As we continue—or for those of us observing the Old Calendar Feast, as we begin—to meditate on the Incarnation of Christ, following our celebration of His Nativity, we can find a luminous source of insight in the typology and prophetic power of Psalm Eight. Fr Patrick Henry Reardon’s classic work, “Christ in the Psalms,” shows us how not only this … [Read more...] about Psalm Eight and the Mystery of the Incarnation
Scripture [Select sermons]
How to Read the Bible and Why
"The Bible is a biography of God in this world. In it the Indescribable One has described Himself." So declares St Justin Popovich, not only a saint of the Orthodox Church, but one of its greatest theologians of the twentieth century. St Justin’s rapturous love for the Bible emanates from every line of these reflections in a way that sparks a contagious excitement and … [Read more...] about How to Read the Bible and Why
How To Love Christ: Learning From the Beloved Disciple
As Christ has taught us, nothing is more important for us than learning how to love (Matt. 22: 36-40). But how can we truly love others until we have learned to love Christ Himself who has loved us first, before any other, and far more greatly than any other? St Theophan shows us how St John, the Beloved Disciple, can help us learn to love Christ our God, with all our heart and … [Read more...] about How To Love Christ: Learning From the Beloved Disciple
How to Read the Holy Scriptures
Because Orthodox worship is replete with scriptural references, the Orthodox tend to take them for granted, says Fr. Seraphim Rose in this lecture given in 1979. Instead, we should read them more often and with greater diligence because they have great benefit in the spiritual life. St. Seraphim of Sarov for example, used to read the entire New Testament once a week. Fr. … [Read more...] about How to Read the Holy Scriptures
Time and Place in the Healing of the Paralytic
Fr. Alexander Webster, Dean of Holy Trinity Seminary, masterfully compares chronological time and sacred time in the biblical story of the Healing of the Paralytic to reveal that both culminate in the healing work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The paralytic waited for the stirring of the waters every year in order to be healed. Thirty-eight years he waited because he had … [Read more...] about Time and Place in the Healing of the Paralytic