Should religion be physical?: Great Lent and Polycarp the Palpable

Today is the beginning of Great Lent for most Orthodox Christians (a handful of Western Rite Orthodox Christians will begin with their Ash Wednesday the day after tomorrow), and I’ve decided to try my hand at doing 40 days of blogging—posting at least once a day from today through the Friday before Lazarus Saturday. This is my first post for Great Lent. Today I…

Lenten Evangelism #4: Forgiveness and the Expulsion from Paradise

Sunday of Forgiveness, February 22, 2015 Rev. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Today we complete the pre-Lenten period of the Triodion with the Sunday of Forgiveness. That is the general name for this Sunday, but we also commemorate another theme this Sunday, and that is the expulsion…

Lenten Evangelism #3: The Last Judgment

This sermon can be heard as an audio recording via Ancient Faith Radio. Sunday of the Last Judgment, February 15, 2015 Rev. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Today our series on preaching the Gospel—evangelism—continues with the Sunday of the Last Judgment, commonly called “Meatfare Sunday,” because we…

Lenten Evangelism #2: The Prodigal Son

This sermon is available as an audio recording via Ancient Faith Radio. Sunday of the Prodigal Son, February 8, 2015 Rev. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. We continue today our series on evangelism which we will focus on through this pre-Lenten period, throughout Lent and then complete…

Lenten Evangelism #1: The Publican and Pharisee

This sermon is also available as an audio recording via Ancient Faith Radio. Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, February 1, 2015 Rev. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. We now begin the pre-Lenten period with the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee. Today is the day…

Can the Virgin Mary “save” us?

Today I read the comments on this YouTube video. I know, I know—YouTube comments generally are the lowest form of discourse on the Internet, and I wasn’t terribly surprised to see that someone thought that the musical line “Most Holy Mother of God, save us” was “blasphemous.” (He preferred to hear his blasphemy in Latin, apparently.) I must admit to being a bit baffled,…

That Man Might Become God

This sermon may be heard as a recording via Ancient Faith Radio here. Twelfth Sunday of Luke / Feast of Ss. Athanasius and Cyril, January 18, 2015 Rev. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Today is the feast of two great saints of the Orthodox Church—Athanasius and Cyril,…

Your Own Personal Jesus: Christmas and Paul

Sunday after the Nativity of Christ, December 28, 2014 Rev. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Christ is born! Today we continue to celebrate the Nativity of our Savior Jesus Christ. While the world may think that the Christmas season is over, for us it continues. And because…