In this wedding homily, Fr. Stephen Osburn reflects on the reality that marriage is not only about carrying the cross, but about remaining on it—through joy and sorrow, peace and struggle. Sometimes, spouses become the very nails that keep each other on the cross, reminding us that love is not always soft, but it is always salvific. True Christian marriage is a path of dying to self, so that both may rise together in Christ.

Fr. Stephen Osburn preached on July 20, 2025, about the healing of the paralytic in Matthew 9:1–8, focusing on how Christ first forgives the man’s sins before healing his body. The sermon emphasized that going to confession is not about excusing or justifying our sins, but about opening ourselves to Christ’s healing mercy. Like the paralytic, we come before the Lord unable to walk in righteousness on our own—and in confession, we hear the same powerful words: “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.”

Many are surprised to learn that Orthodox bishops are always celibate—even though the Bible appears to say a bishop must be “the husband of one wife.” Is this a contradiction? A forgotten tradition? Or something deeper rooted in the ancient Church? Discover the surprising historical and theological reasons behind this enduring practice of the Orthodox Church.