Father François Beyrouti's Homilies.
163 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingDear brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray these homilies help you grow in your spiritual life. Please send me any suggestions or comments. You can subscribe to the homily YouTube page at: YouTube.com/MelkiteTV - Father François Beyrouti. Holy Cross Melkite Catholic Church. 451 West Madison Avenue. Placentia, CA 92870-4537. (714) 985-1710. HolyCrossMelkite.org
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Episodes
Do You Live to Please Everyone or God?
August 16, 2022 17:00 - 9 minutes - 6.26 MBThe letters of Saint Paul frequently contain nuances that we can easily overlook. He is a master of making his point by using both eloquent and well-crafted points. Therefore, to really get to the richness of what he is saying we must read his words very carefully. Support the show
Contrast God’s Word With Your Expectations.
August 01, 2022 18:00 - 7 minutes - 5.28 MBIf we were to ask God for anything, what would we ask for? If we have health issues, we would want to be cured. If we do not have a job, we would want help finding one. If we were going through a personal difficulty or tragedy, we would want some Divine assistance... Support the show
How the Bible Engages All Our Senses.
July 27, 2022 16:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBHow the Bible Engages All Our Senses. July 24, 2022, homily by Father François Beyrouti, Ph.D./D.Th. Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Epistle: Romans 15:1-7. Gospel: Matthew 9:27-35. Support the show
See and Show God’s Compassion.
July 05, 2022 19:00 - 13 minutes - 9.22 MBJuly 3, 2022, homily by Father François Beyrouti, Ph.D./D.Th. Fourth Sunday After Pentecost Epistle: Romans 6:18-23 Gospel: Matthew 8:5-13. Support the show
How to be Fulfilled?
June 27, 2022 21:00 - 13 minutes - 9.39 MBJune 26, 2022, homily by Father François Beyrouti, Ph.D./D.Th. Third Sunday After Pentecost Epistle: Romans 5:1-10. Gospel: Matthew 6:22-33. Support the show
How to Make the Bible Stylish.
June 20, 2022 21:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBToday’s Gospel focuses on two sets of brothers, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, who leave their fishing nets and their father to follow Jesus. Every Sunday we read passages from the Bible and our prayers are composed of verses from the Old and New Testaments because we believe the Bible helps us celebrate all that God has done for us and it is also a guide for our daily life. Therefore, was relevant in the past, and it is relevant in the present and will remain relevant for all time. ...
God Made You a Saint.
June 13, 2022 16:00 - 14 minutes - 9.81 MBToday, on the Sunday after Pentecost we celebrate the Sunday of all the Saints. We heard in the letter to the Hebrews why some are considered “Saints.” “The saints who through faith … enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, [34] quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, … Some were tortured … Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. [37] They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were kill...
How Jesus Established the Catholic Church.
June 01, 2022 21:00 - 9 minutes - 6.83 MBSome of the words we use in Church sound fancy because they are not part of our day-to-day conversations, and they are often rooted in three main languages: -Hebrew, where we get words like Alleluia (praise the Lord) and Amen (so be it, literally: for sure.). -Greek, where we get words like Liturgy (work of the people) and Kyrie eleison (Lord have mercy) -Latin, where we get words like Pope (father) and Creed (Credo: I believe)... Support the show
Are You Catholic or Christian?
May 24, 2022 16:00 - 14 minutes - 10.4 MBHas someone ever asked you: “Are you Catholic or are you Christian?” “Are you saved?” “Why do Catholics baptize children?” or other faith-related questions? If so, do you feel comfortable answering these and other questions related to your faith? You should, because in his first letter, Saint Peter says: “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). If there is hope in us, then we need to be able to speak about that hop...
Mothers Mirror God’s Love for Us.
May 09, 2022 22:00 - 12 minutes - 8.83 MBHappy Mother’s Day to all our mothers. The word “mother” is one of the most beautiful words in every language of the world. “Mama” is also one of the first words any child says. As well, the word mother is one of the first words in the Bible because the word “mother” refers to a person, but also implies the creation of a child that is connected to a lifetime relationship that a man and a woman commit to each other. This relationship flows from the gift of God and mirrors God’s love for us......
Is Church Service For Everyone?
May 02, 2022 22:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBChrist is Risen. He is Truly Risen. On this second Sunday after Easter, we continue to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. In last week’s Gospel Jesus appeared to the apostles and Saint Thomas. Today’s Gospel focuses on the women who went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’s body... Support the show
How to See the Resurrection.
April 25, 2022 17:00 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MBChrist is Risen. He is Truly Risen. Almaseeh Qaam. Haqqan Qaam. Christos Anesti. Alethos Anesti. We keep repeating this wonderful phrase for forty days as a reminder that Jesus appeared to His followers many times after the resurrection... Support the show
What is the Evidence of Your Faith in Christ?
April 22, 2022 23:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBApparently, 86.54 percent of statistics are made up. On the other hand, some statistics are real, but not very helpful. One statistic points out that hospitals are the most dangerous places on earth because that is where most deaths take place... Support the show
What is the Evidence of Your Faith in Christ?
April 22, 2022 23:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBApparently, 86.54 percent of statistics are made up. On the other hand, some statistics are real, but not very helpful. One statistic points out that hospitals are the most dangerous places on earth because that is where most deaths take place... Support the show (https://www.holycrossmelkite.org/donate)
What is the Evidence of Your Faith in Christ?
April 22, 2022 23:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBApparently, 86.54 percent of statistics are made up. On the other hand, some statistics are real, but not very helpful. One statistic points out that hospitals are the most dangerous places on earth because that is where most deaths take place... Support the show (https://www.holycrossmelkite.org/donate)
How to Rise With Christ Every Day?
April 22, 2022 23:00 - 10 minutes - 7.53 MBOne of the most annoying things is when someone tells you “I told you so.” This phrase sounds so condescending and it makes it seems that the person saying it knows so much more than you and wants to rub in some past advice. Support the show
How to Rise With Christ Every Day?
April 22, 2022 23:00 - 10 minutes - 7.53 MBOne of the most annoying things is when someone tells you “I told you so.” This phrase sounds so condescending and it makes it seems that the person saying it knows so much more than you and wants to rub in some past advice. Support the show
TikTok is Worse than Narcissism.
April 13, 2022 16:00 - 22 minutes - 15.6 MBApril 10, 2022, homily by Father François Beyrouti, Ph.D./D.Th. Palm Sunday. Epistle: Philippians 4:4-9. Gospel: John 12:1-18. The Glorious Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Support the show
Prepare! Or Fail in Your Spiritual Life.
April 04, 2022 17:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBIn one way or another, you prepared for almost everything you did this week. Before you went to school, work, or came to Church, you prepared your clothes, you prepared what you were going to do, and you even prepared your thoughts to make sure you were in the right frame of mind. Support the show
Faith Needs Humility and Persistence.
March 28, 2022 17:00 - 10 minutes - 7.31 MBWith tears, the father of the boy said: “I do believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Before the man in today’s Gospel said this, he left the crowd and went to Jesus’s disciples so they can heal his son... Support the show
How Not to Regret Your Decisions.
March 21, 2022 16:00 - 13 minutes - 9.11 MBSometimes people say that religion in general and even Christianity is out of date. However, the closer we study and reflect on the words of Jesus the more we realize that the most recent developments in mental health, emotional intelligence, and other psychological fields affirm the basic teachings of Jesus Christ... Support the show
It is Illogical to Forgive?
March 14, 2022 16:00 - 10 minutes - 7.53 MBHow many miracles did Jesus do in today’s Gospel? You may say one, to refer to Jesus healing the paralyzed man. Perhaps two, since Jesus also forgave this man’s sins. But are there at least three, if not more miracles in today’s Gospel? Support the show
How Fasting Rearranges Our Priorities.
March 07, 2022 23:00 - 10 minutes - 7.23 MBI have a theory that if you fast from certain kinds of food, like meat or dairy, or if you decide to give up something else for Lent, like chocolate or music, you will not immediately die. I am not sure if this theory is accurate, so I need your help... Support the show
Go Faster by Slowing Down for God
March 03, 2022 18:00 - 15 minutes - 10.7 MBFebruary 27, 2022, homily by Father François Beyrouti, Ph.D./D.Th. Gospel of the Cheese-Fare. Forgiveness & Fasting. Epistle: Romans 13:11-14:4 Gospel: Mt 6:14-21. Support the show
How to Unconfuse Your Bible Reading.
February 22, 2022 19:00 - 11 minutes - 7.68 MBMeat Fare Sunday. The Last Judgement. Epistle: 1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2. Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46. Support the show
How to Keep God Alive in Your Life.
February 14, 2022 18:00 - 12 minutes - 8.77 MBIn our Melkite Catholic Church and all other Catholic and Orthodox Churches that follow the Byzantine liturgical tradition, there are always periods of preparation for the major feast days of the Church year... Support the show
How to Live True Humility.
February 07, 2022 17:00 - 10 minutes - 6.95 MBIt’s always good to thank God. After reading today’s Gospel, one thing we may thank God for is that we are not like this Pharisee who brags that he is “not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector” (Luke 18:11)... Support the show
Are Lebanese Women Smarter Than Jesus?
January 31, 2022 23:00 - 11 minutes - 7.81 MBWhen you open a Bible, you will find that each passage has a title in bold that summarizes the main point of each section. For example, there are titles like “The Healing of Many People” or “The Feeding of the Four Thousand.” Although these titles are helpful, they can only give one aspect of a section. .. Support the show
Prepare to Face Your Consequences.
January 10, 2022 20:00 - 11 minutes - 8.12 MBPreparation, perseverance, and consequences need to always remain connected in our minds as we live our day-to-day lives and especially as we dig into the significance of the major celebrations of the Church year... Support the show
Every Day is Christmas.
December 28, 2021 16:00 - 10 minutes - 7.58 MBChrist is Born. Glorify Him. Almaseeh wulidah. Famijodoo. One of the most common questions people ask each other is: “How are you doing?” A friend always answers: “I’m going great because every day is Christmas.” Support the show
How to Find Gold at Christmas?
December 21, 2021 17:00 - 9 minutes - 6.75 MBFor the big feasts of the Church year, we celebrate the day itself and spend weeks preparing for them. For example, Pascha (or Easter) is preceded by a special holy week of preparation and before that a 40 day fast. The feast of Saints Peter and Paul is preceded by a fast and the feast of the Dormition is preceded by a two week fast... Support the show
Can you Find an Excuse for God?
December 13, 2021 18:00 - 8 minutes - 6.2 MBToday’s Gospel is called the Gospel of the Great Banquet, but it could easily be re-named, the Gospel of the bad excuses because everyone ends up making excuses as to why they can’t make it for the great banquet... Support the show
How Not to Checkout of Christmas?
December 06, 2021 19:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBThere are only nineteen shopping days left until Christmas. Or should we say there are only nineteen days left of prayerful preparations for Christmas? We are sometimes so busy with the buzz surrounding Christmas that we forget this is most of all a special time to prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ... Support the show
How to be as Prepared as God.
November 30, 2021 23:00 - 9 minutes - 6.79 MBI hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Think of how long you prepared for your Thanksgiving dinner. Was it worth it? Imagine if you prepared a table full of food but forgot to invite anyone to your house. Or imagine if you invited your family and friends but forgot to prepare any food... Support the show
How Jesus Redefines Neighbor.
November 15, 2021 23:00 - 10 minutes - 6.97 MBToday’s Gospel contains one of Jesus’ most popular parables, frequently called the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Countries such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Romania, United Kingdom, and the United States, have even been enacted “Good Samaritan Laws” that encourage bystanders to help those in need without being sued. Therefore, this parable has literally influenced people around the world in different ways... Support the show
How Extraordinary is Jesus?
November 08, 2021 20:00 - 10 minutes - 7.06 MBWhat is ordinary and what is extraordinary? If we were to summarize Jesus’ life, most would say, He was a great teacher, He did many miracles, He died, and rose from the dead. We tend to think these things were ordinary for Jesus. We overlook that each of these elements of Jesus’ life is exceptionally significant. If we assume we already heard this story, then that which is supposed to be extraordinary becomes ordinary and perhaps even boring... Support the show
Rethinking Sunday School: The Problems & Practical Solutions.
November 02, 2021 17:00 - 1 hour - 59.3 MBRethinking Sunday School: The Problems & Practical Solutions. Monday, September 20, 2021. Presented by Father François Beyrouti, Ph.D./D.Th. “We, then, are the Church, the Body of Christ and we actualize it for the transformation of the world, transforming the world to become the Body of Christ.” Bishop Nicholas Samra, Stewards of the Mysteries, Page 23. Support the show (https://www.holycrossmelkite.org/donate)
Rethinking Sunday School: The Problems & Practical Solutions.
November 02, 2021 17:00 - 1 hour - 59.3 MBRethinking Sunday School: The Problems & Practical Solutions. Monday, September 20, 2021. Presented by Father François Beyrouti, Ph.D./D.Th. “We, then, are the Church, the Body of Christ and we actualize it for the transformation of the world, transforming the world to become the Body of Christ.” Bishop Nicholas Samra, Stewards of the Mysteries, Page 23. Support the show
Destroy the Devil Within.
October 25, 2021 20:00 - 13 minutes - 9.35 MBThere are several Gospel texts that speak about demons and unclean spirits. People are sometimes fascinated with this topic mainly because of how demons are portrayed in art, literature, and film. To make this topic interesting, the devil is often portrayed wearing a red suit, horns on his head, a long red tail, a pitchfork in his hand, and a silly grin on his face. Sometimes the devil and our guardian angel are portrayed fighting for our attention and for our soul. In some movies, evil spir...
How Not To Choke God.
October 20, 2021 17:00 - 13 minutes - 9.35 MBOctober 17, 2021, homily by Father François Beyrouti, Ph.D./D.Th. Fourth Sunday after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross. Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council. Second Council of Nicea. Epistle: Titus 3:8-15. Epistle of the Fathers. Gospel: Luke 8:5-15. Parable of the Sower. Support the show
Find Your Destination Through Your Journey.
October 11, 2021 22:00 - 9 minutes - 6.6 MBWhen you are on a road trip with your family, there are two questions someone will ask: “Where are we?” and “How long will it take us to get where are going?” These are also important questions for all of us to ask every day as we focus on both our journey through life and our ultimate destination. It is interesting that although a GPS tells us how long it will take us to get to our destination, the first thing that it locates is where we are... Support the show
How Barbaric Are You?
October 05, 2021 16:00 - 9 minutes - 6.28 MBAre you barbaric, civil, or Christian? You have probably heard the saying “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Hopefully, you have never said it or used it, as this verse is often used by someone who is angry and wants revenge. If we operate at this level, we are barbaric... Support the show
How to Find Yourself by Losing It.
September 21, 2021 16:00 - 11 minutes - 8.07 MBLike all other teachers and leaders, Jesus died. But Jesus is not just another figure among the list of many others who are now long dead, because He, unlike anyone else, rose from the dead. Without the Resurrection, there would be no Christianity. That is why Saint Paul tells us: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). To fully understand the full relevance of Jesus’ we need to keep together the connection between Jesus’...
Two Ways to Not Sink Your Spiritual Life.
September 17, 2021 16:00 - 10 minutes - 7.47 MBWe can only understand some sayings if we know the context they refer to. For example, when someone doesn’t have a solution for a problem they are in, they can say: “I’m up the creek with no paddle.” This specifically refers to river kayaking. If you have ever gone kayaking in a river you know that you need both a good kayak and a good paddle... Support the show
Two Ways to Not Sink Your Spiritual Life.
September 17, 2021 16:00 - 10 minutes - 7.47 MBWe can only understand some sayings if we know the context they refer to. For example, when someone doesn’t have a solution for a problem they are in, they can say: “I’m up the creek with no paddle.” This specifically refers to river kayaking. If you have ever gone kayaking in a river you know that you need both a good kayak and a good paddle... Support the show (https://www.holycrossmelkite.org/donate)
What’s Up?
September 07, 2021 21:00 - 7 minutes - 5.5 MBGood morning, or as some people say “What’s up?” There are different ways of saying “What’s up?” and the meaning changes depending on how you say it. For example, “It’s good to see you. How are you doing?” is “What’s up?” But “What do you want?” is “What’s up?” Support the show
Dig Into the Bible’s Meaning.
August 23, 2021 21:00 - 11 minutes - 7.63 MBThere are some passages in the Bible that are very easy to understand and do not need much explanation. For example, Saint Paul provides us with some clear and straightforward instructions. In his letter to the Colossians, he says: “Put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. [9] Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices” (3:8-9). Saint Paul does not tell us to do these things when we feel like it but instru...
Stop Working and Listen.
August 16, 2021 23:00 - 9 minutes - 6.58 MBAre you a Martha or a Mary? This is a frequently asked question in the spiritual life as Martha represents the life of action and sometimes busyness while Mary represents the life of quiet listening. The spiritual life is never about one of these over the other but how well we balance the two. Support the show
Let Us Be Attentive.
August 13, 2021 16:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBLet Us Be Attentive. July 18, 2021, homily by Father François Beyrouti, Ph.D./D.Th. Eighth Sunday After Pentecost. Sunday of the Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils Epistle: Titus 3:8-15. Gospel: Matthew 5:14-19. Support the show
Spiritual Plowing.
August 09, 2021 16:00 - 14 minutes - 9.77 MBWe heard in today’s epistle from Saint Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: “The plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop.” (1 Corinthians 9:10) Before we try to understand what Saint Paul means we should get a clear image in our mind about how a plow and a thresher work... Support the show