Made to Be a Kingdom

All Orthodox Christians are called to exercise this priestly ministry of prayer which impacts our lives and bears a positive impact on the world. Prayer is synergy with God. He talks to us as we talk to Him. We speak of the four kinds of prayer listed in Scripture: supplications, requests, intercessions and thanksgiving, and what that means for us, and how we produce the fruits of the will of God...

Our hosts discuss our ministry (service) in God’s Kingdom and some of the duties and responsibilities that comprise this ministry, including the Christian duties given by the Lord in Matthew 6 and other places and how they are priestly ministries. Our hosts then go on to discuss the first Christian duty of Charitable work (aka Almsgiving or Works of mercy) as priestly powers given by God to all of...

Our hosts discuss how Christ brought death to an end as separation from God and from Life. He transforms natural bodily death to a necessary stage in life whereby the person is freed from the passions of their earthly walk. As Orthodox Christians, we celebrate that fact in the funeral service, which is connected to its celebration on Holy Saturday. It is a personal Holy Sabbath for the person, and...

In this episode, our hosts offer reflections on the Church’s teachings and the centrality of the Sanctity of Life in the salvation plan of God, and in the doctrinal and liturgical life of the Church. They discuss also the recent March for Life and our place as Orthodox Christians in such efforts using the prayer offered at the opening to the March to frame the discussion.

Today Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony continue to share their personal testimonies on the importance of continual repentance for priests and parishes. The main takeaway is the need for us to stop trying to control things, serve well, and let God live through us.

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony talk about the relationship between repentance and belief and how both are required for us to fulfill our calling. They also begin a very earnest conversation about personal and communal conversion and its relation to parish growth health.

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony continue celebrating the joy of Christmastide as the discuss Theophany and unpack Revelation 5. The main takeaway is that time is fulfilled in the Divine Liturgy; eternity is experienced in the moment.

Join Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony as they continue their conversation about the joys of the Christmas season, including the Circumcision and Baptism of our Lord. Christ is born! Glorify Him! Merry Christmas!

Join Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony as they talk about the celebration of Christmas (forty days!) through the lens of Isaiah 9:2-7. Christ is born! Glorify Him! Merry Christmas!

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony continue their conversation about 1 Peter 2:9, this time focusing on the third and fourth set of attributes, "a holy nation" and "a people for his own possession." But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. They explore...

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony continue talking about 1 Peter 2:9, this time focusing on the second set of attributes, "a royal priesthood." But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. They answer the questions; "What does this mean?" and "Are we roya...

In this episode, Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony dig into 1 Peter 2:9, focusing on the first set of attributes, "a chosen race." But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. They discuss how, in the light of Christ’s coming, we are (and aren't) to under...

Many people still tend to think of the Orthodox Church as the “true denomination” rather than as the manifestation of the fullness of the Heavenly Church of Christ on earth. We see this even with the terminology we use. “I used to be Catholic but now I am Orthodox.” Or “I used to be Episcopalian but now I am Orthodox.” This seems to indicate that the person still has a view of denominationalism. I...

We are not all ordained priests, but we are all priests. In the Old Covenant, priests were made priests with chrism, and there were very few. In the Old Covenant kings and queens, and inheriting royalty were made kings and queens with chrism, and they were very few. In the New Covenant, all are chosen to a royal priesthood, known as the Church, with Holy Chrism. When we say royal priesthood, we ar...

Each of us as an Orthodox Christian is set apart and sealed to be a royal and priestly intercessor for our family and neighborhood, circle of friends, and our parish, and our land. Many are very unaware of this, especially in specific terms, and are unaware of the impact it has and the great connection of generations accomplishing this renewing of our local circumstanced by God through us. However...