The life of Saint Paul the simple, commemorated today, March 7th. What is simplicity? What are some things we can do to learn to be simple? ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPhWCEVwa5c

Commentary on the reading for Clean Wednesday, Vespers, Genesis 1:24-2:3. What does it mean when God said to man: "Increase and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over (all the creatures of the earth)"? The answer can be understood from the most important verse in the bible, just a few verses away: "Let us make man according to Our image and likeness". Great Lent is a perfect time to have this truth resonate in our hearts and for us to change. YouTube: https://youtu.be/9EleEu1r934 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EleEu1r934

Christians live with the certainty that the future is in the present. High priestly prayer of Jesus Christ. Exegesis, with application to our lives, of the High Priestly prayer of Jesus Christ from John 17:1 through 13. We ask first why do we commemorate the fathers of the First Ecumenical Council and read this prayer on the Sunday before Pentecost? Then we go into all of the proofs that Jesus Christ is God and is completely equal to the Father, using the words of His prayer. And all of this must be applied! There are two applications. The first is that we must live in such a way that we are one with God since this is Jesus’ prayer for us. We must understand what this means in order to live in this way. Our Lord also stated that He had completed the work that His Father had given him to do, even before He Jesus had been arrested and tried and crucified and all the rest. In chronological terms He had not completed the work but Christians live according to the future in the present. We talk about this at length. This is the only way to live especially in our troubled times when there will be many troubles coming. If we live only according to the present we will be lost if we live according to the future in our present, we will be saved. Partial (Audio) Timestamps. 0:17 – 1:28 Why commemorate the Fathers of the First Ecumenical council and read the high priestly prayer of Jesus Christ on the Sunday between Ascension and Pentecost? 1:28 – 7:27 All the parts of the High Priestly prayer of Jesus Christ which prove that He is God 3:53 – 4:17 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” John 17:3 4:17 - 5:49 “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” (John 15:5) 5:49 - 6:28 “Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me” (John 17:7-8) 6:28 – 6:46 “And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.” (John 17:10) 6:46 – 7:27 “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (John 17:11) 1:52 - 2:53 Why do we Orthodox stress so much the dogma that Jesus Christ is God and Man/ Why did 1000’s of saints die to protect this dogma? What is the big deal? 5:01 – 5:41 We do not believe in “nice Jesus”, as much of the so-called Christian world believes. 7:27 – 10:06 The APPLICATION of the dogma that Jesus Christ is one with the Father, and His prayer: “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” And “these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” 10:06 – end APPLICATION of Jesus’ prayer: “4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do” (John 17:4) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwbwl-Zm_q8

New Martyrs of the Turkish Yoke. A description of the harsh life and persecution under the Turks. We are persuaded of the love of God by living with the love of God in our hearts. The necessity of living in this way. We can expect, and should be prepared for, persecution. God will not allow us to be tried beyond our capacity, but we will be tested. We can endure with patience if we live with God in our hearts. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T3iaw4zxxo