January 17, 2021

Overwhelmed by Gratitude
Sunday Sermon

- Fr. Gregory Edwards Ph.D - Dean -


Today on the 12th Sunday of Luke the Gospel lesson comes to us from Luke 17:12-19. In this pericope we encounter the miracle of Jesus’ healing of the ten lepers, a story that is applicable in many ways to the cultural concerns at this present time. Father Gregory shares with us a message that has both practical and salvific implications. The ten lepers in the Gospel lesson experienced isolation from society much in the same way we have during the pandemic. Their isolation and dreadful disease cause them to call out to Jesus as Master imploring Him for mercy. Our Lord grants mercy to the lepers and commands that they show themselves to the priests which was a requirement of the law. In their obedience to Christ, they are healed of their death sentence but sadly only one of them is overwhelmed with gratitude and returned to Christ giving thanks. Perhaps the other nine struggled with a sense of entitlement like we do today as consumerism makes it difficult for us to cultivate feelings of gratitude. As Orthodox Christians we must realize that ungratefulness is a sin and to find joy we should cultivate a sense of gratitude through humility not allowing our pride to make us think that God owes us something.



The Rev. Fr. Gregory Edwards, Ph.D., was raised in Virginia and eastern Pennsylvania, and became a member of the Orthodox Church while studying for his Bachelor's degree

307 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233 | Fr. Gregory Edwards, Dean | 205.716.3080

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej





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The Rev. Fr. Gregory Edwards, Ph.D., was raised in Virginia and eastern Pennsylvania, and became a member of the Orthodox Church while studying for his Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies at Brown University. After completing a Master's Degree in the New Testament and early Christianity at Florida State University, he conducted doctoral studies in Greece at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, graduating summa cum laude in 2012. Ordained in 2007, he served parishes in Thessaloniki and Volos for 9 years. He and his wife Presvytera Pelagia lived in Greece from 2006-2016, where their four children were born. He has served as Assistant Professor of Missiology at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary in New York since 2014. Before coming to Birmingham in March 2019, Fr. Gregory served St. George Greek Orthodox Church in New Port Richey, FL from 2016-2019.