(Feast Day ~ November 30) Just as God had been preparing the world to receive his Incarnate Son who would bring redemption, he had also been preparing the hearts of those individuals who would be closest to our Savior and who would carry on His ministry following the Resurrection. St. Andrew was one who had […]

(Feast Day ~ November 27) There are so many warnings in the Bible about the danger of being seduced by the pleasures and honors of the world that we would think that for us Christians, the warnings would be heeded and the danger averted. But for each of us, there are numerous times when the […]

It could have been a Washington story: she was young and beautiful, from a wealthy and influential family. She had received the best education that money could buy and her suitors were the most eligible bachelors from other leading families. She lived in tense times when it was important to be on the right side […]

(Feast Day ~ November 23) And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. [Acts 2:42] Of utmost important to Orthodox Christians is the preservation of the faith as it was given to the Apostles by our Lord. This desire to maintain the purity of the […]

St. Cecilia, the 3rd century Roman martyr whose name is included in the commemoration of saints at every Mass, is known as the patron saint of musicians. There are no factual data or clear historical records about Cecilia. She was not a well-known person or prominent official but rather one of the numberless devoted Christians […]

(Feast Day ~ November 21) The Irishman, Columbanus, born in 543, was intellectually gifted, and his education in grammar, rhetoric, geometry and Holy Scripture could have prepared him for any number of important positions. But instead of other possibilities, he chose to dedicate himself to Christ in the monastic life. If he thought that by […]

(Feast Day ~ November 20) True heroes are rare. Instead, the evening news is filled with examples of ungodly living: terrorists who prey on innocent people, repressive rulers, corrupt politicians, greedy and dishonest business executives, abusive spouses and parents, violent children… Because of our modern technological ability to have these examples ever before us, we […]

Feast Day ~ November 20 As is usual for those glorified as saints by the Church, St. Cyril lived a holy life of prayer and fasting; like some of the saints, he was killed for his refusal to deny Christ. But St. Cyril also spent much of his life being a “thorn in the side” […]

(Feast Day ~ November 17) Every Christian knows how arduous the quest for holiness is, how difficult the struggle to overcome the passions and to live a Christ-like life. Converts to Christianity are also aware of the time that it takes to acquire the Christian “mind-set” – to take on the attitudes of one who […]

(Feast Day ~ November 17) In the year 203, a child, who was given the name Theodore, was born to a wealthy pagan couple in Neocaesaria. This child was destined to play an important part in the life of the Christian Church and to be numbered among the saints. Theodore was an intelligent, precocious child […]