The Orthodox Divine Liturgy presents an introductory phrase in the form of prayer—as is typical in Orthodox Christianity, there is the prayer before the prayer. It goes like this: "And grant, O Lord, that with boldness and without condemnation we may dare to call upon you the Heavenly God as Father and to say." Why is it a daring thing to say the Lord’s Prayer? Why is it daring to call God "Our Father in heaven"?

"And because such suffering is a temptation to sin, it is also an opportunity to deny Christ. It is an opportunity to curse God or curse man made in the image of God. It is an opportunity to become lost in self pity and never-ending introspection. It is an opportunity to become engrossed in the immediate human or demonic or biological causes, and to ignore God almost completely, as though our suffering and difficult circumstance were happening behind God’s back. The same difficult or painful circumstance becomes for us the means by which we either grow in Christ or in some way deny Him. And of course what is happening to us never makes any sense in the midst of the suffering. That’s part of the temptation. We don’t know why God is letting this happen. We don’t know what God is doing. It just doesn’t make sense. And at that point of confusion, that dark night of the body and soul, all we have left is naked trust, naked hope that God is still God despite all of the evidence to the contrary, despite the pain and confusion and injustice of the situation. Can we say with Job, 'Even if He slay me, yet will I trust in Him'?"

Responding to the call to come to the heavenly banquet requires us to leave behind those things to which we are enslaved.

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.

The disciplines of this season give us all countless opportunities to do precisely that as we prepare for nothing less than to “see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”

In these episodes, Fr. John Parker reads Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven by Saint Innocent of Alaska, a beautiful, simple, and short book on the basics of Christianity, authored by one of our North American saints. Introduction, pp.5-7. For permission to read, Fr. John thanks Holy Trinity Publications, Jordanville, NY. Indication, ISBN 0-88465-075-8, can be purchased at http://www.holytrinitypublications.com or at good bookstores and websellers everywhere.

In these episodes, Fr. John Parker reads Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heavenby Saint Innocent of Alaska, a beautiful, simple, and short book on the basics of Christianity, authored by one of our North American saints. "Part One: The Blessings that Jesus Christ has granted Us by His Death," pp 8-11. For permission to read, Fr. John thanks Holy Trinity Publications, Jordanville, NY. Indication, ISBN 0-88465-075-8, can be purchased at http://www.holytrinitypublications.com or at good bookstores and websellers everywhere.

In these episodes, Fr. John Parker reads Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven by Saint Innocent of Alaska, a beautiful, simple, and short book on the basics of Christianity, authored by one of our North American saints. "Part Two: How Jesus Christ lived on Earth, and What He Suffered for Us." pp 11-16. For permission to read, Fr. John thanks Holy Trinity Publications, Jordanville, NY. Indication, ISBN 0-88465-075-8, can be purchased at http://www.holytrinitypublications.com or at good bookstores and websellers everywhere.

We consider the humility of Jesus and the Theotokos in the Presentation, as well as the reason why humility is so important, as seen in our readings for Divine Liturgy this Sunday (2 Timothy 3:10-15; Luke 18:10-14), in the light of Hezekiah’s plea before God in 4 Kingdoms 19:9-20 and our Lord’s own pattern in Philippians 2: 5-11.

This third week of Pentecost we consider the language of “Father” and “Son” in our gospel and epistle readings, and reflect upon certain trends in Protestant groups to supplant, supplement, or obscure the Trinitarian Name. We look to the Scriptures and the Fathers to explain why our Christian language for God is essential, and not merely “window dressing.”

We come to the very center of the Apocalypse in Revelation 12:7-12, where we hear that Christ’s victory is not simply a future hope, but assured by His blood, and the word of the martyrs. We are helped in our understanding the suffering now has deep meaning, by heeding this vision and declaration in the light of Wisdom 2:24, Job 1, and Luke 10:18-22.

In Revelation 19:11-21, the heavens are opened, revealing the mounted Word of God, and His final conquest over evil. We are helped with this exhilarating and disturbing passage by seeing echoes in Psalm 72/71:2, Psalm 44/5:3-5, Isaiah 63:1-3, and listening to the wisdom of ancient commentators.

This week we read Revelation 21:1-8, understanding it in the light of Isaiah 65-66, Colossians 1:19-20, Eph 3:10, 2 Pet 3:12-13, and Hebrews 11:10, 16; 12:22: 13:14. With the angels, we are astonished that God promises to renew heaven and well as earth, and has already begun this transformation in the Holy Spirit.

Piggy in Heaven by Melinda Johnson, illustrated by Soraya Bartolome (Paraclete Press, 2019).

29. Book 1: Letters from Heaven: An Illuminated Alphabet by Susan Kelly von Medicus with poems by Ginny Eliason Silva part one (Conciliar Press, 2000) Book 2: From I-ville to You-ville by Mersine Vigopoulou, part seven (Uncut Mountain Press, 2006)

30. Book 1: Letters from Heaven: An Illuminated Alphabet by Susan Kelly von Medicus with poems by Ginny Eliason Silva, part two, recorded 10/30/07 (Conciliar Press, 2000) Book 2:From I-ville to You-ville by Mersine Vigopoulou, part eight and final installment (Uncut Mountain Press, 2006)

I had to put one of my dogs to sleep. He was young, healthy but had been abused. He started biting visitors to our home. I was confronted with the question, "What does love demand?" When our pets die, or we have to kill them, what do we tell our kids? What do we do for closure? Do our pets go to heaven?

Hear three short stories of people who are part of the community at St. John the Compassionate Mission.

Fr. Apostolos talks about the exclusive nature of our citizenship in the Heavenly Kingdom. "No one may hold dual citizenship in the Kingdom of God and any other kingdom."

Fr. Apostolos talks about the key of humility that unlocks God's grace.

It being the parish's Stewardship Sunday, Fr. Apostolos speak about the means whereby our resources can be sacralized and our financial lives brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, through tithing.

Fr. Apostolos Hill speaks on the theme of the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise and how we acquire a thirst for the Kingdom.

Fr. Apostolos Hill's homily talks about citizenship in the Heavenly Kingdom and how repentance is the entrance exam.

Sermon on the Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Colossians 3:4-11; Luke 14:16-24)

The eternal Word ascends to Heaven in His resurrected body, receiving the glory He had with His Father before the world began. Fr Tom reminds us that Christ does all this so that He can share this heavenly life with us. (Sunday after the Ascension)

In his sermon on the 4th Sunday of Great Lent, Fr. Gregory says there are two chief enemies of the spiritual life, self-righteousness, or vainglory, and despair.

The glory of Jesus Christ is known in all its fullness in the resurrection of his complete person; body, mind and spirit. The Transfiguration is a disclosure of both a deified humanity and a glorified Cosmos in advance of the resurrection itself.

When we repent, when we seek to change our lives and our relationship to Christ, what is “at hand”? What is near? What is about to happen? The kingdom of heaven!

Fr. Gregory welcomes visiting priest Fr. Raphael Barberg of St James the Apostle Antiochian Church, Westminster, Maryland to speak on Pentecost Sunday.

Fr. Gregory speaks about the Dormition of the Theotokos and calls it the most important feast of the Mother of God in our calendar.

Fr. Emmanuel Kahn gives the sermon for the Feast of the Ascension.

Bobby once again interviews Fr. Vassilios Papavassiliou, author of the new AFP book Thirty Steps to Heaven: The Ladder of Divine Ascent for All Walks of Life.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Stephen Siniari, the author of a brand new collection of short stories titled Big In Heaven.

Bobby Maddex interviews Thomas Ruthford, author of Heaven Help the Single Christian: Your (Practical) Guide to Navigating Church as You Search for a Godly Mate, published by Regina Orthodox Press.

Meet Ron Smith, Orthodox Christian, former Oldies DJ, and one of the Executive Producers of the movie Heavens to Betsy as well as the sequel Heavens to Betsy 2.