"You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8)Pascha is the start of a new liturgical year in the Church, with

Be Joyful and Gentle (Palm Sunday)

Apr 19th, 2021 18m 52s

“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (John 12: 13)The Saturday of Lazarus and Palm Sunday are a sort of bridge between Great Lent and Holy Week.These days also live in the tension between joy and betrayal. People are w

Redemption & Repentance (Sunday of Saint Mary of Egypt)

Apr 12th, 2021 14m 57s

“If you cross the Jordan, you will find glorious rest.” (Life of Saint Mary of Egypt)Jesus tells us that He came to shed His blood and "give His life as a ransom for many.” But what exactly does that mean? What does the Orthodox Church teac

What is Real Christian Faith? (Sunday of Saint John Climacus)

Apr 5th, 2021 20m 34s

“I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9: 24)We often think of faith as meaning either "certainty" (confidence that some idea is true) or "religiosity" (participation in a group's activities). But the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent is dedicated

Where to Carry Your Cross (Sunday of the Holy Cross)

Mar 29th, 2021 15m 52s

“The glory of God is a living human; and the life of humanity consists in beholding God.” (Saint Irenaus of Lyons)Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him. But what does that mean?On the Third Sunday of Great Lent, we may think th

The Light of Orthodoxy (Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas)

Mar 23rd, 2021 14m 10s

"O Gregory the Miracle Worker, light of Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the Church, comeliness of Monastics, invincible defender of theologians, the pride of Thessalonica, and preacher of grace, intercede forever that our souls may be saved."

Why We Venerate Icons (Sunday of Orthodoxy, Triumph of Orthodoxy)

Mar 16th, 2021 15m 4s

"On this day, the first Sunday of Lent, we commemorate the restoration of the holy and venerable icons…” (Synaxarion for the Sunday of Orthodoxy)After weeks of learning about forgiveness and pride and judgment, we begin Great Lent with a Sund

Sharing the Space of Salvation (Forgiveness/Cheesefare Sunday)

Mar 8th, 2021 13m 56s

“Nothing makes us so like God, as our readiness to forgive the wicked and wrongdoer.” (Saint John Chrysostom)The Greek word for forgiveness means "sharing the same space." At the doorstep to Great Lent, we're given the opportunity to both see

How Will You Be Judged? (Judgment/Meatfare Sunday)

Mar 1st, 2021 12m 39s

“O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public.” (Kontakion of Judgment Sunday)I

You are a Child of God (Parable of the Prodigal Son)

Feb 22nd, 2021 12m 8s

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.” (1 Corinthians 6:9)The Prodigal Son left the warmth and safety of his Father's house and joined himself to people that left him empty. And, when h

The Danger of False Teachers (Parable of the Publican and Pharisee)

Feb 15th, 2021 13m 40s

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)What this Episode is About:The Pharisee fasted, prayed, and gave to the poor. He did all the right things we're supposed to do. So what exactly did he do wrong?The Triodion Perio

Episode 164: The Ministry of Listening

Feb 8th, 2021 15m 43s

“Christians have forgotten that the ministry of listening has been committed to them by Him who is Himself the great listener and whose work they should share. We should listen with the ears of God that we may speak the Word of God.” - Dietrich

Giving Ourselves to God

Feb 2nd, 2021 14m 8s

“He who loves humanity fulfills the Law that was writ of old and is brought to the Temple now.” - Stichera of OrthrosThe People of Israel were commanded to offer everything from the firstfruits of their harvest to their firstborn sons to God.

Theophany, Holy Water, and the Goodness of Creation

Jan 4th, 2021 14m 54s

“Christ is the one who came in order to do what Adam did not do: to be the priest of creation...not just for the human being, although it was achieved through the human being. Christ came so that the whole world may live, and the human being ma

The Meaning of Christmas (and How to Share It)

Dec 21st, 2020 11m 5s

“What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of Days has become an infant. He Who sits upon the sublime and heavenly Throne, now lies in a manger. And He Who cannot be to

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Dec 15th, 2020 15m 36s

“For Christians, [the Twofold Annointing] means that when a person is genuinely anointed by God’s Holy Spirit, he or she becomes both a king and a sacrificial offering: the two states are inseparable.” (Fr Timothy Patitsas, "The Ethics of Beaut

What it Means to Be a Man (or Woman)

Dec 7th, 2020 19m 18s

“You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)What does it really mean to be a man or a

3 Reasons to Fast from Social Media

Nov 16th, 2020 14m 48s

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)Why do we fast from good things li

3 Ways Christians Can Deal with Temptation

Nov 10th, 2020 14m 14s

“Thoughts are like airplanes flying in the air. If you ignore them, there is no problem. If you pay attention to them, you create an airport inside your head and permit them to land!” (Saint Paisios the Athonite)Does having bad thoughts make

How Should Orthodox Christians Preach the Gospel?

Nov 2nd, 2020 16m 3s

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of

Why People Stop Being Christians (and What We Can Do About It)

Oct 20th, 2020 13m 27s

“Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)Adults fear that young people will grow up and stop being Christians. But no one ever fears that a kid will stop rooting for their favorite sports team. Why?We'll look at how the life of a sports

Is Self-Care Selfish?

Oct 12th, 2020 13m 53s

But He would withdraw to deserted places and pray.” (Luke 5:16)#WorldMentalHealthDay can help raise awareness about the importance of self-care. But does this mean self-indulgence? Is taking care of your health a selfish thing that Christians

How Christians Can Save Politics

Sep 29th, 2020 9m 42s

“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”(John 1:5)Politics are toxic and the world seems full of darkness. Is our job, as Christians, to fight that darkness?We'll review the advice of two greats saints (St

The Amazing Strength of Jesus

Sep 21st, 2020 10m 2s

“My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:8)Whether it's a mean comment or act of violence, why is it so easy to hurt people? And why should we care?We're all afraid of being weak, and will often hurt others to feel stro

Are You Struggling to Pray?

Sep 14th, 2020 6m 9s

"For indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you."(Luke 17:21)Sticking to our daily prayer rule can be tough! But why?We'll explore the simple reason prayer can feel crammed into our day rather than a natural part of it. And we'll offer a sim