Fr. Philip LeMasters reminds us that the path to the Kingdom of God is through our suffering neighbors.

On this feast day of the Holy, Glorious, All-Laudable Apostle and Evangelist Luke, we have an opportunity to celebrate the great witness to the Lord made by the patron saint of our parish. Our small community is named in his honor and memory. We see his image on our iconostasis and regularly ask him to pray for us in the Divine Liturgy. Author of both a gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, as well as an iconographer and a physician, St. Luke died a martyr’s death at the age of 84.

As we celebrate the restoration of icons today, let us become more beautiful living icons of our Lord’s salvation and gain the strength to treat every neighbor accordingly as we live and breathe in this world. Remember: They are His living icons also.

Fr. John Parker recently traveled to Kodiak, Alaska, and Spruce Island, Alaska, for the Feast of St. Herman of Alaska. While there, he had the chance to speak with all sorts of Orthodox Christians who minister in this beautiful, holy land of America. Today he introduces this series and then we will post updates every couple of days.

Fr. John Parker interviews Archimandrite David Mahaffey, Chancellor and Administrator of the Diocese of Alaska of the Orthodox Church in America.

Fr. John interviews Fr. John Dunlop, Dean of St. Herman’s Seminary, Kodiak, Alaska, about the seminary, the incredible Archives (which include the handwritten documents of St. Innocent as well as the journals of St. Iakov Netsvyetov), and his own missionary work in the villages.

Fr. John shares the Homily of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) for the Sunday of the Last Judgment.

Fr. Michael Oleksa shares on the lives of saints in Alaska, the stories of their mission work, and connects his personal experiences with the many diverse cultures found there.

As we approach Meatfare Sunday, Dr. Humphrey reflects on the Epistle and Gospel readings in light of passages in Joel and Isaiah.

Let’s look to the deep words of God’s yearning found in the prophet Ezekiel in order to understand the compassion of the Great Shepherd of the Sheep, and the actions of our father St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, an appointed shepherd of God’s people.

We read 1 Cor. 8:8-9:2 in the context of St. Paul’s larger discussion of our One LORD God, while looking back to Deuteronomy 6:4, the food regulations of Leviticus, and the words of Amos and Isaiah on formalism and idolatry. We also consider how this passage prepares us for a Holy Lent.

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 12 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Miracle of Saint Nicholas by Gloria Whelan, illustrated by Judith Brown (Bethlehem books, 1997)

"Saint Anthony" and "Saint Nicholas" from Saints: Lives and Illuminations, written and illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, read with permission by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2007.

"Saint Mary of Egypt," "Saint Scholastica," and "Saint Benedict" from Saints: Lives and Illuminations, written and illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, read with permission by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2007.

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, written by Lily Parascheva Rowe, illustrated by Roland J. Ford (St. Stylianos Books, 2012)

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, by Lily Parascheva Rowe, illustrated by Roland J. Ford (St. Stylianos Books)

Saint Nicholas and the Nine Gold Coins by Jim Forest, illustrated by Vladislav Andrejev (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press (2015)

The Saint Nicholas Day Snow, by Charlotte Riggle, illustrated by R.J. Hughes (Phoenix Flair Press, 2017).

12. North Star: St. Herman of Alaska by Dorrie Papademetriou (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2001) and Basil's Search for Miracles part 10 (chapter 21) by Heather Zydek (Conciliar Press, 2007).

34. Book 1: The Life of Saint Nicholas The Wonder-Worker by Nina Seco (St. Nectarios Press, 1994) Book 2: Christ in the Old Testament: Prophecy Illustrated compiled and edited by Thomas Hopko (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2002)

36. Book 1: Good King Wenceslas by John M. Neale (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2005) Book 2: A Perfect Christmas written by Dennis Eugene Engleman and illustrated by Niko Chocheli (Regina Orthodox Press, 2003) part two and conclusion.

125. The Life of Saint Nicholas by Nina Seco (St. Nectarios Press, 1994).

Nicholas Meets His Guardian Angel by Eleni Christos and Helen Iakovos-Dalalakis (Light & Life Publishing, 2001).

177. And Then Nicholas Sang by Elizabeth Crispina Johnson (Conciliar Press, 2010).

"The Story of Three Girls" from The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

"God's Chosen One" from The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part One. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

"The Story of Three Girls" from The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part 2. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part 3. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part 4. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part 5. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part 6. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part 7. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part 8. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part 9. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part 10. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

The Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker by Count Michael Tolstoy - Part 11/conclusion. The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (2001).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 1 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 2 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 3 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

092. The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 4 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 5 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 6 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 7 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 8 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 9 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 10 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 11 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 13 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).

The Last Battle from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Chapter 14 The Chronicles of Narnia are published by Harper Trophy, A Division of Harper Collins, New York, New York. They are available for purchase here. We want to thank CS Lewis Pte. Ltd. for granting us permission to bring these wonderful stories to you. (Legal info).