Ask the Priest

Paschal Canon Ode 5 08.05.2024 28:36 ↓

Ongoing discussion of the Paschal Canon.

Paschal Canon Ode 4 07.05.2024 21:49 ↓

Continuing discussion of the Paschal Canon by St John of Damascus.

Paschal Canon Ode 3 07.05.2024 18:37 ↓

Second installment of a discussion on the Paschal canon.

The Paschal Canon, Ode 1 07.05.2024 31:59 ↓

A brief background and introduction to the canon of Pascha with a short discussion of the first ode.

“I haven’t done anything!” 07.02.2023 16:44 ↓

Short reflection, inspired by Charles Williams.

Waters of Death, Waters of Life 12.01.2023 14:37 ↓

Homily following Vespers, January 11, 2023.

God has nothing to give us but the Holy Spirit 09.01.2023 17:50 ↓

Homily from Vespers, January 7, 2023.

Entering Upon a Spiritual Manner of Living 05.12.2022 17:24 ↓

A homily from Vespers on Dec 3, 2022, "that we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living" (from the prayer before the Gospel). 

How do we interpret the Bible? 23.08.2022 22:23 ↓

Orthodox Christians interpret the Bible literally, right? Well, sometimes…

Hope vs Wish 23.06.2022 18:25 ↓

We're baaaack....with some "wildflowers" from St Paul's letter to the Romans.

On Great and Holy Monday 18.04.2022 21:44 ↓

How does Christ's death save us? Theories of atonement try to explain it. But Holy Week initiates us into the Mystery.

No stinky prayers! 05.04.2022 15:09 ↓

The outer and the inner; incense; hypocrisy; the prophets; the kitchen sink.

Man of God/St Nektarios; Bless my Enemies, O Lord 24.03.2022 14:18 ↓

A little reflection on St Nektarios, judging others, and a reading from St Nikolai.

The Real Benefit of Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving 02.03.2022 8:02 ↓

What are all of these ascetical practices really about anyway?

Psalms, Myths, Happiness and Joy 23.02.2022 10:27 ↓

The Psalms are an antidote to the myths of the world.

Politics and culture 18.02.2022 10:44 ↓

The Orthodox Church and politics and culture.

How specific do I need to be in confession? 18.02.2022 9:05 ↓

How specific do I need to be in confession? Let's go back to the beginning to try to get an answer to that.

Can those outside the Orthodox Church be saved? 18.02.2022 4:34 ↓

Two questions get easily confused, I try to sort them out a bit.

Are Monks and Martyrs the Only Saints? 16.02.2022 11:45 ↓

What? Another episode so soon? Does this priest have too much time on his hands? Why does the Orthodox Church have so many monastic saints but so few who lived in the world? Is this a bias? A ploy? A conspiracy to turn us all into monks?! 

Church Canons (NOT cannons!) 15.02.2022 13:33 ↓

The Church doesn't have cannons, it has canons, and they need to be properly understood or trouble ensues!