Metropolitan Philip of Moscow is a saint we should study in our days. We need courage. In our day lies are treated as facts. It takes great courage to stand against the lies whether they be political or social lies or even lies propagated by hierarchs in the church. Metropolitan Philip stood against the lies and the depravity of Tsar Ivan the Terrible and he was deported to a distant monastery and suffocated two years later. There was nothing glorious about is in on this earth but he gained paradise. It is usually this way in the world. We might confront lies and have nothing demonstrable to show because it. Our confession might not be glorious in a worldly sense. Do we have the courage and the wisdom to know when to confront lies? YouTube: https://youtu.be/iqOlnuSjxLU ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqOlnuSjxLU

What is Life? A Christian must know what is life, and what is death. This knowledge is gained through a lived experience of the Christian life. Fear can blind us to this knowledge, and even choke out the life that is within us. The Maccabean martyrs, whose feast was commemorated yesterday, teach us through their lives and holy witness about the truth of life and death — what each really is, and what each consists of. 1 Corinthians 1:10–18, Matthew 14:14–22 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqmHpnpVuyE

The new martyr Theodore apostatized because of luxury, but later repented and then became a great martyr. Somehow, I juxtapose his life, which turned around because of a plague, with the beautiful children’s book “Pollyanna”, which features “the game” in which she found good in any situation no matter how bad it appeared. For Theodore, a terrible plague led him to repentance. Perhaps the war in Ukraine will lead some of us to repentance. Perhaps something else that looks terrible will bring us to repentance. There is always good in everything because our reaction can be good. I also encourage everyone to read the lives of the saint and defined saints that resonate with them and ask for their prayers. I explained why the new martyr Theodore is such a saint for me. YouTube:https://youtu.be/INBWuGZyl5c ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INBWuGZyl5c

AUDIO: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/nativity-03_2023+christ-is-born-to-raise-the-image-that-fell-of-old.mp3 VIDEO: https://youtu.be/_SiFhf9ySys The World “celebrates” the Nativity of our Savior with much noise but it is actually a very quiet feast. We talk about the Gospel of Luke, which we read twice on the day before Nativity which shows that the Nativity of our Savior happens in the midst of the mundane. We reflect about how much holiness is around us that we miss. We also talk about the Troparion that is sung on the forefeast and its beautiful ending: “Christ is born to raise the image that fell of old.” All this is happening in the midst of the mundane, with all of our distractions and everything else. Everything matters! Perhaps we can do a little bit more to do things that will prosper us and those we love. Troparion of the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord, in Tone IV —Once Mary, being with child by a seedless conception, * was registered in Bethlehem with the aged Joseph as being of the seed of David. * The time came for the birth, and there was no room in the inn; * but the cave proved a delightful palace for the Queen. * Christ is born to raise the image that fell of old. Partial, incomplete timestamps 0:00 – 8:10 The whole event of Nativity was missed by most of the world. Only a few animals and a few shepherds knew about it. We look at Luke 2:1-20 and ponder: what are we missing? 8:10 “Once Mary, being with child by a seedless conception…” 09:02 “Christ is born, to raise the image that fell of old.” 09:54 We should be careful … to pay attention to everything. Two simple examples, using my experience with my grandsons). What thing will we do, say, think, and pray that will make the difference? ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SiFhf9ySys