Trees to Climb | Holy Trinity + Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral

“Greek Orthodox Christian Church - Birmingham, Alabama”

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej

- Fr. Micah Hirschy -

In this week’s Gospel reading, we hear the story of Zacchaeus, the man who climbed a sycamore tree to behold Christ. Fr. Micah presents the question, “Do we see God?”

Just as Zacchaeus was small of stature, causing him to have to climb a tree to see Christ, we too are small. We are sinful and must also climb trees to see the Lord, giving up our comfort and ease in the process. If it’s easy, Fr. Micah says, we’re missing something.

To demonstrate this, he gives examples from the Old Testament. Abraham climbed the tree of hospitality, King David climbed the tree of repentance and humility, Elijah climbed the tree of silence and stillness, and King Josiah climbed the tree of struggling to obey God’s commandments. We, too, have many different trees that we can climb to behold God—to see his providence in our life, see his mercy in our hearts, and see him in the face of our neighbor.

“Greek Orthodox Christian Church - Birmingham, Alabama”

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej

Sunday Morning Divine Liturgy - 9:30

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

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.