For those of us who are still working on getting that first few rows of stones around the foundation of faith, focusing on acquiring a little bit of every virtue helps us to keep picking up the stone (of virtue) that is needed at a given moment and putting it down at the correct place in our spiritual house. Baby steps for baby Christians. May God grant that we are all found to be children in His Kingdom.

Join Steve and Christian as they talk about the highly anticipated Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. The guys talk about the Force, both the light side and the dark, the recurrent themes of family and personhood with just a dash of theology. So, join the guys as they celebrate the movie and end with their five favorite Star Wars quotations of all time.

Fr. Philip LeMasters preaches on the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

At Pentecost, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit as a sign of the restoration of human persons, both individually and collectively, in the divine image and likeness.

We must never think that the vocation to holiness is reserved exclusively for some people, perhaps the clergy, the monastics, or only the great saints.

Let us live as those who have tasted the living water of the Holy Spirit and know that nothing can truly satisfy us—in this life or in that which is to come—other than uniting ourselves to Christ in holiness.

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.

Fr. John explores what exactly monasticim was in the days of St. Macarius.

Fr. John explores marriage within the life of early Christendom.

In this episode Father John discusses a few tendencies in Calvinism that would serve to undermine the place of paradise in Reformation Christendom, especially the doctrine of "total depravity" and the spiritual anxiety that accompanied it.

Fr. John discusses the spiritual transformation of time by Christianity.

Fr. John discusses the ways in which the Church tries to create a sanctified topography in Christendom.

What was the genius of classical music during its nineteenth-century golden age? According to Fr. John Strickland, it was an effort to rescue Christendom's transformational imperative in an age when secularization threatened to sever earth from heaven. No longer influenced by traditional Christianity, great composers like Beethoven exaggerated earthly passions (especially sexual love) to communicate the West's primordial desire for transcendence. But the emotionalism that resulted threatened to take the floor out from underneath them. This episode concludes by analyzing famous works by Schubert and Berlioz which show how transcendence gave way to descent, and how utopian hopes plunged into irreversible spiritual agony.

This week’s readings for divine liturgy correct any notion we might have that the physical, material world does not matter. While the physical is ordered under the spiritual realm by God, it is also meant to be taken up into it, transformed. We see this careful balance and valuing of the spiritual and material worlds in the lives of the Theotokos and St. Edith of Wilton, as well as in the Old Testament narratives of the “fiery serpent” and the promised “new heavens and new earth.”

When Thou O Lord was baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. Dr. Humphrey explores the significance of Theophany on this first day of the New Year.

Sober joy is the atmosphere of the second group of ascent songs, based on Psalms LXX 122-124 (MT 123-125). While aware of human need, we also meditate upon the security found among the people of God, and the presence of the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and the whole world, helped in our thinking by Ephesians 6:10-17, 2 Peter 3:9 and Romans 8:26-27.

Fr. Ted reminds us that, "Christ is always in front of us," and that spiritual healing is readily available.

Fr. Ted cautions us against the popular notion of spirituality without religion.

Fr. Ted discusses the spiritual importance of icons, citing the Seventh Ecumenical Council.

Fr. Ted speaks of the danger in placing too much emphasis on miracles.

Fr. Ted explains that the Spirit of Truth always brings understanding, and most importantly, offers a message of love.

Fr. Ted explains that it is possible to be a good person and a bad Christian simultaneously.

Fr. Ted reminds us that we must cultivate our internal spiritual lives with patience in order to grow as Christians.

Fr. Ted reminds us that while the worldly spirit changes with time, the truth of the Church endures forever.

Fr. Ted addresses the trend to cultivate ourselves in our careers but not in our spirituality.

Fr. Ted shares his Paschal homily. Christ is risen!

Fr. Ted reminds us that it is impossible for us to be Christians without the Holy Spirit.

The most important part of the Paschal service is not the Holy Light, but rather the Divine Liturgy in which we receive Holy Communion.

Fr. Ted points out that the Spirit of God always brings people together, brings understanding, brings Truth, and brings love.

Fr. Ted calls all Orthodox Christians to prayer and humility as the Holy and Great Council begins.

Fr. Ted calls us to the right usage of Holy Water rather than an idol that replaces a life lived in Christ.

Fr. Ted invites to cultivate the full life that is ours in Christ through Baptism and Chrismation - enlightened and guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth.

Fr. Ted shares the story of St. Fanourios and reflects upon the Gospel reading about Jesus' interaction with the Rich Young Ruler.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos preaches on the healing of the paralytic.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos explains the significance of the spiritual calendar and the beginning of the Ecclesiastical New Year.

Mother Frederica Mathewes-Green, well-known author and public speaker, discusses the Christian life. Kevin and Steve ask her about prayer, forgiveness, and to mark our inaugural show--the Illumined Heart!

Continuing discussion with Mother Frederica Mathewes-Green, Kevin and Steve delve deeper into what it means to live life as an Orthodox Christian. Just in time for Lent!

How old is monasticism in the west? Are there historic connections between eastern and western monasticism? What does the western monk strive to achieve? Is the praxis similar for the western (Roman Catholic) and eastern (Orthodox) monk? These are questions Kevin asks Fr. Simon O'Donnell (OSB), a Benedictine monk (and former novice master) of 42 years at Saint Andrew Abbey, Valyermo, California.

Join Illumined Heart co-host Kevin Allen on his pilgrimage to Saint Herman of Alaska Monastery, Platina, California to talk with its Abbot Fr. Gerasim and Fr. Seraphim Rose legacy-keeper and biographer Monk Damascene. September 2nd marks the 25th anniversary of the repose of Fr. Seraphim Rose. In part 1 of this 3 part series, Kevin is in the cell constructed by Fr. Seraphim and now occupied by Monk Damascene where he talks with the monk about his spiritual father. For more information about the books published and distributed by the monastery, visit their website.

In the conclusion of our 3 part series commemorating the 25TH anniversary of the repose of Fr Seraphim (Rose), Kevin Allen is seated on a wooden bench overlooking a panoranmic view of Mt. Yolla Bolly with the Abbot of St. Herman of Alaska Monastery, Fr. Gerasim. Listen for valuable lessons (as well as birds chirping!) on the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting from a spiritual child of this venerated American monk and writer.

Host Kevin Allen speaks with Father Steven Tschlis about the role of the spiritual guide - father or mother - in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, and how such a guide may differ from one's parish priest or sacramental confessor. Should we look for a "spiritual father or mother" in a monastery? What role does the parish priest play? These and other questions will be addressed in this conversation.

Today Andrew continues his practical advise for freeing ourselves from addiction by offering St. Theophan's four spiritual weapons for our contimplation . Read the transcript HERE.

An Interview with Father Damian

In this episode, Steve and Bill discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in bringing salvation to the human race through the person of Mary on whom the Holy Spirit descends to incarnate the second person of the Godhead, Jesus Christ. This is understood as the "economy" or the role of the Spirit as the one who does not manifest Himself, but reveals Christ. But then something happens during the second break and... well, don't reveal the suprise ending of this program to anyone.

We've gotten several requests over time to do a program on the Orthodox view of "speaking in tongues" and the charismatic movement within the Evangelical Churches. After avoiding the topic for a couple years we decided to do a series on the Orthodox Church's understanding of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. With all the claims and experiences regarding the Holy Spirit today is there a way to discern what is real and what is perhaps a spiritual deception? We begin the series at the beginning: the role of the Holy Spirit in creation.

Dn. Michael Hyatt returns to his Sunday school class and begins teaching through Time and Despondency: Regaining the Present in Faith and Life..

Padre Nicholas predicó sobre como nuestras alas espirituales nos lleva a Dios. Vamos a madura en el Señor dejando todas las preocupaciones del mundo y fortalecido por la Palabra de Dios. Juan 4:5-42 Fr. Nicholas preached on how our spiritual wings bring us to God. Let us mature in the Lord, leaving all the worries of the world behind and being fueled by God´s Word. John 4:5-42

Steve interviews Fr. Meletios Webber, the Abbot of St. John's Monastery, on what the "grace of the priesthood" bestows on a man and what the priest's authority and role is in the life of the parish and in his relationship with his parishoners as his spiritual children.

Steve reflects on the limitations and dangers of the tools of his trade and how it applies to how we approach the Canons of the Church.