On August 23 – the 12th Sunday after Pentecost and the Afterfeast of the Transfiguration of our Lord – Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City, concelebrated by Bishop Theodosius of Manhattan. Joining the hierarchs were cathedral clerics: dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan), and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky.

The Synodal choir sang beautifully during Liturgy under the direction of conductor Vadim S. Gan. The service was held under the aegis of the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

During the reading of the Hours, Metropolitan Nicholas ordained Reader George Rimakis a subdeacon.

A large number of the faithful gathered to pray during this continuing great feast, and the majority received the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

After the service, Metropolitan Nicholas greeted the clergy and faithful with the feast day and delivered a sermon on the Gospel of Matthew’s account of the pious young man; he said, in part:

"Today, the Gospel tells us that a certain young man came to the Lord Jesus Christ and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. Christ replied, ‘Keep the laws, the commandments,’ and listed the commandments familiar to us as well: do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother. A person loves himself dearly, seeks to please himself, and puts himself first; yet here, the Lord points out that one ought to honor parents, elders, and mentors.

"The young man replied that he had kept all these things like a faithful servant. ‘But what else? Something is missing. I feel it.’ And the Lord said, ‘If you wish to be perfect, sell all that you have, give the money to the poor, and follow Me.’ The young man became sorrowful, for he possessed great earthly wealth to which he was deeply attached.

"The Lord then said to His disciples – just as He would say to us – ‘How hard it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven!’ We must understand that this refers not merely to wealth in the literal sense, but to an ‘idol’ that prevents us from casting aside worldly cares. The young man delighted in this ‘idol’ and found pleasure in it, even though he kept all the commandments.

"When the young man received this instruction from the Lord, he found it difficult to accept and became sorrowful; he could not make an immediate decision – whether to choose the Lord or earthly things. This often happens to us, too: we are in no hurry to come to God.

"Christ reveals His glory to His disciples and to us. We desire not only to behold this, to celebrate, and to be with God, but to experience it all in our lives. This is achieved through prayer, spiritual struggle, obedience, and the casting off of all our sins.

"We often fail to think about the spiritual life: what am I lacking? How can I save my soul? How can I help my neighbor? Our daily schedules, our food, our wealth, and our pleasures – all these things bring us gratification. But where is the Lord God in our lives? Where are our neighbors? In these beautiful days, the Lord clearly shows us that He alone possesses the divine, saving light. We emerged from the baptismal font into a new spiritual life. Here, the Lord calls upon the young man – and each of us – to live not according to the flesh but according to the spirit, to keep the commandments and laws, to cast aside earthly wealth, unrighteous conduct, and all sins, and to make a good beginning: to be with the Lord.

"Though we are far from Mount Tabor during these days, our hearts can be there spiritually – not merely to see, but to receive the divine radiance of the Lord, our Savior; to lead a spiritual life and be transfigured; to become a new person – one who belongs to the Church, is kind, and is self-sacrificing."

Bishop Theodosius blessed the faithful with small icons from the Holy Land.

The cathedral sisterhood organized a Lenten meal, during which the clergy and parishioners continued their fellowship.