Dn. Michael continues his introduction to the Ecumenical Councils and asks the question "Why does truth matter?"

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

We hear it often. "Live in the present not the past or future," but what does that mean? In lesson four, Dn. Michael Hyatt covers the next two chapters in Dr. Nicole Roccas' book, Time and Despondency.

This is the 6th lesson of "This Present Moment: Practicing Orthodox Spirituality in an Age of Distraction." Dn. Michael Hyatt is teaching through Time and Despondency by Dr. Nicole Roccas. There is a practice taught by the Fathers and modeled by Jesus to help us battle the power of negative thinking. Learn about the use of counter statement and pick up the little book recommended called Talking Back: A Monastic Handbook for Combating Demons.

What is the difference between mercy and grace? Dn. Michael Hyatt continues going through the book How to Be a Sinner by Dr. Peter Bouteneff.

Dn. Michael Hyatt continues his series on the writings of the Apostolic Fathers, those 2nd generation Christian writers who learned at the feet of the Apostles themselves. Dn. Michael is using The Apostolic Fathers in English by Michael W. Holmes. This episode looks at the First Epistle of St. Clement. You will be amazed at how contemporary it is.

Domingo 14 de Septiembre Pd. Nicolás predicó sobre como el acto de evangleizar puede salvar uno. Sí la vida es dificil pero por el mensaje de la Cruz podemos receibir la paz de la verdad. 1 Cor. 1:18-24 Sunday September 7 Fr. Nicholas preached about how the act of evangelizing can save a person. Yes life is difficult but through the message of the Cross we can attain true peace. 1 Cor. 1:18-24

Padre Nicolás predicó sobre los malos pensamientos y como nosotros vamos a quitarlos por las buenas influencias. (Hechos 5:12-20) Fr. Nicholas preached about the bad thoughts and how to rid yourself of them through godly examples. (Acts 5:12-20)

Padre Nicholas predica que todos somos pecadores, pero Tenemos a una Dios, que nos perdona. Y por eso, somos dichosos. Mateo 18:23-35 Fr. Nicholas preaches that we all are sinners, but we have a God, that forgives us. And we are lucky because of this. Matthew 18:23-35

Whether it's a cello solo on the streets of Mumbai or a random act of kindness in your community, we all can be instruments of peace.

Steve begins a four part series on "Capital Punishment". In Part One he chronicles his work with emotionally disturbed children and the beginning of his shift from radical pacifism to a reconsideration of the death penalty.

In the second part of the series Steve discusses the Flood as the dividing line in human history in regard to the meaning of death, fear and capital punishment. Did the Mosaic Law abrogate the covenant with Noah? What do the atheist and the Christian have in common in regard to capital punishment?

In Part 3 of the series, Steve begins a discussion of the Church and State. How do we view Judaism as a theocracy? Is Jesus anti-death penalty? What is the purpose of civil authority? Is the State constrained to function on the level of the Gospel and should it?

What are the pitfalls of a "Christian State"? Can or should the State govern according to the Gospel? Can "forgiveness of enemies" be a valid principle of civil order? What do the Fathers of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches say about the relationship of Church and State in regard to civil order and capital punishment?

This week Steve discusses the woman taken in adultery, would Jesus "flip the switch" on the electric chair, and should evildoers be given life in prison in hopes that they will eventually repent?

Is the death penalty really a deterrent? Is there a need to kill evildoers if we can keep society safe through the prison systems? Is punishment a primitive concept not fit for modern enlightened society?

In the final podcast in the capital punishment series Steve discusses punishment, retribution and hell in light of "God is love". Can Christians legitimately believe in retributive punishment and a loving God? And finally, what is the responsibility of Christians to those on death row?

Why does God allow imperfect and fallen human beings make life and death decisions? Have Christians permitted the atheists to define our doctrines? Who has a greater problem justifying being against the death penalty, the Christian or the atheist? What does iconography have to do with the death penalty? All this and more...

Listen to excerpts from this past Sunday's bulletin at St. John the Compassionate Mission, serving the most vulnerable in Toronto. "What was it in their hearts that moved the Myrrh-bearing women to do something against common sense?"

Listen to reflections about encountering Christ in the midst of pain, from St. John the Compassionate Mission.

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With many of the autocephalous Churches meeting in Crete this week, some have wondered if this was another "Ecumenical Council" of the Orthodox Church. Fr. Lawrence Farley helps us understand that term.

We regard it as “Scripture”, a holy text, and of course it is. But it is also a personal letter addressed and written to people other than ourselves.

In the Gospel reading Christ even now stands in our midst to speak to our hearts.

Fr. Lawrence says it is safe to say that the allegorical method has fallen upon hard times in the scholarly world.

How the concept of punishment in the world to come was understood at the time of Christ.

Fr. Lawrence Farley comments on the Anaphora, which is a Greek word meaning “offering.”

Those familiar with old-time Pentecostalist liturgy will identify the title of this piece as a part of that liturgy. Not, of course, that tongue-speaking Pentecostalists of the old school would admit to having liturgy. Liturgy, for them, is what the Catholics have (along with their step-children, the Anglicans) because they do not have God or the Holy Spirit. Liturgy is usually described by them as “dead liturgy” because the people using the liturgical book are spiritually dead and need such substitutes for true Spirit-led worship.

Today we begin a series on the use of the Old Testament in the early chapters of the Gospel of St. Matthew. We will examine his citations in his narrative of Christ’s birth, childhood and adulthood up to the time He settled in Capernaum, bringing a great light to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali and to all the world. St. Matthew (either the actual author of the Gospel or the one under whose blessing and authority it was first disseminated) took care to present Jesus as the fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, and by examining the use of the Old Testament in this Gospel we can see how deeply and creatively the Church used those Scriptures.

We continue our series examining St. Matthew’s citations of the Old Testament. Today we look at his citation of Micah 5:2. “In the Masoretic Hebrew it reads, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you will come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.” The LXX reads similarly: “And you, Bethlehem, house of Ephrathah, you are very small to be in the thousands of Judah, from which for me will come out to be for a ruler of Israel, and his goings out are from the beginning, from the days of eternity.” It is all the more surprising therefore that St. Matthew’s version reads a little differently from either the Hebrew or the Greek. It reads, “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you will come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.”

We continue our series examining St. Matthew’s citations of the Old Testament. Today we look at his citation of Jeremiah 31:15. It reads, “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are not.” The LXX renders it more or less the same way, though the order of the chapters is different. In the LXX the text is found in Jeremiah chapter 38, not chapter 31. But the meaning of the text is the same.

We conclude our series examining St. Matthew’s citations of the Old Testament. Today we look at his citation of Isaiah 40:3, which reads, “A voice cries, ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of Yahweh! Make straight in the desert a highway for our God!”

There are stupider things to do than arguing with a culty fundamentalist. As the late great Jim Croce reminded us, you don’t tug on Superman’s cape, you don’t spit into the wind, and you don’t pull the mask off the ol’ Lone Ranger. Arguing with a culty fundamentalist is, I admit, not as stupid as any of these things, but it is pretty stupid nonetheless, for it is a waste of precious time and utterly futile.

I remember once when a friend was sharing with me his distress at the liberalism afflicting his Protestant denomination, and the fact that many of their clergy were denying such things as the virgin birth and the divinity of Christ. While murmuring sympathetically, I mentioned that such denials were not the same problem in the Orthodox Church. He then asked me what sort of things we did argue about. When I replied, “Well, things like whether or not a woman can receive Holy Communion while she is menstruating,” he looked at me funny. He didn’t ask, “What planet are you guys on?” but I could tell he was thinking it. Loudly.

It has been suggested to me that in many (most?) Evangelical circles one becomes a Christian “by accepting the finished work of Christ”—i.e. by believing and accepting as true that on the cross Jesus paid the full price due our sin and by saying a prayer acknowledging this.

Recently a minor fracas in the narthex of our church was caused by (I kid you not) my long hair (see inset for a rear view of said hair). Since my hair steadfastly refuses to grow on the top of my head, you would think I could be cut a little slack for the bit that grows at the back, but apparently not.

Fr. Apostolos discusses the final judgment of the human soul.

Fr. Apostolos shares about myrrh in the Old Testament, New Testament, and today. "We must become emblems of hope as we bear that sacred myrrh, that oil of healing to a broken world."

Fr. Apostolos reminds us of the effort needed and the benefits of participating fully in the spiritual fitness regimen of Great Lent.

Fr. Apostolos talks about feeding ourselves spiritually, not only physically."Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

Fr. Apostolos continues the homily series on Divine Worship, addressing the Sacrament of Offering and the potential that exists to redeem our work-a-day lives through the offering up to God of a portion of our labors, in this case the bread and wine of Holy Communion.