"I'm Santa Claus, Teddy, not Yoda." Steve and Christian watched the delightful holiday movies, "The Christmas Chronicles" and "The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two" The guys discuss Santa Claus, pastoral care, the struggle to determine our identity, and a sacramental view of the world. ​ Philanthropy Spotlight: We're also shining a light on the FOCUS North America, a national movement of Orthodox Christians, united in faith and joined by a desire to provide action-oriented and sustainable solutions to poverty in communities across America. FOCUS has operations and youth volunteer experiences in more than 20 cities in the United States. Learn more on the parish website: https://focusnorthamerica.org/ ​

Steve and Christian explore the new DC superhero movie, "The Batman." Spoilers ahead! They explore lies, power, trauma, and radicalization.

Jesus called the Apostles to leave everything to follow Him and become fishers of men. And He calls all of us to take up our cross and follow Him right in the midst of our daily lives, making those places of weakness and failure become occasions of beauty and blessing.

Approaching God's requirements as a simple checklist for eternal life will leave us, like the Rich Young Ruler, outside of the great joy of Christmas.

Fr. Philip LeMasters recounts the Christmas story that is for all humanity.

Fr. Philip LeMasters shares about the rich, foolish farmer. "The barn of the rich fool was a pagan temple in which he worshiped only himself. If we live according to the standards of our world of corruption, we will become just like him by seeking to lay up treasures for ourselves to the point that we will shut ourselves out of the new life that Christ has brought to the world."

It is easy to assume that we have strong faith when it seems like everything is going our way. All too often, that means that we have come to trust in ourselves for following a religion that we imagine will give us what we want. When difficult struggles come, however, the truth about our weak souls is revealed. Then we come to see that real faith in God is not about serving or congratulating ourselves, but something entirely different.

We must mindfully take the steps necessary to follow the Theotokos in becoming holy living temples of the Lord. That is the only way to celebrate this feast and to prepare to celebrate Christmas with integrity.

In the remaining days before Christmas, let us embrace the radically disorienting calling to hope in nothing and no one other than the God-Man Who is born to heal and fulfill all who bear the divine image and likeness.

Like the rich man, many want a spiritual pat on the pack for continuing down whatever passion-driven path they have followed so far.

Most people today surely do not think of the weeks before Christmas as a time of preparation for being loosed from bondage to the corrupting forces of sin and death. More commonly, we use this time of year to strengthen our addiction to the love of money, possessions, food, drink, and other worldly pleasures.

On the last couple of Sundays, our gospel readings have reminded us what not to do if we want to prepare to welcome Christ into our lives and world at His Nativity. The rich fool was so focused on money and possessions that he completely neglected the state of his soul. The rich young ruler walked away in sadness when it became clear that he loved his wealth more than God and neighbor. The weeks before Christmas are the most commercialized time of the year when we are all bombarded with messages that the good life is primarily about having a lot of money and being able to buy whatever we want. Since the Lord warned so clearly of the folly of giving our hearts to the false god of riches, it is sadly ironic that the celebration of His Nativity so often occurs in ways that contradict the blessedness of His Kingdom.

The “unnecessary” stories of the three youths (in Daniel 3 and The Song of Azariah) and of St. Joseph, husband of the Theotokos (Matthew 1) are illumined by God’s care for the humble in Deuteronomy 10:14-21.

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, prologue by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter one by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter two by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter three by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter four by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter five by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter six by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter seven by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter eight by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter nine by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter ten by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter eleven by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter twelve by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter thirteen by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter fourteen by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter fifteen by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter sixteen by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapters seventeen and eighteen, by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter nineteen by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter twenty, by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter twenty-one, by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter twenty-two, by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

The Nightmare Tree: A Tale of Mysterion, Chapter twenty-three and conclusion, by Richard Rene (Coteau Books for Kids, 2007).

Dawn’s Gentle Light, "Bringing in Christmas," by Renee Riva (Pink Heart Press, 2017)

Dawn’s Gentle Light, "Christmas Eve," by Renee Riva (Pink Heart Press, 2017)

Christmas at Pine Cottage, Chapter One, by Renee Riva (Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, 2018) Available on Amazon

Christmas at Pine Cottage, Chapter Two, by Renee Riva (Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, 2018). Available on Amazon

Christmas at Pine Cottage, Chapter Three, by Renee Riva (Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, 2018) Available on Amazon

Christmas at Pine Cottage, Chapter Four, by Renee Riva (Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, 2018). Available on Amazon

Christmas at Pine Cottage, Chapter Five, by Renee Riva (Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, 2018). Available on Amazon

Christmas at Pine Cottage, Chapter Six, by Renee Riva (Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, 2018). Available on Amazon

Christmas at Pine Cottage, Chapter Seven, by Renee Riva (Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, 2018). Available on Amazon

Christmas at Pine Cottage, Chapter Eight, by Renee Riva (Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, 2018). Available on Amazon

Christmas at Pine Cottage, Chapter Nine and Conclusion, by Renee Riva (Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, 2018). Available on Amazon

35. Book 1: The Nativity of our Lord from The Twelve Great Feasts for Children by Mother Melania (Conciliar Press) Book 2: A Perfect Christmas written by Dennis Eugene Engleman and illustrated by Niko Chocheli (Regina Orthodox Press, 2004)

36. Book 1: Good King Wenceslas by John M. Neale (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2005) Book 2: A Perfect Christmas written by Dennis Eugene Engleman and illustrated by Niko Chocheli (Regina Orthodox Press, 2003) part two and conclusion.

Fr. Ted differentiates the deacon's vestments from those of the reader and the priest, and then explains why vestments are worn.