Our Father - Part 3 | Holy Trinity + Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral

- Fr. Gregory Edwards Ph.D - Dean -

Today, Father Gregory resumes his series on the Lord's Prayer with Part 3 of Our Father at the phrase, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
The first step to learning God's will is understanding it is not our will. Orthodox Christians are little Christs and must follow the example of Our Lord. Jesus was obedient to the will of His Father. He emptied Himself and died on a cross. As followers of Christ, we are to deny self and martyr our own will daily. Our will and desires should not be allowed to run rampant but rather suppressed through fasting and confession, which is the life of the Church. In Confession, we learn humility by being obedient to someone other than ourselves. Spiritual Fathers guide us as we humbly tell them what we think and feel. The process of understanding God's will is not about the past or future but in this present moment living obediently to Him.

307 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233 | Fr. Gregory Edwards, Dean | 205.716.3080

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej

The Rev. Fr. Gregory Edwards, Ph.D., was raised in Virginia and eastern Pennsylvania, and became a member of the Orthodox Church while studying for his Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies at Brown University. After completing a Master's Degree in the New Testament and early Christianity at Florida State University, he conducted doctoral studies in Greece at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, graduating summa cum laude in 2012. Ordained in 2007, he served parishes in Thessaloniki and Volos for 9 years. He and his wife Presvytera Pelagia lived in Greece from 2006-2016, where their four children were born. He has served as Assistant Professor of Missiology at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary in New York since 2014. Before coming to Birmingham in March 2019, Fr. Gregory served St. George Greek Orthodox Church in New Port Richey, FL from 2016-2019.