the seed sown on good and rocky ground.

Homily - Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council - 10/13/13

Gospel - Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council - 10/13/13

There are two Gospel readings for this Sunday.  One for the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council and the other for the 21st Sunday after Pentecost.

The reading for the 21st Sunday after Pentecost came from John 17:1-13:

 1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee, 2 since thou hast given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. 4 I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do; 5 and now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made.

6 “I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them to me, and they have kept thy word. 7 Now they know that everything that thou hast given me is from thee; 8 for I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from thee; and they have believed that thou didst send me. 9 I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine; 10 all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

The reading from the 7th Ecumenical council came from Luke 8:5-15:

“A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns;and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 

9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said,“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.  11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in timeof temptation fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Gospel - Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council - 10/13/13

Homily - 20th Sunday after Pentecost - 10/6/13

Homily given by Fr. Rankin on the 20th Sunday after Pentecost.  Fr. Rankin spoke on the culture of death in our society and how it runs against the Gospel reading proclaimed at the Divine Liturgy.  Fr. Rankin used the story of Fr. Paulo and Fr. Felipe Lizama, twin brothers recently ordained to the priesthood.  Their mother was told that the baby in her womb was growing to be seriously deformed, with three arms and two heads. and was encouraged by the doctor to have an abortion.  Their mother chose to accept the gift of the child, which turned out to be two healthy boys who are now priests for Jesus Christ.

Homily - 20th Sunday after Pentecost - 10/6/13

Gospel - 20th Sunday after Pentecost - 10/6/13

Byzantine Catholic Gospel reading for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost.  The Gospel reading came from Luke 7:11-16 and reads:

11 Soon afterward he went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said,“Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”


Gospel - 20th Sunday after Pentecost - 10/6/13

Homily - 19th Sunday after Pentecost - 9/29/13

In his homily, Fr. Rankin spoke about the Gospel reading for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost which had to do with loving your enemies.  Fr. Rankin further unpacked the Golden Rule and how it applied to today's Gospel reading.

Homily - 19th Sunday after Pentecost - 9/29/13

Gospel - 19th Sunday after Pentecost - 9/29/13

Byzantine Catholic Gospel reading for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost.  The reading comes from Luke 6:27-36 and reads as follows:

27 “But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.e Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Gospel - 19th Sunday after Pentecost - 9/22/13