“Greek Orthodox Christian Church - Birmingham, Alabama”

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej






Sunday Sermon

Evil and Its Antidotes
July 28, 2024

- Fr. Micah Hirschy -


In today’s Gospel reading, Christ confronts evil, encountering two possessed men. Fr. Micah today addresses the qualities of evil as well as its antidotes. 

First, Fr. Micah discusses the root of evil — self-love. Each sin we commit is born of self-love and has a certain selfishness to it. This evil only increases, becoming self-preservation, preservation of the ego. We justify our own evil, making excuses for our sins. This evil then becomes destruction — destruction of the self and of others. We see this in the Gospel reading, when the demons, in their self-preservation, ask to go into the herd of swine. Immediately, the swine throw themselves into the abyss.

This evil — which begins with self-love, becomes self-preservation, and eventually, self-destruction — has antidotes, which are exemplified in the life of Christ. The antidote to self-love is the love of the other, the antidote to self-preservation is humility, and the antidote to self-destruction is self-sacrifice. Christ shows us the perfection of this love, this humility, and this self-sacrifice. May we follow his example, following him on the path that leads to life everlasting. 



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 Cros...[more]
“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





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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.