Eastern Christian Insights

Today Fr. Philip encourages us as we begin the Nativity fast. He reflects on the expectations of the Jewish people on who the Messiah would be like and how Christ did not like meet those expectations, especially with whom he spent his time with. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on the Gerasene Demoniac and how Christ restored demon possessed man's divine image and how Christ came to do that for us. Fr. Philip ends with a reflection on the Life of St Demetrios. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on the parable of Lazarus and the Rich man with a focus on where each character chose to put their attention on, how that attention creates action and what this means in relation to God. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on the commemoration of St. Luke and the aspects that distinguishes his gospel account from the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark and John. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on the commemoration of the Fathers of the seventh council, the importance of icons, having the icon of God on us and how to uncover that image within us. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on Christ's teachings on loving our enemies, and how this conflicts with common modern day cultural attitudes. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on the leave-taking of the Elevation of the Cross, and how in our own lives we must raise our crosses. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on part of the Sermon on the Mount, and how Christians should react to threats of evil. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on the Nativity of the Theotokos, and the lessons from it that we can use to help embrace our struggles. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on the parable of the unforgiving servant, and its implications for our own lives. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on Christ and the child with epilepsy. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on St. Peter's walking on water and the Feast of the Dormition. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Today Fr. Philip offers a reflection on the dormition fast and the Feast of the Transfiguration, which occurs halfway through the fast. You can find his blog with this reflection and more in written form at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Fr. Philip LeMasters is an Orthodox priest who serves St. Luke Orthodox Church and teaches Religion at McMurry University in Abilene, TX. You can find his blog at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Fr. Philip LeMasters is an Orthodox priest who serves St. Luke Orthodox Church and teaches Religion at McMurry University in Abilene, TX. You can find his blog at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Fr. Philip LeMasters is an Orthodox priest who serves St. Luke Orthodox Church and teaches Religion at McMurry University in Abilene, TX. You can find his blog at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Fr. Philip LeMasters is an Orthodox priest who serves St. Luke Orthodox Church and teaches Religion at McMurry University in Abilene, TX. You can find his blog at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Fr. Philip LeMasters is an Orthodox priest who serves St. Luke Orthodox Church and teaches Religion at McMurry University in Abilene, TX. You can find his blog at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

Fr. Philip LeMasters is an Orthodox priest who serves St. Luke Orthodox Church and teaches Religion at McMurry University in Abilene, TX. You can find his blog at https://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/.

During the season of Pascha, the Church calls our attention to how particular people responded to our Lord, Who rose from the dead as a whole embodied person on the third day. Thomas did not believe until he saw and touched the wounds of the Risen Savior. Joseph of Arimathea took Christ’s body down from the Cross and, with the help of Nicodemus, buried Him. The Myrrh-Bearing women became the first...

As we continue to celebrate our Lord’s glorious resurrection on the third day and victory over Hades and the tomb, we should admit that all too often we live as though death still reigned. We do so especially when we somehow convince ourselves that fear, anger, and resentment of those we perceive as our enemies are somehow Christian virtues.

Today we continue to celebrate the most fundamental and joyful proclamation of our faith: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life! He is our Pascha, our Passover, from death to life, for Hades and the grave could not contain the God-Man Who shares with us His victory over corruption and decay in all their forms. In a world enslaved t...

The Desert Father Saint Antony the Great once tested a group of monks by asking them, beginning with the youngest, the meaning of a certain passage of Scripture. In response to their answers, he said, “You have not understood it.” Finally, he asked Abba Joseph, who said, “I do not know.” Then Abba Antony said, “Indeed Abba Joseph has found the way, for he has said: ‘I do not know.’"

The more clearly that we see our personal brokenness, the more tempted we may be to think that there is simply no point in trying to reorient our lives toward the Lord.

If we have embraced the spiritual practices of Lent with any level of integrity, the weakness of our faith has surely become apparent to us. Our minds wander when we pray and so much else seems more important than being fully present before the Lord, both in the services of the Church and in our daily prayers at home. We often make excuses not to fast to the best of our ability and, regardless of...