Today, on the 6th Sunday of Matthew, Father Gregory shares with us in his sermon that The Church is Christ extended throughout the ages. He conveys in his message that each of us as Baptized Orthodox Christians have been given gifts from God and make up the Body of Christ. Both the Epistle, which comes to us from Romans 12: 6-14 and the Gospel, taken from Matthew 9:1-8, connect for us the idea that human beings have been given authority, passed down from Christ and the Apostles. Each part of the Body has a specific purpose, which should neither be over or under estimated. Parish priests cannot serve every function of the church, but they can help us to discover our God given gifts. As Orthodox Christians we should desire to serve others showing them honor and recognizing the gifts within our grasp.