CATECHESIS & DAILY INSPIRATION |
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Reflections and Daily Inspiration |
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each one should use his capacities for the good of others, not niding his talent in the ground—that he should not be selfish and idle. If you are wise, give advice to the foolish. If you are educated, teach the ignorant. If you are strong, help the weak; if rich, help the poor.
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Your Preparation in Advent, part 1
Fr. David Smith
Doing your interior preparation is essential to full participation in the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Greek Orthodox priest Fr. David Smith is the speaker.
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27. November 2020
His Grace Bishop Stefan of Remesia served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy and a seven-day memorial service for Serbian Patriarch Irinej of blessed repose on 27 November 2020.
In the prayerful presence of the Patriarch's closest associates for many years, personal secretary subdeacon Dejan Nakic and subdeacon Vladimir Jelic, manager of the Patriarchal Court, Bishop Stefan, after the Holy Liturgy, performed a seven-day memorial service for Patriarch Irinej of blessed repose.
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“TO KEEP THE FAITH AND LIVE BY IT”
Remembering Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, Part 1
The Orthodox Church recently bid farewell to the primate of the Local Serbian Church—His Holiness Patriarch Irinej. He was a first hierarch for whom all are equal before the face of the Lord, all are children of God, and all labor for the good of the Church.
Author and translator Svetlana Luganskaya remembers Patriarch Irinej and her communications with him.
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Fasting and Feasting prepare the way for Christ’s Nativity
Every year as I ponder Christ's Nativity, I am reminded of "A Christmas Carol." Scrooge is visited by three spirits from the past, present, and future who show him the consequences he faces if he does not change his ways. Because of these visits, Scrooge undergoes a spiritual metamorphosis.
Once again, the Christmas shopping season is upon us. Listening to the strains of “Joy to the World” or “Silent Night,” we frantically shop for the holidays even as we forget why we are involved in this chaos in the first place.
The entire world is in a state of unrest. Tensions run high. Yet somehow, this makes sense, for God is about to enter the world
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SAINT OF THE DAY
NOVEMBER 27 / NOVEMBER 14
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The Holy Apostle Philip
Philip was born in Bethsaida beside the Sea of Galilee, as were Peter and Andrew. Instructed in Holy Scripture from his youth, Philip immediately responded to the call of the Lord Jesus and followed Him (John 1:43). After the descent of the Holy Spirit, Philip zealously preached the Gospel through- out many regions in Asia and Greece. In Greece, the Jews wanted to kill him, but the Lord saved him by His mighty miracles. Thus, a Jewish high priest that rushed at Philip to beat him was suddenly blinded and turned completely black. Then there was a great earthquake, and the earth opened up and swallowed Philip’s wicked persecutor. Many other miracles were manifested, especially the healing of the sick, by which many pagans believed in Christ. In the Phrygian town of Hierapolis, St. Philip found himself in common evangelical work with his sister Mariamna, St. John the Theologian, and the Apostle Bartholomew. In this town there was a dangerous snake that the pagans dili- gently fed and worshiped as a god. God’s apostle killed the snake through prayer as though with a spear, but he also incurred the wrath of the unenlightened people. The wicked pagans seized Philip and crucified him upside-down on a tree, and then crucified Bartholomew as well. At that, the earth opened up and swallowed the judge and many other pagans with him. In great fear, the people rushed to rescue the crucified apostles, but only Bartholomew was still alive; Philip had already breathed his last. Bartholomew ordained Stachys as bishop for those whom he and Philip had baptized. Stachys had been blind for forty years, and Bartholomew and Philip had healed and baptized him. The relics of St. Philip were later translated to Rome. This wonderful apostle suffered in the year 86 in the time of Emperor Dometian.
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