Mother of the Streets

04/25/2026

Henri Nouwen is one of my heroes...
The church isn't perfect or even close...
but, however you experience it...
you may find an answer at its table...

04/25/2026

THE PASCHAL HOMILY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOMOS
This homily is read at the Paschal Divine Liturgy on the Sunday of the Resurrection.

If any be a devout lover of God,
let him partake with gladness from this fair and radiant feast.
If any be a faithful servant,
let him enter rejoicing into the joy of his Lord.
If any have wearied himself with fasting,
let him now enjoy his reward.
If any have laboured from the first hour,
let him receive today his rightful due.
If any have come after the third,
let him celebrate the feast with thankfulness.
If any have come after the sixth,
let him not be in doubt, for he will suffer no loss.
If any have delayed until the ninth,
let him not hesitate but draw near.
If any have arrived only at the eleventh,
let him not be afraid because he comes so late.

For the Master is generous and accepts the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him who comes at the eleventh hour in the same was as him who has laboured from the first.
He accepts the deed, and commends the intention.

Enter then, all of you, into the joy of our Lord.
First and last, receive alike your reward.
Rich and poor, dance together.
You who fasted and you who have not fasted, rejoice together.
The table is fully laden: let all enjoy it.
The calf is fatted: let none go away hungry.

Let none lament his poverty;
for the universal Kingdom is revealed.
Let none bewail his transgressions;
for the light of forgiveness has risen from the tomb.
Let none fear death;
for death of the Saviour has set us free.

He has destroyed death by undergoing death.
He has despoiled hell by descending into hell.
He vexed it even as it tasted of His flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he cried:
Hell was filled with bitterness when it met Thee face to face below;
filled with bitterness, for it was brought to nothing;
filled with bitterness, for it was mocked;
filled with bitterness, for it was overthrown;
filled with bitterness, for it was put in chains.
Hell received a body, and encountered God. It received earth, and confronted heaven.
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?

Christ is risen!
And you, o death, are annihilated!
Christ is risen!
And the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is risen!
And the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen!
And life is liberated!
Christ is risen!
And the tomb is emptied of its dead;
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be Glory and Power, now and forever, and from all ages to all ages.
Amen!

01/30/2026

01/05/2026

Can you help us serve all those whom Christ brings to our doors?
https://givebutter.com/vfQazT

The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry man; the coat hanging in your closet belongs to the man who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the man who has no shoes; the money that you put into the bank belongs to the poor.

The greatest miracle is not raising the dead, but rather feeding the hungry. We pray to end hunger, but we also feed the hungry. We are not out to feed the world or end hunger. All we want is to feed one person, and if that is a child, even better.

The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry man; the coat hanging in your closet belongs to the man who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the man who has no shoes; the money which you put into the bank belongs to the poor

01/05/2026

To turn away from the outcasts of society, the needy, and the powerless is to turn away from Jesus. Such people show His face to the world. These people are also a presence of the Church because where Christ is, there is his Church.

A greater number of homeless and almost homeless people live on the streets. These people can be unemployed, underemployed workers, battered women, the untreated mentally ill, or simply those too poor to survive. They tend to be "invisible" to the rest of society, but they are a real presence of Christ, the Suffering Servant.

The Mother of God is the mother of those who are in the streets. Her garments and those of her Son are adorned with jewels and gold, revealing the hidden value and dignity of the people of the street, who are living icons of God.

We are inclined to think of Mary as a fresh young virgin, sixteen or seventeen years old, who never gets old. She was worn out, with gray hair, hunched shoulders, a furrowed forehead, and maybe even a bent back, because she was a working woman. Her hands were probably very rough. That is why Mary is the type of the Church. Looking at the Church externally, we see all the faults, we see all the sins. We see greed, corruption, and ambition. We forget that this is the Church, the Body of Christ.

This is the Church that is scarred by the wounds of Christ, who seemed repulsive to Himself when he achieved his crucifixion. This is the Church that has carried the burden of humanity for almost two thousand years.

This is the Church that has borne our sins. This is the Church that is tired, with a furrowed brow, with lined cheeks, with gray hair, like Mary. That is why Mary is the type of the Church. She is our Mother.

And these are the people that the Holy Martyrs listen to, learn their names, and serve
These are the folks of this mission parish.

01/05/2026

Wanted to work in churches

The required conditions
They are good at running after stray sheep,
They know where to look for the missing dirhams,
They seek not their own glory but the glory of Christ,
They don't condemn their brothers; they don't think about wounding one of the children of Christ because the church is the house of God, not their house.
They say what they do, they love everyone and don't have a dependent group, they know that all people have value, they are good at self-denial,
They have the physical strength that helps them to miss,
And their lack of the far away and not the beloved of the dependent,

And they can work from home.
By connecting to God:
And the lack of constant questions.
No good view is required at all
Or proficiency in languages or a graduation certificate..
The important thing is to love

(Bishop Buffley)

01/05/2026

Thank you for your past prayers, support, and help. Please keep all that Christ brings to our doors in your prayers.

I hope you are doing well. As someone who has been an essential part of our Monastery of the Holy Martyrs & Orthodox Worker Communities family, I wanted to let you know how much your prayers and support mean to our ministries.

This year, we hope to continue bringing hope and smiles. However, we can’t do it alone—we’re reaching out today to reconnect and invite you to join us again in making a positive change.

Would you consider renewing your support for the Monastery of the Holy Martyrs and Orthodox Worker Communities? Every contribution, regardless of size, is crucial to our continued success and fulfillment of our mission. You can easily donate online at https://givebutter.com/NmXMJa

We understand that circumstances change, and if there are specific reasons why you’ve paused your giving, we’d love to hear your feedback. Your insights are invaluable as we strive to improve and better serve our community.

Thank you once again for being a part of our journey. We hope to welcome you back soon and continue making a difference together.

Warm regards,



Father Theodosius
Abbot / Executive Director
Monastery of the Holy Martyrs /Orthodox Worker Communities

What we do is simple -- We feed folks! Hungry?