Even though your struggle and repentance may not be enough, consistently struggling will cause your struggle to eventually be enough and you will have victory over your sin.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YRaa6MyhqM
A wonderful story about a mango tree in Uganda, under which Fr Stephen and his flock first started praying, having Divine Liturgy, and witnessing miracles. The tree also served as a school house.
YouTube:hhttps://youtu.be/EmVdu_0ZHlk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/priestseraphim.holland/videos/10221651414376264/
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmVdu_0ZHlk
To be saved, learn to be present, as Jesus was with the Samaritan woman.
Partial Timestamps
0:08 – 4:31 Two ways to be saved.
1:42 – 4:31 Jesus’ example of being ”present”
5:08 – 6:21 Some things in the Christian life are not *absolutely* required, even though they are commanded. But there is an absolute commandment that we *can* follow, and in following it, save our souls.
13:39 – 18:30 Metropolitan Hilarion
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_xZOEZfmT0
Children can also understand 1 Corinthians 1:18-24, if you explain things in a simple (but not too simple!) way. We are all preachers of the cross!
AUDIO: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/childrens_2023+exaltation-of-the-cross.mp3
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx-QEbiNcFw
We go over the life of St Mary of Egypt, with and emphasis on what we can *learn*, and therefore *do*, and look at all the numbers mentioned in the life.
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/q2wfXC2NWu4
AUDIO: http://www.orthodox.net/catechism/catechesis_2024-04-21+st-mary-of-egypt.mp3
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2wfXC2NWu4
Parable of the Wedding Garment. What is the meaning of this parable? Discourse on how to read the scriptures. What was the real reason that the servant was thrown out of the feast? The story of St. Moses of Ethiopia. How the saint’s life juxtaposes with today’s parable. What we have to do keep our wedding garment.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNp4eRLVU1s
Rich man and Lazarus - you must do what you can do!
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus gives us an opportunity to talk about how self-indulgence kills the soul, and what Orthodox asceticism really is, and very importantly, God will help us no matter what we encounter, and we must always do what we can do. We will not be held responsible for not doing the things that we are unable to do but God will definitely hold us responsible for doing the things that we can do. The rich man was lost because he did not do what he could do quite easily for the beggar Lazarus.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozMg-AQyvGU
There’s a big contrast between Orthodox Christian prayer and your typical “Protestant” prayer. We pray many prayers “according to the rules,” and a person new to this prayer sometimes thinks that this is legalistic and impersonal when actually nothing could be further from the truth. This prayer protects us and becomes very personal because it teaches us how to pray. We first quote a beautiful illustration by St. Gabriel of Georgia and then talk about the benefits of doing prayer from the prayer book. Every catechumen should learn to pray “according to the rules.”
"Someone who prays every day according to the rules, that is, reads morning and evening prayers, can be compared to the owner of a house who has erected a large fence around his yard and is protected from others.
And the one who does not pray can be compared to the owner, whose yard does not have a fence, and anyone can enter his yard." Saint Gabriel (Urgebadze)
AUDIO: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/misc_2024+gabriel-of-georgia+praying-according-to-the-rules.mp3
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/NRkcPLIDR2o
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRkcPLIDR2o