- Miraculous Icon of St. Nicholas
Sermon from St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in McKinney, Texas, January, 2008, on the Massacre of Holy Innocents in Bethlehem by Herod:
(MP3): http://www.orthodox.net/audio/feasts-of-the-savior-nativity-04_2008-01-13+sunday-after-nativity+how-can-we-make-sense-out-of-the-senseless_galatians1;11-19+matthew2;13-2.mp3
Notes on the Sermon
All the infants of Bethlehem- dead. Why would such a thing occur? Senseless. There are many senseless occurrences in the Holy Scriptures. Horrible things- mothers sacrificing their children to idol Baal. How do we deal with violence? By waiting on the Lord. Herod died an agonizing death, and faced certain agony after death. What do we make of Hitler and Stalin? We may never know why they arose and did what they did; but we know that God has given us the great and terrible gift of free will. Terrible, in that we misuse it. Do we not also entertain violent thoughts? And when we give into our passions we sacrifice our free will to enter into a pleasurable bondage. So much pain; as we obey, God will give us wisdom and understanding, that our hearts may find peace.
And does not all this pertain to life with a disability? This too seems senseless. And so the exhortations in this sermon serve as disability resources.
other sermons: http://www.orthodox.net/audio/
Home Page of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, McKinney, Texas: http://www.orthodox.net/
St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church weblog - scripture commentary, spiritual reflections: http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/
The source and story on the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2008/12/miraculous-icon-of-st-nicholas-o.html
