The Acceptable Year of the Lord

This sermon offers a reflective call to begin the new year with a God‑guided commitment to transformation. Drawing on Isaiah 61 and Christ’s proclamation of “the acceptable year of the Lord,” Fr. Matthias invites listeners on a journey of self-examination, repentance, reconciliation, and renewal, urging them to release past regrets and embrace personal responsibility for meaningful change. The sermon unfolds five dimensions of “the acceptable year of the Lord”: true repentance, reconciliation, freedom from bondage, fulfillment of God’s purpose, and renewal. True repentance means looking honestly at ourselves, grieving our sins, seeking forgiveness, and choosing a new path with intention. Reconciliation is highlighted as a vital step in living peacefully with others, forgiving as Christ forgave us, and actively restoring broken relationships whenever possible. The concept of freeing the captives addresses the spiritual bondage to sin, addictions, and destructive habits, emphasizing the need to acknowledge these chains and seek liberation through God’s power