It's finally here. The end of the Skywalker Saga! Join the guys as they discuss the final film of a story 42 years in the making! Spoiler Porgs included.

Both the bleeding woman and Jairus were at the end of their rope. They faced circumstances so dark that they could not imagine how they would be delivered from them. The gravity of their challenges is reflected by how little these characters speak in their encounters with Christ. They did not use many words to show whatever level of faith they had in Him, perhaps because what was at stake was beyond their ability to name.

Across the centuries, the Lord has raised up such unusual saints in order to shock us out of our complacency about the alleged harmony between the narrow way leading to the Kingdom and what passes for a conventionally respectable life in any time or place.

Today we celebrate the restoration of our true unity in God through the unifying power of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter sent by the risen and ascended Savior Who is seated at the right hand of the Father in heavenly glory.

As we conclude our preparation for celebrating the Lord’s Nativity, we must resist the temptation to corrupt this blessed season into an excuse for glorifying ourselves in any way. Instead, we must allow our hopes for whatever we want in this life to be called into question by the God-Man, Who was born in such strange circumstances to fulfill a kingdom not of this world that stands in prophetic judgment over all our agendas, preferences, and desires. We must learn at Christmas to hope only in Him.

How do we understand God’s wrath, when there is also His love and peace?

Why is Rahab such an important figure in the NT, found in Hebrews, Matthew and James? Two of our passages for this divine Liturgy mention her! Consider what the NT authors say about her, her place in salvation history, and the remarkable story in the book of Joshua concerning this disreputable woman who came to live “outside the camp” with the Hebrews.

The prophet Jeremiah helps us to consider, along with this Sunday’s gospels and epistle, the different ways in which God makes himself intimately known to each of us, and to all of us together, in the Church. (Luke 8:26-39; Gal 1:11-19; Luke 16:19-31; Jeremiah 31:31-34)

This week we tackle Rev 1:9-17, and seek to understand John’s initial vision of the LORD Jesus in the light of the OT passages that he echoes: Rev. 1:9-17; Exodus 20; Daniel 7:9-14; 10:16-19, and Ezekiel 43:2.

"Saint James, The Brother of the Lord," from The Co-Workers for the Gospel, Illustrated Biographies, Book 5, by Spiritual Fragrance Publishing (2012)

44. Book 1: Angel in the Waters by Regina Doman (Sophia Institute Press, 2004) Book 2: Brother Bartholomew and the Apple Grove, by Jan Cheripko (Boyds Mills Press, 2004)

82. Book 1: "The Other Disciples" from The Bible for Young People by Zoe Kanavas (Narthex Press, 2005) (8.35 mins) Book 2: Extract from Father Arseny 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father, part one, translated by Vera Bouteneff (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1998) (22.10 mins)

111. The Story of Mary the Mother of God by Dorrie Papademetriou (St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2000)

Fr. Ted explains how our faith in Christ correlates with our willingness to believe in and trust our brother.

The more secular society gets, the more we begin to forget those things that used to come naturally to us.

Fr. Ted takes a closer look at three of the individuals listed in the genealogy of Christ.

Fr. Ted challenges us to embrace the teaching of Jesus that leads us into a different way of living and being.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos describes the irony in the Palm Sunday story.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos calls us to humble ourselves and have faith in others.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos talks about the importance of looking only at our own sin as we enter into the Triodion in preparation for the Great Fast.

What can Evangelicals and Orthodox learn from each other is the subject of the 2nd section of our interview with His Eminence.

We finish this Lenten series discussing the virtues of patience, love, and not judging our brother. Again, the Orthodox axiom of working out the virtues in the body is true, and we learn that patience is not merely a passive state, but also requires spiritual/bodily effort to restrain evil thoughts/actions, choosing to perform God's will instead. Love for God, neighbor, enemies and the whole of creation is our aim, cultivated with our growing awareness of God's pure and captivating eros coming down from heaven. Engulfed in this love we lose interest in the world and adopt the humble mind of Christ, whose words on the Cross, "forgive them for they know not what they do," are to become our own towards all men.

This is a lecture from St. Vladimir's Seminary's annual Orthodox Education Day event, held this year on October 1, 2016. The speaker is Dr. Mary B. Cunningham, lecturer in Historical Theology in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Nottingham, England.

Today's episode is taken from Molly's piece as a guest blog on The Orthodox Mama. With her eyes on the saints and years of raising her four children, Molly offers three big lessons she's learned about motherhood.

Brother Luke shares about an addict and a group of mourners he met at St. John the Compassionate Mission.

Listen to stories about Mothers who frequent St. John the Compassionate Mission in Toronto, Ontario.

Listen to three short reflections about interactions at St. John the Compassionate Mission, reminding us that all lives are worth living.

More stories from volunteers at the mission.

As we enter the Dormition fast, Martha reflects on her summer, motherhood, and our Most Holy Theotokos.

So, what’s the deal with clerical dress and monastic habits? Do they really matter?

Fr. Lawrence reflects on the questions that must be asked to determine if someone is preaching "another Jesus." He suggests that the blessing of same-sex activity by some churches raise the same questions as in St. Paul's day.

In my Protestant days, I had no problem with anyone talking about Mary—so long as it was Christmas. On Boxing Day, that was it. Over. No more talking about Mary. What are we anyway, Catholics? It was understood that when we packed away the Nativity set, all talk of Mary got packed up along with it. And my proof that Bible-believing Christians should not talk about Mary? The New Testament never did. Well, hardly ever did—just long enough to narrate the Christmas story. Was she in the Acts of the Apostles? Not really. Was she in the Epistles? No. So there you go: no talking about Mary or calling her blessed.

Fr. Apostolos shares about the ministry and mystery of motherhood.

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

On the feast of the Annunciation to the Mother of God, we celebrate the good news that Jesus takes on human flesh from the womb of the Virgin Mary. In Mary's faithfulness, she becomes the icon of all believers who strive to live life in total obedience to God.

Deacon Luke Loboda teaches us that because we bear God's image, we must resist being slaves to our bodily desires, living like mere animals. Instead, we're called to fulfill the potential of holiness in us by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

On the Pre-Lenten Sunday of the Final Judgment, Fr Thomas speaks out against the false teachings of universalism, millenarianism, and the doubted return of Christ.

We all know about the Three Wise Men who came to worship Christ in the cave, but today we celebrate other Three Wise Men: St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian and St. John Chrysostom.

The Theotokos stands for the whole biblical way of looking at the relationship between God and His creation as a mystery of LOVE.

Why is it vital to confess Mary as Theotokos, God-bearer such that one cannot truly be a Christian and deny that?

Fr. Gregory Hallam's sermon on the feast of the conception of the most holy Theotokos by the righteous Anna.

Fr. Christopher speaks about the modern Saint, Mother Maria of Paris.

Fr. Christopher talks about the three major characters in the story of the prodigal son.

Fr. Emmanuel Kahn suggests that as we think about the Dormition of the Theotokos, we need time to understand how the life and death of the Mother of God relates to each of us.

Fr. Gregory gives the sermon on the Nativity of the Theotokos as we celebrate this first great feast of the new Church year.

When we seek the intervention of the Mother of God in our lives, our request to Her for help and intervention needs to be joined to how we are living our lives