Fr Joseph ventures into the chaos of mass house blessings with the Sign of the Cross, two Shaun Cassidy fans, and one former Exorcist!

Fr. Joseph's way of saying, "Pardon me while I slip into something a little more... serious."

After making a plea for keeping ecclesial politics subordinated to our Unity and Love for one another, Fr. Anthony makes a case for the priesthood being one of many options for those desiring to serve God and His Church. He also spends time introducing a book on vocations that the founder of the GGWB website, Fr. John Peck, recently released.

In this episode, Fr. Alexander Webster, the Dean of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary and a retired Army Chaplain, shares his thoughts on the challenges of the priesthood and describes how Holy Trinity prepares men for it. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Anthony and Fr. John (Sts. Peter and Paul in Carnegie, PA) get caught up for the first time since the "Anaxios - Christmas Gifts Shopping Hour." They discuss Fr. John's first Pascha in his new parish, Fr. Anthony's last Pascha before his big move, and how awesome it was to have an Anaxios Laser Spear (TM) at Friday Presanctified's (the challenge is real!). Along the way, they share some thoughts on how to manage and lead parishes through change and how our current ecclesial troubles affect the balance of our evangelical witness. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Gregory Jensen, PhD and Fr. Anthony Perkins talk about Orthodox sexuality, chastity, celibacy, and abstinence. Along the way they also discuss the negative effects the culture wars have had on Orthodox pastoral care. They hope to make this part of a series. Warning: it's hard to talk about this euphemistically. Some graphic terms were used. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Gregory Jensen PhD and Fr. Anthony begin by talking about three (no four!) indicators of whether a man is a suitable candidate for seminary, then segue into the importance of a healthy marriage and family life (e.g. 1 Timothy 3). They use the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s “For the Life of the World; Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church” as a springboard for talking about contraception, ascetic abstinence, and the benefit of a healthy monastic witnesses. Warning: it's hard to talk about this euphemistically. Some graphic terms were used. Enjoy the show!

In this episode Fr. Anthony talks with Fr. Harry, the Canonist for the UOC-USA, about the scriptural and canonical context and instructions about sex. Framing it within the context of holiness, they address real issues that Christians need to understand and deal with in the materialist and sex-saturated age. Warning: some graphic terms were used (e.g. fornication, masturbation, adultery).

Elissa addresses the issue of testing Sunday School students.

Fr. Michael talks about how we take on responsibility for fixing others. "Peace does not come once we figure out how to heal our problems and the problems of those around us. That's backwards. Our problems and the problems of those around us will be healed as we acquire peace."

Fr. Michael shares reflections from his presentation on Theosis at the Orthodox Institute, held this past weekend at Antiochian Village. This is Part 1.

Fr. Michael shares reflections from his presentation on Theosis at the Orthodox Institute, held earlier this month at Antiochian Village. This is Part 2.

Fr. Michael shares reflections from his presentation on Theosis at the Orthodox Institute, held earlier this month at Antiochian Village. This is Part 3.

Fr. Michael shares reflections from his presentation on Theosis at the Orthodox Institute, held earlier this month at Antiochian Village. This is Part 4.

Fr. Michael shares reflections from his presentation on Theosis at the Orthodox Institute, held last month at Antiochian Village. This is Part 5.

Fr. Michael concludes his reflections from his presentation on Theosis at the Orthodox Institute, held last month at Antiochian Village. This is Part 6. Here is a link to the written text of his presentation: holynativity.blogspot.com/2014/11/st-isaacs-three-degrees-of-knowledge.html.

Fr. Michael reflects on a sermon by St. Gregory Palamas about barbarian invasions and sexual sins.

I was speaking to an eighteen year old recently who told me about her bucket list: things she wanted to do before she dies. At the time, I didn’t think much about it. In fact, it seemed rather mature of her to have such specific goals. However, as I have thought about it, I’ve begun to suspect that having a bucket list is a symptom of a particular disease in our culture. What we do does not define who we are, it manifests who we are.

There are some in the Orthodox Tradition who have said that married couples should abstain from sexual relations during lenten periods. Some have gone so far as to say that this is the teaching of the Church. I am not an expert on such things, so I will not venture an opinion on whether or not it is the teaching of the Church or whether or not it is merely pious opinion. However, since someone has asked me about it, I will share some of my thoughts about it. Follow the blog at blogs.ancientfaith.com/prayingintherain/2016/03/marriage-sex-lent

Many holy fathers and mothers of the Church have pointed out that spiritual words are like powerful medicine. If taken inappropriately, what was designed to heal ends up causing harm.

We live in a generation that has been taught to tie their personal identity to their imagined sexual preferences. Consequently, it is difficult to help people who struggle with sexual passions to find hope and repentance. However, the teaching of holy fathers such as St. Isaac the Syrian and St. Barsanuphius of Gaza provide a very helpful alternative to the world’s way of thinking about such passions. For these saints, same-sex attraction is a passion like any other. It is not part of one’s identity, but is a parasitical passion, resisted and struggled against as all other passions are.

Fr. Stephen De Young begins the discussion of the book of Genesis.

Fr. Stephen De Young finishes his introductory discussion on the book of Exodus.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Exodus Chapter 1.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Exodus Chapter 2.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses the beginning of Exodus Chapter 3

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses the end of Exodus Chapter 3 as well as Exodus Chapter 4. (Note: Due to missing audio, discussion of Exodus 4:27-31 is not available)

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Exodus Chapters 5 and 6.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses the beginning of Exodus Chapter 7.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses the ending of Exodus Chapter 7 and Exodus Chapter 8.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Exodus Chapters 9 and 10.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Exodus Chapter 11 and the beginning of Exodus Chapter 12

This week, the guys read the 2011 novel Ready Player One. The book, itself an homage to video games and the 80s, prompted discussions of human personhood, the journey of the spiritual life, and how love can pierce through our obsession with the illusory. They close with their Top 5 Classic Video Games.

Jesus calls all to take up our cross and follow him for our entire life.

Fr. Philip LeMasters speaks about the importance of the Cross.

Through the Lord’s great Self-Offering, even the most wretched person may enter into the blessedness of the Kingdom through humble faith and repentance. Even the most notorious sinner may become a glorious saint and shine brightly with eternal glory.

The good news of our Lord’s resurrection extends to everyone and the entire world. The Church directs our attention during the Paschal season to how some very different people came to share in the life of our Lord, such as the disciple Thomas, the Myrrh-Bearing Women, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and the paralyzed man. Today we focus on someone who was different from all of them by worldly standards, for they were Jews and she was a Samaritan. We know her in the Church as the Great Martyr Photini, but in that time and place she would have seemed a very unlikely candidate to become a great evangelist of Christ’s salvation.

As we continue to celebrate the Elevation of the Holy Cross, we must remain on guard against the temptation of viewing our Lord’s Cross as merely a religious symbol that requires nothing of us. Through His Self-Offering on the Cross, Christ has conquered death and brought salvation to the world. But in order for us to share personally in His eternal life, we must take up our own crosses, deny ourselves, and follow Him. If we refuse to do that, then we will show that we are ashamed of our Lord and want no part in Him or His Kingdom. We will show that we prefer to continue in the old way of death rather than to enter by His grace into the heavenly reign.

Fr. John explains how the Church cultivated a higher level of sexual dignity and explores how Christendom served to elevate women in Roman society.

Fr. John discusses eucharistic worship as an experience of paradise.

Fr John recently travelled to the OCA’s Exarchate of Mexico at the invitation of His Grace, the Rt Rev. Bp Alejo. In today’s podcast, he recounts his journey.

In this episode, Fr John Parker address same-sex marriage and homosexuality, in response to the frenzy of discussion on these topics today in the public sphere.

This week we consider God’s actions, both as they fulfill our expectations of His righteous character, and as they astonish us. We remember the faithfulness of those who saw less of God’s revelation than we have, especially the three youths in the fire, and the holy ancestors of Jesus. Our readings for this Sunday, Luke 24:36-53, Luke 14:16-24 and Colossians 3:4-11, both respond to the desires of the ages, and shock us with the vibrancy and great extent of the new creation made possible through the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of our LORD.

This week we consider how God humbly uses objects, especially the live-giving Cross, for our healing and transformation. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25; Galatians 6:11-18, Colossians 1:19-20; Numbers 21:4-9, Exodus 15:22-26; Proverbs 3:11-18)

This week we revel in the colors, sounds, and wonder of Old Testament Canticle 8 (Dan 3:57-88 LXX). In this exuberant song of praise, we bring the whole cosmos before God, and enter into the praise that flows in different ways from everything that He has created.

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

"Saint Catherine of Alexandria," from Royal Saints: A coloring book with stories of saintly royalty throughout the history of Christianity (Draw Near Designs). Saints drawn by Marian Adams. Stories & Borders by Abigail Holt. Layout by Caroline Gann.

"Saint Alexander Nevsky," from Royal Saints: A coloring book with stories of saintly royalty throughout the history of Christianity (Draw Near Designs). Saints drawn by Marian Adams. Stories & Borders by Abigail Holt. Layout by Caroline Gann.

22. Book 1: The Exaltation of the Cross from the series The Twelve Great Feasts for Children by Sister Elayne, now Mother Melania (Conciliar Press, 2005) Book 2: The Wonderful Life of Russia's Saint Sergius of Radonezh told by Alvin Alexsi Currier (Conciliar Press, 2001)

42. Book 1: Extracts from Rejoice jr. Orthodox Christian Publication. For subscription information please contact Taisia Mills at (704) 894-0363. Book 2: Katie Visits a Monastery, by Elizabeth Saxild, part two (St. Nectarios Press, 1998)