Podcasts about yfyxdzglw3y

The world attaches no value to our bodies and it often feels as if the Church shares the same vision: the body is evil, worthless, a sort of dark gate through which demons, passions and sins enter our being. But is this the revealed truth and is this really what the Church confesses? We need to escape this confusion, we need to rediscover the worth of our bodies before we start preparing our fight against the passions which control them. If we do not know the value of our bodies, how are we expected to fight for them?

The girls discuss the novel The Big Finish, and they contemplate themes such as struggling with the passions, how we perceive other people, and the reality that salvation is messy.

Why is God so interested in what we do in the bedroom? Why is the Church so keen that we should learn to control our bodies and their passions? Why can't we just focus on the spiritual side of life and live as spiritual beings?

“I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9: 24) We often think of faith as meaning either "certainty" (confidence that some idea is true) or "religiosity" (participation in a group's activities). But the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent is dedicated to Saint John Climacus, and the top rung of his "Ladder of Divine Ascent" describes faith. The Church presents faith in much deeper terms than we often admit. We'll learn by looking at how Abraham was faithful to God, while the disciples weren't. Because real faith is about placing ourselves in God's hands. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook (https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee172) to help you act on what you'll learn. You'll find a coupon code for "Effective Christian Ministry" in this week's workbook.

“I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9: 24) We often think of faith as meaning either "certainty" (confidence that some idea is true) or "religiosity" (participation in a group's activities). But the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent is dedicated to Saint John Climacus, and the top rung of his "Ladder of Divine Ascent" describes faith. The Church presents faith in much deeper terms than we often admit. We'll learn by looking at how Abraham was faithful to God, while the disciples weren't. Because real faith is about placing ourselves in God's hands. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook (https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee172) to help you act on what you'll learn. You'll find a coupon code for "Effective Christian Ministry" in this week's workbook.

Join Michael as he discusses how we are either living in repentance or rebellion at any given time in our response to God grace, and how this determines the quality of our existence both now and in the life to come.

Some things are to be discerned with one's mind, but others - the most important ones - should be approached based on faith and love alone. One cannot 'discern' one's vocation for married or monastic life; this is not a choice to be made based on logical assessment, but on the love one feels in one's heart.

"That’s what rap is, making the best out of a bad situation, brother." Steve and Christian watched the FX series, "Atlanta." The guys discuss tragedy, comedy, human brokenness, and race in America. Philanthropy Spotlight: At the start of Great Lent, we're shining a light on the important place almsgiving has in the Christian life.

My will or God's will? The will of the world and that of our families have become components of our own will. To discern and follow the will of God, we must free ourselves from the dominion of these three: the will of the world, the will of our immediate circle of family and friends, and our personal will. The best teacher for this is the wonderful St John of the Ladder (of Sinai).

“The glory of God is a living human; and the life of humanity consists in beholding God.” (Saint Irenaus of Lyons) Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him. But what does that mean? On the Third Sunday of Great Lent, we may think that "bearing your cross" means patiently enduring burdens. Especially now, as we make our way through the struggle of Great Lent. But Christ isn't simply calling us to endure: to rely on our own strength or wisdom or will. He's calling us to die to our broken selves so that we can be made new in Christ. He's calling us to draw near to the Throne of Grace. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee171

“The glory of God is a living human; and the life of humanity consists in beholding God.” (Saint Irenaus of Lyons) Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him. But what does that mean? On the Third Sunday of Great Lent, we may think that "bearing your cross" means patiently enduring burdens. Especially now, as we make our way through the struggle of Great Lent. But Christ isn't simply calling us to endure: to rely on our own strength or wisdom or will. He's calling us to die to our broken selves so that we can be made new in Christ. He's calling us to draw near to the Throne of Grace. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee171

Fr. Apostolos Hill delivers a homily at the 200 year anniversary of Greek Independence about the true freedom wrought for us in Christ.

Christ did not offer Himself on the Cross and rise from the dead in order to make us well-adjusted citizens of this world, but to heal every dimension of our brokenness so that we will shine brilliantly with His divine glory.

Back in March 2020, when I promised that I'd be recording these videos to keep each other company through the pandemic, I definitely had no idea I would still be doing this a whole year later. One year of the pandemic, one year with the virus, and we are still here, helping each other on our way. I have learnt enormously from you during this past year and I want to thank you all, on behalf of the Monastery, for the love and encouragement you have offered us. May God, Who brought all of us together, continue to bless us every day, every hour of our portion in this world, my dear ones.

Listen to excerpts from this past Sunday's bulletin at St. John the Compassionate Mission, serving the most vulnerable in Toronto.

If your aim is to be 100% happy, 100% of the time, you can be 100% certain that you will fail into utter misery. We are constantly being fed ready-made recipes for happiness, impersonal visions of what happiness looks like, false idols of who we should be in order to be happy. We can grow from the darkness in our lives, as much as we grown from its light. Happiness comes from unexpected places and we should always be ready to embrace it. If we are blinded by these unreal visions of happiness, we might just let true happiness pass by unnoticed.

Join Michael as he discusses the failure of the first fast in the Bible and its implications to us; how fasting is not about food the way we typically approach it; and fasting’s corporate and communal nature and what it means to us as persons not individuals.

"O Gregory the Miracle Worker, light of Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the Church, comeliness of Monastics, invincible defender of theologians, the pride of Thessalonica, and preacher of grace, intercede forever that our souls may be saved." (Apolytikion for the Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas) Is it possible to know God? How could a perfect God have anything to do with His imperfection creation? These are some of the questions Saint Gregory Palamas faced in the 14th century. And they're questions the Church faces today. We dedicate the Second Sunday of Great Lent to this important saint because he taught an important theological truth that's at the core of the Christian life: That God is both knowable in His Energies and unknowable in His Essence. And this mystery is shown to us when Jesus heals the paralytic in Mark 2. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee170

"O Gregory the Miracle Worker, light of Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the Church, comeliness of Monastics, invincible defender of theologians, the pride of Thessalonica, and preacher of grace, intercede forever that our souls may be saved." (Apolytikion for the Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas) Is it possible to know God? How could a perfect God have anything to do with His imperfection creation? These are some of the questions Saint Gregory Palamas faced in the 14th century. And they're questions the Church faces today. We dedicate the Second Sunday of Great Lent to this important saint because he taught an important theological truth that's at the core of the Christian life: That God is both knowable in His Energies and unknowable in His Essence. And this mystery is shown to us when Jesus heals the paralytic in Mark 2. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee170

There are many ways to view ourselves as human beings. All too often, we accept false definitions that we find appealing in light of our passions, weaknesses, and other forms of personal brokenness. When we do so, we set our sights too low, for the Savior became one of us in order to make us perfectly beautiful icons of His salvation.

What is the Orthodox practice of total fasting? How do you keep it and why would you? What are the spiritual benefits of fasting for a period from all food and water for the love of Christ?

"What is grief, if not love persevering?" Steve and Christian watched the new Disney+ series in the MCU, "WandaVision." The guys discuss grief, justice, power, and the cross-pressure of Secular3. Philanthropy Spotlight: We're also shining a light on "Philoptochos," the philanthropic arm of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Philoptochos fulfills its mission to “help the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, those with disabilities and the victims of disasters through its National and Metropolis Boards and its 26,000 members and more than 400 active chapters, nationwide. Philoptochos responds immediately to needs and crises and its philanthropic outreach extends to each area of the country and throughout the world. In 2019, National Philoptochos distributed $1.7 million in philanthropic aid. Learn more on their website: philoptochos.org

As we begin our Lenten journey, Fr. Seraphim Aldea reminds us of the importance of repentance for our salvation.

"On this day, the first Sunday of Lent, we commemorate the restoration of the holy and venerable icons…” (Synaxarion for the Sunday of Orthodoxy) After weeks of learning about forgiveness and pride and judgment, we begin Great Lent with a Sunday dedicated to icons. Why? On one level, this is the anniversary of the triumph over Iconoclasm in 843 AD. But there's more to this triumph than meets the eye. So we'll take a deep dive into the theology of icons to learn that God made a promise to His saints. That He would unite heaven and earth. That we could look upon the face of the Lord and live. And this promise is fulfilled in us. We hold up icons as proof of this promise, the treasures we display in the Triumph of Orthodoxy. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee169

"On this day, the first Sunday of Lent, we commemorate the restoration of the holy and venerable icons…” (Synaxarion for the Sunday of Orthodoxy) After weeks of learning about forgiveness and pride and judgment, we begin Great Lent with a Sunday dedicated to icons. Why? On one level, this is the anniversary of the triumph over Iconoclasm in 843 AD. But there's more to this triumph than meets the eye. So we'll take a deep dive into the theology of icons to learn that God made a promise to His saints. That He would unite heaven and earth. That we could look upon the face of the Lord and live. And this promise is fulfilled in us. We hold up icons as proof of this promise, the treasures we display in the Triumph of Orthodoxy. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee169

During Great Lent, we will follow the path that leads back to Paradise.

Great Lent is a holy and sacred time of year yet we can turn it into a secular practice and experience if we are not careful. Join Michael as he discusses our understanding and participation in Lent, and how to avoid subtle ways that lead us to experience Lent less than how we should.

Some people thrive and others collapse fought by the same temptations, in the same context, surrounded by the same people. St Paisius the Agiorite (St Paisius of the Holy Mountain) and St John of the Ladder teach us that a joyful disposition of the heart and the determination to see goodness in everyone can make the difference between spiritual life and death. We need to train our thoughts to always 'translate' the situations we face into good examples, into sources of strength, virtue and beauty. Depending on whether we decode this world through a lens of love or one of condemnation, the same temptations can feed the Divine Image in us or the nothingness in us.

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

The girls discuss the Netflix series, Firefly Lane. They touch on issues of self-discovery, the importance of friendship, and what constitutes a real relationship.

When we judge our brother we become anti-Christs, because we rob the True Judge - Jesus Christ - of the authority given to Him Alone by the Father. We envy His place on His Throne of Judgement and we sit on His Throne in our mind, making ourselves to be judges, although God did not give us this authority. We are not the Judge, but the ones who will be judged, with the rest of humanity. We must always remember that the Same One Who said: 'do not kill' also said: 'do not Judge'.

The path to eternal life runs through our neighbors, especially those we are inclined to overlook, disregard, and even despise. How we treat the hungry and thirsty, the stranger and the naked, the sick and the prisoner reveals the true state of our souls. How we serve our suffering and inconvenient neighbors, whoever they are, is how we serve our Lord.

“Nothing makes us so like God, as our readiness to forgive the wicked and wrongdoer.” (Saint John Chrysostom) The Greek word for forgiveness means "sharing the same space." At the doorstep to Great Lent, we're given the opportunity to both seek and offer forgiveness. Forgiveness Sunday (especially Forgiveness Vespers) is our chance to overcome resentments and share the same space with both God and neighbor. So that, together, we can journey to salvation and an experience of God's Kingdom. Because right and wrong is about more than what’s right or wrong for you. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn. https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee168 .

“Nothing makes us so like God, as our readiness to forgive the wicked and wrongdoer.” (Saint John Chrysostom) The Greek word for forgiveness means "sharing the same space." At the doorstep to Great Lent, we're given the opportunity to both seek and offer forgiveness. Forgiveness Sunday (especially Forgiveness Vespers) is our chance to overcome resentments and share the same space with both God and neighbor. So that, together, we can journey to salvation and an experience of God's Kingdom. Because right and wrong is about more than what’s right or wrong for you. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn. https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee168 .

Many people are systematically allowing themselves and their children to become more depressed and addicted to dopamine through social media and smart phone use. These two, highly-addictive and codependent tools have been proven to magnify a sense of loneliness, inadequacy, despair, and helplessness as we are swept into an "attention economy." Church social media guru Fr. Barnabas Powell and Bill Marianes will review the data on social media dopamine addiction and discuss effective strategies you, your churches, and families can use as we explore how to use social media positively and focus on WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) with the power of social media.

Every Lent is an opportunity to START ANEW, to shine in Christ, to do the things we only think about doing the rest of the year. We can go deeper in our faith, we can create secret 'signs of love and faith' with Christ, we can re-shape the courses of our thoughts and emotions so they once again flow in the direction God intended them to flow when He created us.

“O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public.” (Kontakion of Judgment Sunday) In this Episode: 00:00​ What is Judgment Sunday? 01:14​ How Will We Be Judged? 03:50​ Causing Others to Stumble 05:40​ Love and Judgment 06:54​ My Brother is My Life 09:29​ When Right is Wrong What this Episode is About: In Matthew 25, Jesus offers a prophetic word on the Day of Judgment, when He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Yet this isn't a private judgment, focused on our own private religiosity. It's based on the way we treat other people. In fact, Jesus tells us that, when we love others, we are actually loving Him. And, when we despise others, we're actually despising Him. Because right and wrong is about more than what’s right or wrong for you. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee167

“O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public.” (Kontakion of Judgment Sunday) In this Episode: 00:00​ What is Judgment Sunday? 01:14​ How Will We Be Judged? 03:50​ Causing Others to Stumble 05:40​ Love and Judgment 06:54​ My Brother is My Life 09:29​ When Right is Wrong What this Episode is About: In Matthew 25, Jesus offers a prophetic word on the Day of Judgment, when He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Yet this isn't a private judgment, focused on our own private religiosity. It's based on the way we treat other people. In fact, Jesus tells us that, when we love others, we are actually loving Him. And, when we despise others, we're actually despising Him. Because right and wrong is about more than what’s right or wrong for you. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee167

Why do we forget all the beautiful things God teaches us in our life? How come we cannot hold on and remember all the advice God speaks to our hearts, either in prayer or through the people and circumstances of our lives?

The girls discuss the poetry of Amanda Gorman, the young poet who read her work at the inauguration and Super Bowl. They discuss themes of light and darkness, the way burdens can be inherited, and a vision of God's Kingdom.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.” (1 Corinthians 6:9) The Prodigal Son left the warmth and safety of his Father's house and joined himself to people that left him empty. And, when he returned, his Older Brother refused to welcome him. We often focus on the incredible mercy that the Father shows (which is important). But it may be more helpful to focus on how both the Prodigal Son and Older Brother forgot who they are. Because we, too, can easily forget that we are children of the Father. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee166

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.” (1 Corinthians 6:9) The Prodigal Son left the warmth and safety of his Father's house and joined himself to people that left him empty. And, when he returned, his Older Brother refused to welcome him. We often focus on the incredible mercy that the Father shows (which is important). But it may be more helpful to focus on how both the Prodigal Son and Older Brother forgot who they are. Because we, too, can easily forget that we are children of the Father. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee166

“The line between good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.” The key difference between the Pharisee and the Publican rooted in their hearts and was not simply a matter of their outward behavior or how they appeared to others. Even the despised traitor and thief remained in the image of God and was able to embrace divine mercy when he humbly confessed the truth about his personal brokenness. The Pharisee also bore God’s image, but was so blinded by his slavery to the primordial sin of pride that his spiritual practices lacked integrity and did his soul more harm than good.

So many people love a good conspiracy theory. But these theories do damage and harm to individuals, communities, and our society. Join Michael as he discusses the primary reasons people believe them and why doing so is antithetical to our faith.

Fr. Seraphim Aldea reminds us that who we are in Christ is the best version of ourselves.

After we sin, our hearts freeze. For a while, we stay away from God on purpose. We need time to heal, we need some sort of ritual of cleansing, some manner in which to make ourselves (in our own eyes) acceptable again to God. But the way back to prayer must begin as soon as possible, if possible even during the act of sin itself. The sooner we turn ourselves back to face Christ's Light, the sooner we shall drag ourselves out of the depth of our fall. Remind yourself of those who were waiting in the darkness of hell for Christ's Descent - ask for their desperate desire to be forgiven, pray for their unceasing hope that Light WILL one day find them and bring them back to Life out of the death of their hell. For those who put their trust in Christ, there is always Hope, there is always Love, there is always a way back to repentance and Life.

"Why God, why God do I gotta bleed? Every stone thrown at you restin' at my feet." Steve and Christian listened to Kendrick Lamar's 2017 album, "DAMN." The guys discuss wickedness, duality, mercy, and Christian art. Philanthropy Spotlight: We're also shining a light on "Samaritan Ministries," a community of Christians paying one another's medical bills. Learn more on their website: https://samaritanministries.org

Fr. Apostolos Hill speaks about the Canaanite woman as an example of urgent prayer.

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) What this Episode is About: The Pharisee fasted, prayed, and gave to the poor. He did all the right things we're supposed to do. So what exactly did he do wrong? The Triodion Period begins with the Parable of the Publican and Pharisee to ground us in the righteousness of God rather than our own pride and delusion. Because, like the Pharisee, we don't always see ourselves clearly. We can easily lead ourselves astray. Self-deception happens when we turn inward, trusting in ourselves and our own abilities to evaluate our own righteousness, especially against the perceived lack of righteousness (or even just rightness) in others. And the antidote to this self-deception is to turn to someone outside of us who can redirect our hearts and minds toward the One who Is. Not a false teacher, but a true teacher. Just like Saint Paul guided Saint Timothy. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee165