Fr. John Whiteford continues his exploration of the Psalms of Ascent with Psalm 123.

What is stirring when we meet our rebel self? And when that rebel self shows up, what wisdom will we find there? On this episode of The Wilderness Journal, Angela explores the familiar landscape of rebellion, its role in conversion and in deepening our journey of faith.

When Jesus shares the parable of the man who invited his friends to a banquet and they all made excuses as to why they couldn't come, the Lord put's these words in the man's mouth: "None of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet." When God invites you to be at His Banquet, will you make an excuse?

On this Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women, it's time to stop being amazed by God's consistency and power!

I would argue that when it comes to making money online, the most important skill you need is not in being able to find untapped niches, knowing how to do A/B testing, creating attractive websites or even having a great ability to write. Instead, the most sought after skill in my eyes is being able […]

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Michael shares two different experiences from his own life when desiring a word from God.

Michael describes his recent experience, while recovering from a concussion, of viewing key scenes from the Academy Award winning movie Good Will Hunting through an Orthodox Christian lens. Using these scenes and their circumstances as illustrations, he discusses understanding sin as sickness, condemning self-judgment and judgment in general, the fine line between our sense of personal accountability and self forgiveness, and both God’s love for us and our love for each other as it should be.

Being spiritual and having no religious affiliation is a rapidly increasing segment of society. We hear people say they’re spiritual but religious all the time, but what does it really mean? How do people understand “spiritual” and “religious” when they describe themselves this way? Join Michael as he thoroughly explores this topic and shares personal examples and insights to help us understand this growing movement.

Join Michael as he discusses what it really means “not to lose heart” according to Christ and St. Paul, examines the scriptures where these words are used, looks at their meaning in the original Greek, and why we actually have a responsibility to others not to lose heart.

Join Michael for a discussion of the primacy of focusing on loving more not sinning less and why this will be the basis of how God judges our lives.

Fr. Seraphim Aldea exhorts his listeners to fight for faith in the living God during this challenging time.

The Third "Feast of the Savior" in August While the Lord was preaching in Palestine, his fame reached a king Avgar of Edessa, who suffered from leprosy. Avgar sent a messenger named Ananias to ask whether the Lord could heal his illness. The king also charged Ananias, if he was unable to bring back Jesus Himself, to bring back a likeness of Him. When Ananias found Jesus, the Lord told him that he could not come to Edessa since the time of His passion was at hand. But he took a cloth and washed His face, miraculously leaving a perfect image of His face on the cloth. Ananias brought the holy image back to the king, who reverently kissed it. Immediately his leprosy was healed, save for a small lesion that remained on his forehead. Later the Apostle Thaddeus came to Edessa, preaching the gospel, and Avgar and his household were baptized, at which time his remaining leprosy vanished. The king had the holy likeness mounted on wood and displayed above the city gate for all to revere. But Avgar's grandson returned to idolatry, and the Bishop of Edessa had the image hidden in the city wall to prevent it from being defiled. Many years later, when the Persian king Chosroes besieged Edessa, the Bishop Eulabius was told in a vision to find the sealed chamber, whose location had been forgotten. The holy icon was found, completely incorrupt, and by its power the Persian army was driven off. In the year 944 the image was brought to Constantinople and enshrined in the Church of the Theotokos called the Pharos. This is the event commemorated today.

The Third "Feast of the Savior" in August While the Lord was preaching in Palestine, his fame reached a king Avgar of Edessa, who suffered from leprosy. Avgar sent a messenger named Ananias to ask whether the Lord could heal his illness. The king also charged Ananias, if he was unable to bring back Jesus Himself, to bring back a likeness of Him. When Ananias found Jesus, the Lord told him that he could not come to Edessa since the time of His passion was at hand. But he took a cloth and washed His face, miraculously leaving a perfect image of His face on the cloth. Ananias brought the holy image back to the king, who reverently kissed it. Immediately his leprosy was healed, save for a small lesion that remained on his forehead. Later the Apostle Thaddeus came to Edessa, preaching the gospel, and Avgar and his household were baptized, at which time his remaining leprosy vanished. The king had the holy likeness mounted on wood and displayed above the city gate for all to revere. But Avgar's grandson returned to idolatry, and the Bishop of Edessa had the image hidden in the city wall to prevent it from being defiled. Many years later, when the Persian king Chosroes besieged Edessa, the Bishop Eulabius was told in a vision to find the sealed chamber, whose location had been forgotten. The holy icon was found, completely incorrupt, and by its power the Persian army was driven off. In the year 944 the image was brought to Constantinople and enshrined in the Church of the Theotokos called the Pharos. This is the event commemorated today.

Rita encourages us to enter into the true spirit of the fast as we begin Great Lent.

Fr. Adrian interviews Chaplain Tania Bouteneff on the topic of the healing presence of Christ.

On this Sunday of Pentecost we are reminded that with the coming of the Holy Spirit, we are assured that Christ has not left us.

In this sermon, Fr. Andrew reminds us to obey all of the commandments of Christ.

On this Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt, Fr. Andrew reflects on the uniqueness of Jesus among the deities of the ancient world, that He came not to be served, but to serve.

On this Sunday of the Fathers, Fr. Andrew discusses Christ's comments on His followers being the light of the world in light of His teaching that He came to fulfill the Law.

On this Sunday after Theophany, Fr. Andrew talks about the gift of Christ given at baptism that precludes both pietism and clericalism—Christians are called to be ministers to one another.

With the feast of St. James the Brother of God, Fr. Andrew discusses what the mission of the parish church is based on Paul's emphasis on the source of revelation.

Discussing the relationship between faith and works in Ephesians 2, Fr. Andrew talks about how salvation is paradoxically both a free gift and also requires great effort.

Fr. Andrew urges us not to 'put Christ back into Christmas,' but to see the true story.

Featuring an all-new format for the podcast, Fr. Andrew discusses the Gospel reading where Jesus talks about being ashamed of him and what will happen when he comes again to earth—will he be ashamed of us? What does it mean to be ashamed, anyway?

Discussing Jesus' command in Luke 6 to love our enemies, Fr. Andrew talks about what that means in daily life, who are enemies are, and just what love actually is. Bonus commentary addresses a complication: Do you have to love an abuser?

Far from being a substitution at Pentecost, swapping Christ with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit makes Christ present to us for ever. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick meditates on this and related themes.

Addressing alumni and seminarians at St. Tikhon's Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, during the year-opening retreat, Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick challenges them to have conversations with the non-Orthodox and not to settle for falling into either polemic or compromise, showing how engagement is instead the traditional Orthodox patristic posture.

Speaking on 2 Cor. 9:6-11, Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick discusses why Christianity isn't a fair exchange and also why we often can't see what God is giving us.

The details we know from St. Joseph of Arimathea's participation in his community, including its governance, show him to be a man who was fully in his world but not of it. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick discusses his example and how to apply it ourselves.

On today's show we recap March for Life, talk about OCF communities with Dn. Robert Miclean, and talk with friends about College Conference. Theme song, "Burn Out Bright," by Switchfoot, used by permission.

This is the keynote address given by His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa, Primate of the American Carpatho-Russion Orthodox Diocese of the USA and the episcopal overseer of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship, at the 2013 OCF College Conference East at Antiochian Village in Ligonier, Penn. He addressed this year's theme for OCF: "Behold now, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers to dwell together in unity?" (Psalm 132:1)

Dan and Fr. Brendan discuss exactly what people mean when they say they're "Spiritual but Not Religious," and how to address that without turning into a patronizing nuisance.

The second keynote address by Dn. Belcher.

Keynote address 3 by Dn. Belcher.

Love is too precious, too powerful, and too popular to mean anything we want it to. Instead, love needs definition and contour so that we may know what love is not, just as we may know what love is.

Fr. John examines the last of the ten great commandments.

Fr. John examines the life and faith of the Holy New Martyr and Grand Duchess Elizabeth.

"A 'thank you' toward Heaven is nice, but how much more does it mean when it flows from sincerity—from a changing life? The human being says 'thank you' to God by becoming more like him."

Fr. John Oliver helps us to see that even on the days that we absolutely act pig-like, we are not our passions.

There is perfect freedom in Christ, but when it comes to the church: don't cross your legs, leave your crumbs, or even bring your gum! Fr Joseph rehearses a few of the dos and don'ts of temple worship.

What do you say when a ten-year-old says, "My best friend is gay"? How 'bout cartoon friends, can they be gay? Fr. Joseph wades in where even Elmer Fudd dares tread in this first episode of a two part series on . . . well, you know what the topic is.

From Bert and Ernie to parents, kids, and a pope—Fr Joseph talks about the struggles and the goal of sexuality in part two of this two-part series.

Fr Joseph—in his previous life—rolled yards, bent forks, painted water towers, and was, on more than one occasion, killed by his father. (Some of which is actually true.) In the end, hats off to fear!

Fr Joseph slips into something a little less comfortable, but it's what everyone wears in the Kingdom!

In this episode, which features a guest appearance by Fr. Danislav Gregorio, Fr. Joseph intends to show a vagabond who's boss! Hard to explain, but it doesn't quite turn out as planned.

All the hoopla about a former Olympic star so-called transitioning into the opposite sex (Girl Scouts, Boys Scouts, bathrooms, and blah blah) has just about sent Fr Joseph over the edge. He dreams of setting Fr. Danislav straight, or vice versa.

As the following game show reveals, some of your favorite Bible verses might not be in the Bible!