This sermon explores how God eagerly desires to open our spiritual ears and mouths through His abundant mercy, just as Jesus healed the deaf and mute man by saying "Ephphatha" (be opened). Through baptism and the Eucharist, we experience this same divine opening that enables us to hear God's voice clearly and respond with praise, calling us to be encouragers who help others recognize and participate in God's transforming grace.

This sermon explores how God's ultimate power is revealed through mercy rather than dominance, using the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector to show that humble dependence on divine grace leads to justification while self-righteousness leaves us spiritually empty. Through witnessing baptism and the churching of women, we're reminded that faith and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior is something we receive from previous generations and must faithfully pass on, living in resurrection hope that transforms death into life and pain into joy.

St. Bartholomew, though mysterious in Scripture, offers powerful lessons for modern believers. Initially skeptical about Jesus, he quickly recognized Christ's divinity upon meeting Him. Bartholomew teaches us three essential lessons: the ability to recognize divine presence in ordinary circumstances, the manifestation of faith through tangible power rather than status, and the importance of humble service. His life challenges us to cultivate holy recognition, pursue authentic spiritual power through surrender to God, and embrace servant leadership without seeking the spotlight—principles that remain profoundly relevant in our status-conscious world today.

Fr. Mike explores spiritual awakening through the lens of Christ's Transfiguration, where the disciples saw God's glory only after they woke from sleep, drawing connections between wisdom from Proverbs, the Psalmist's love of God's law, and Jesus' teaching about bearing good fruit. Fr. Mike shows how true spiritual awakening begins with holy fear of the Lord, manifests in obedient love and wise discernment, and ultimately leads us from mountaintop glory down into sacrificial service to others.

Fr. Mike explores spiritual awakening through the lens of Christ's Transfiguration, where the disciples saw God's glory only after they woke from sleep, drawing connections between wisdom from Proverbs, the Psalmist's love of God's law, and Jesus' teaching about bearing good fruit. Fr. Mike shows how true spiritual awakening begins with holy fear of the Lord, manifests in obedient love and wise discernment, and ultimately leads us from mountaintop glory down into sacrificial service to others.

Fr. Mike explains how these sacraments connect believers to Christ and to the communion of saints across time. Baptism initiates believers into Christ's body, giving them a threefold identity as members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven, while the Eucharist sustains them on their spiritual journey through Christ's real presence in the bread and wine.

In our spiritual journey, we encounter a profound truth: without Christ, we are like "dead men walking" - physically alive but spiritually separated from God through sin. This powerful metaphor captures our human condition before salvation. Yet, the Gospel offers something transformative - those who were dead can now truly live.