Fr Joseph (with help from the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and Beck) fears his upcoming trip to Mount Athos. I mean, if you were him, wouldn't you?

Fr. Joseph, just in time for seasonal tom foolery, recounts his recent pilgrimage to Greece and the Holy Mountain.

You ever had a wreck with the bishop in the car? Yeah, well, lemme tell ya before he does: I have!

Honey, Mead, Old Age and John the Baptist. You'll just have to listen to get the connection.

Fr Joseph, struggling toward humility in the first week of the Fast, tells of his first visit to Fasters Anonymous... and their curious theme song.

Fr. Joseph recounts holding Easter colored chicks... holding a BB gun, his eye on a sparrow... and later, standing outside in the rain wearing a ball cap, oven mitts and holding a napkin-covered lacrosse stick, chanting, "Here birdie, birdie, birdie." Yes, this week's podcast is for the birds.

In this episode, Fr. Anthony uses insights from his former career in intelligence to explain the spiritual vulnerability of our priests (and the need for vigilance). After a commercial break for a new type of Paschal vestment, he then offers a first draft of a priestly "Code of Honor.

Fr. Maximos McIntyre, a ROCOR mission priest in MA, talks to us about the challenges of bi-vocational ministry and shares warnings about ghost hunting. And he knows what he is speaking about; he spent several years as a paranormal investigator working with some of the big names in the field.

In this episode, Fr. Anthony talks with his long-time friend and evangelical co-conspirator about strolling across the Holy Island of Iona, memories and/of music, and the joy of being in Christ. Enjoy the show!

In this episode, Fr. Anthony brings back a crowd favorite, Fr. Michael Kohn (Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese), to speak about addiction, recovery, and the ontology of grace. We discuss how that grace works through fellowship, authentic testimonies of redemption, accountability, and mentorship in both the Twelve Step program and Holy Orthodoxy. Fr. Michael, an active and experienced addiction counselor, also gives advice on how priests can make an ally of AA, AN, Al-Anon, and Nar-Anon programs. Enjoy the show!

In this episode, Fr. Anthony talks with theologian and professor Carrie Frederick Frost about her book, Maternal Body: A Theology of Incarnation from the Christian East (Paulist Press, 2019). She shares what it was like to study with Vigen Guroian, her thoughts on why the book elicits such varying (and emotional) reactions, as well as some of the theological lessons we can learn from each of the stages of motherhood from conception through weaning. Along the way, they talk about the process of discernment and what to do (and not do!) when the Church teaches us or does things that trouble us. Like her mentor, Professor Frost makes full use of Orthodox hymnography, iconography, service texts, and personal experience in her work. Enjoy the show!

St. Paul's first epistle to Timothy is full of pastoral and vocational wisdom. This is awesome. Even more awesome? Getting St. John Chrysostom's teaching on it! The version read is from The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the Epistles of St. Paul the Apostles to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (The Oxford Translation, Edited, with Additional Notes, by Rev. Philip Schaff, D.D., LLD.).

St. Paul's first epistle to Timothy is full of pastoral and vocational wisdom. This is awesome. Even more awesome? Getting St. John Chrysostom's teaching on it! The version read is from The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the Epistles of St. Paul the Apostles to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (The Oxford Translation, Edited, with Additional Notes, by Rev. Philip Schaff, D.D., LLD.). Poor pronunciations are all Fr. Anthony, though! This chapter has some difficult teachings about the role of women in the Church (to include exegesis on the Fall). Enjoy the show!

In this episode, Fr. Anthony talks with Dylan Pahman (Research Fellow, Acton Institute) about what we can learn about virtue and markets playing Magic the Gathering. Then, after lamenting the lack of economic literacy among some theologians and clergy, Dylan addresses some of the major objections some Christians have with markets, liberal democracy, and international trade. He makes the case that they will not automatically cultivate virtue, but can be compatible with Orthodoxy. You can read the works referenced at acton.academia.edu/DylanPahman.

You may recognize Dn Timothy Kelleher from his appearances in NCIS, Independence Day, Thirteen Days and other movies and shows, but he has also published many thoughtful essays in First Things, Church Life Journal, and now the National Review (among others). In this episode, he and Fr. Anthony talk about Dn. Timothy's two most recent essays; "Memories of a Staten Island Childhood" and "A Nation of Sinners." You can read these essays and others at timkelleher.org. Enjoy the show!

After sharing three commentaries on the Prologue of St. John, Fr. Anthony talks about the pattern of sound and how it works to perfect us and our community in Christ. This was first shared via Fr. Anthony's "My Fool Head" YouTube livestream on 04 December 2021. The Jonathan Pageau interview he couldn't remember was with Samuel Andreyev; "Patterns and Meaning in Music". Enjoy the show!

Fr. Anthony talks with evangelical author, blogger, and podcaster, John Michalak about grace, liturgy, and the need to "surrender subjectivity." John started attending services at Holy Resurrection in Waynesville NC a few months ago and shares some observations. Enjoy the show!

Elissa demonstrates how the idea of the monastery is a very useful illustration to help all of us, especially our youth, understand how to be Orthodox in this world.

Citing the writings of Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, Elissa demonstrates how the conveniences we have invented to make life easy have actually made it quite a bit harder.

Fr. Michael begins a two-part series on discussing the comparison between vocations: marriage, monasticism, and singleness.

Fr. Michael continues his discussion from last week. "We should not teach our children that anything outside us can defile us.... The defilement is already in our hearts and what we avoid, we avoid because it stirs up the disordered passions of my heart."

This morning my wife and I took one of our occasional half-day vacations. It’s a warmish 19 degree day (68 Fahrenheit) with the sun poking through the clouds. We walked a mile or so up a trail in the hills and then afterward stopped by a country tea and scone place for a bite and a chat and just some quite time together, Bonnie working on her knitting project and I reading a book (what else would I be doing?). Bonnie asked me what I was reading, so I read her a little quote from from Archimandrite Aimilianos. What does it mean to be dispassionate? It means turning exclusively to God, with all your strength, energy, power, and love. There is no turning aside to anything else whatsoever….

I had a conversation recently in which I couldn’t explain very clearly a comment I made several times, and as a result there was a certain amount of misunderstanding. I realize that perhaps many people have this same misunderstanding, and since it has to do with the Kingdom of Heaven, and how it “comes” or how we actually enter and live the life of the Kingdom of Heaven while we are still on earth, I thought that discussing this misunderstanding and how to overcome might be a good way to begin our discussion of “Let Your Kingdom come (as in heaven, so also on earth).”

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

It seems as though the nearer I draw to God, the farther away I realize I am. The more I realize, the less I understand. People sometimes ask me about certainty: “How can you be certain about your faith in God?” Honestly, I gave up certainty years ago. The only thing I am certain of is my utter dependence on the mercy of God.

A very wise nun once said something like this: “If you have an evil thought, dismiss it; but if you can’t dismiss it, don’t dwell on it; but if you can’t stop dwelling on it, don’t speak it; but if you can’t keep from speaking it, don’t act on it; but if you can’t keep from acting on it, don’t do it again; but if you do do it again; seek help to find repentance.” The point she was making was this: salvation starts where you are.

In the middle of Homily 54 of his Ascetical Homilies, St. Isaac gives specific advice on how to do this, how to take delight in psalmody. He begins by saying that one should disregard both the quantity of verses and the beauty or skill with which one recites them. According to St. Isaac, delight in psalmody has nothing to do with how beautiful the reading sounds nor with the amount of verses one recites.

Just as surely as there is a time of sowing, there is a time of reaping. God changes us and touches the hearts of others through our prayers, our giving and our service to others. Seeds become trees and trees change the environment. Sowing is hard. Trees grow slowly, almost imperceptibly. It requires faith and often tears.

Fr. Stephen De Young begins the study of St. Paul's First Epistle to St. Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young continues the discussion of St. Paul's First Epistle to St. Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young continues the discussion of St. Paul's First Epistle to St. Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young continues the discussion of St. Paul's First Epistle to St. Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young continues the discussion of St. Paul's First Epistle to St. Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young concludes the discussion of St. Paul's First Epistle to St. Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young begins the discussion of St. Paul's Second Letter to St. Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses St. Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy, Chapter 2.

Fr. Stephen De Young continues the discussion of St. Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young concludes the discussion of St. Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses St. Paul's Epistle to Philemon.

The guys watched Star Trek Beyond, and they agreed that while the movie was fun, it wasn’t the best thing either of them had ever seen. Join Steve and Christian as they discuss what makes STB’s villain so interesting, how Kirk struggles with despondency, and whether or not Simon Pegg’s take on humor really helped the film all that much. As always, the guys end with their Top 5 List. This week: Top 5 Villains.

This week, the guys watched Beyoncé’s visual album Lemonade. They discuss what it’s like to not be the intended audience for a work of art, listening to experiences we don’t share, the human need to make sense of tragic events, and the album's struggle through infidelity and pain. They end with their Top 5 Music Videos.

This week, the girls take on Disney’s animated film, Moana. They discuss the power of Christian vocation, the quest to find ourselves in Christ, and the uniqueness of the Christian salvation narrative—they even occasionally sing while doing so. They close with their Top 5 Disney Animal Sidekicks.

The guys loved Coco, and they both cried (#Pixar). They discuss presentations of the afterlife, the longing for divine justice, and how each of us desperately longs to be remembered by the Lord. They close with their Top 5 Depictions of the Afterlife.

The guys watched The Incredibles 2 and loved it! They discuss the role of family, the effects of trauma, and how media affects our lives. They close with their Top 5 Quirky Families.

The guys decided it was time to discuss a classic: Monty Python and the Holy Grail. They discuss how love demands honoring people’s quirks, how each of us desires to be the hero in our own stories, and how a little bit of laughter goes a long way in dealing with life. They close with their Top 5 Reimagined Myths.

Christina and Emma take on the Newberry Medal winning novel, The Girl Who Drank the Moon. They discuss sacrifice vs. loss, hope vs. sorrow, and how Christian hope in particular is not an empty promise. They close with their Top 5 Newberry Winners.

The girls discuss the podcast-gone-Amazon series, Modern Love. They reflect on the nature of "modern" love, how love makes us vulnerable, and how true love calls us to become real. They close with their Top 5 Love Stories That Are Not About Romantic Love.

"There is only one way this war ends. Last man standing." Steve Gonzalez and Christian Christoforou watched the World War I film, "1917." The guys discuss just war, violence, human nature, and finding beauty in the midst of pain. We're also shining a light on the Theotokos Orphanage and St Ignatius School in Bakeswar, India. Run nearly singlehandedly for over a decade by Sister Nektaria of Corinth, Greece, these programs strive to provide the children of Kolkata and Bakeswar with the love of Christ and a quality education (a crucial tool in breaking the cycles of poverty). Learn more on their website: fili-inc.com.

The girls take a listen to Taylor Swift's new new album, evermore. They discuss dealing with mistakes, life after death, and how repentance is not the same as getting off the hook.

The girls discuss Gilmore Girls and touch on themes such as the importance of having a village around you, the significance of place, and above all, unconditional love.