Eastern Christian Insights show

Eastern Christian Insights

Summary: Thoughtful homilies of an Orthodox priest who serves a small parish and teaches Religion full-time at McMurry University in Abilene, TX. Fr. Philip draws on his scholarly work in Christian theology and ethics, but most of all, these are the homilies of a pastor guiding his flock with insightful, practical suggestions on how to share more fully in the life of Jesus Christ.

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  • Artist: Fr. Philip LeMasters, and Ancient Faith Ministries
  • Copyright: Ancient Faith Ministries

Podcasts:

 Transfigured by Offering and Obedience | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

The disciples offered to Christ what they had that day: five loaves of bread and two fish. He transfigured that tiny offering into a massive feast with far more leftover than what the hungry crowd could eat. This miracle shows that the key question is not what or how much we offer according to any conventional standard, but whether we offer all that we have for the Lord’s blessing. He will do the rest.

 Transfigured by Offering and Obedience | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 10:09

The disciples offered to Christ what they had that day: five loaves of bread and two fish. He transfigured that tiny offering into a massive feast with far more leftover than what the hungry crowd could eat. This miracle shows that the key question is not what or how much we offer according to any conventional standard, but whether we offer all that we have for the Lord’s blessing. He will do the rest.

 Embracing the Therapeutic Mercy of Christ Through Repentance and Humility | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

To rise up, take up our beds, and walk home requires obedience to Christ’s commands, but not a legalistic obedience in the sense of following a code for its own sake. Instead, this obedience is like following the guidance of a physician or therapist who makes clear to us what we must do in order to regain health and function for our bodies.

 Becoming the Light of the World Through the God-Man | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

By the grace of our Lord, we may become the light of the world as we do what the world does not prize: praying in secret; struggling to fast as we best we can; giving generously to the needy without drawing attention to ourselves; forgiving and praying for those who wrong us; mindfully rejecting the temptation to praise ourselves or to condemn anyone else; and confessing and repenting of our sins on a regular basis.

 Opening our Eyes and our Mouths to the Glory of God | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

As we prepare for the Dormition Fast and look forward to the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, we must recognize how much we remain like the blind and mute men in our gospel reading.

 Opening our Eyes and our Mouths to the Glory of God | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 10:29

As we prepare for the Dormition Fast and look forward to the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, we must recognize how much we remain like the blind and mute men in our gospel reading.

 Embracing the Therapeutic Mercy of Christ Through Repentance and Humility | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 09:41

To rise up, take up our beds, and walk home requires obedience to Christ’s commands, but not a legalistic obedience in the sense of following a code for its own sake. Instead, this obedience is like following the guidance of a physician or therapist who makes clear to us what we must do in order to regain health and function for our bodies.

 Becoming the Light of the World Through the God-Man | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 10:06

By the grace of our Lord, we may become the light of the world as we do what the world does not prize: praying in secret; struggling to fast as we best we can; giving generously to the needy without drawing attention to ourselves; forgiving and praying for those who wrong us; mindfully rejecting the temptation to praise ourselves or to condemn anyone else; and confessing and repenting of our sins on a regular basis.

 “A Holy Nation” Not of This World | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

In today’s gospel reading, Christ teaches that the humble faith of the Roman centurion surpassed that of any of the Jews. Since the dominant expectation in Israel was for the Messiah to set them free from Roman rule by military victory, the Lord’s statement was surely perceived by many as terribly unpatriotic.

 “A Holy Nation” Not of This World | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 10:20

In today’s gospel reading, Christ teaches that the humble faith of the Roman centurion surpassed that of any of the Jews. Since the dominant expectation in Israel was for the Messiah to set them free from Roman rule by military victory, the Lord’s statement was surely perceived by many as terribly unpatriotic.

 Learning to See Ourselves and Our World in the Light of Christ | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

If we want to know Christ’s peace, which conquers even the fear of the grave, we must become radiant with His Light, which means that we must unite ourselves to Him in faith, hope, and love from the depths of our souls.

 Learning to See Ourselves and Our World in the Light of Christ | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 11:32

If we want to know Christ’s peace, which conquers even the fear of the grave, we must become radiant with his Light, which means that we must unite ourselves to him in faith, hope, and love from the depths of our souls.

 We Have Everything We Need to Obey Christ's Call to “Follow Me” | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

We have everything that we need to follow in the path of the apostles and saints in humbly obeying our Lord. That is how we can become radiant with the divine glory and obey the Savior’s calling: “Follow Me.”

 We Have Everything We Need to Obey Christ’s Call to “Follow Me” | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 10:10

We have everything that we need to follow in the path of the apostles and saints in humbly obeying our Lord. That is how we can become radiant with the divine glory and obey the Savior’s calling: “Follow Me.”

 Overcoming the Darkness Evident in a Society Accustomed to School Shootings | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

In light of what such atrocities reveal about the human condition, it is obviously not enough to affirm religious beliefs, to perform certain acts of outward piety, or merely to identify ourselves as Orthodox Christians. Indeed, it is entirely possible to do all those things while remaining blind, embracing the darkness, and becoming all too comfortable with the forces of death and destruction.

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