December 19, 2021

Love is Sacrifice
Sunday Sermon

- Fr. Micah Hirschy -


Today on the Sunday before the Nativity, the Gospel lesson is taken from Matthew 1:1-25. In this pericope, we hear the genealogy of Jesus Christ and all generations beginning with Abraham. We also hear the fulfillment of a prophecy from Isaiah 7:14, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). Fr. Micah reflects on the name Emmanuel and encourages us to remember that no one has loved more than Jesus who sacrificed His life for the world. In the Incarnation, God shows His deep, abiding, and self-emptying love for us by becoming a child. Do we as Orthodox Christians love God with self-offering and sacrifice? Before we can love we must have more than an intellectual awareness of God's love. When we remember that God loved us first, we come to the point where we feel loved producing a response of humility and love for God and others.



Fr. Micah Hirschy grew up in St. Paul, MN and attended St. George Greek Orthodox Church. He graduated from Hellenic College in 2004 and continued his studies at Holy Cros

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Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej





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Fr. Micah Hirschy grew up in St. Paul, MN and attended St. George Greek Orthodox Church. He graduated from Hellenic College in 2004 and continued his studies at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, where he graduated with an M. Div. in 2007. Upon graduating, he began working at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Memphis, TN as Pastoral Assistant. He was married in 2011 to Anastasia Hartzes of Mobile, AL and was ordained to the Deaconate and Priesthood by Metropolitan ALEXIOS of Atlanta in December of 2012. He currently serves as Ephemerios at the Holy Trinity Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Birmingham, AL.