Light Of The East

The Eastern Christian Churches, Catholic and Orthodox face similar challenges of both growth and survival. These challenges are best met by taking an honest look at the gifts of these Churches.

A new year in both the civil calendar and the liturgical calendar has us looking back in gratitude yet forward in the spirit of manifestation, illumination and renewal.

With the help of our special guest, we will look back on what has been accomplished in the area of ecumenism between the two lunges of the Church, East and West and where this new year might take us.

God is with us. But what does that mean for us personally? To help us answer that question the Byzantine Church puts three special people before our eyes on the Sunday after the Nativity.

All families have their story, from sinners to saints. So it is with the family of Jesus Christ. But God still works out His divine plan, which is the miracle of this season.

During this season of love and mercy, in this jubilee year of mercy, we will hear the merciful words of a Pope and prisoner and learn how we are indeed performing a corporal act of mercy.

Whether he is Santa Claus or St. Nicholas, the liturgical celebration of the Feast of St. Nicholas is a witness to how Eastern Churches evangelize and live in the both-and.

Mysticism is what keeps men sane. This is something the Eastern Churches have known for many centuries. The sense of the mystical is not the only gift of the Eastern Church.

Periochoresis, Theoria Theologica, Apatheia, Theosis... strange and complex sounding terms that point to a very simple mystery. The spiritual life is about spiritual warfare and our own deification.

We have begun the penitential season in preparation for the Incarnation of Our Lord in the flesh. Known as Advent in the west and the Philip's Fast in the east, this preparatory period helps us become people of gratitude.

The penitential period of preparation for Our Lord's Nativity, known as the Phillip's Fast is coming upon us. To help our spiritual preparation we will turn to one of our best resources.

The health of a Church is measured by monasticism. In the Eparchy of Parma in the Eastern Lung of the Church a particularly healthy sign are the sisters at the Christ the Bridegroom Monastery.

The growing popularity of icons is a good thing in the Church today both east and west. This is all the more reason to preserve the integrity of how icons are seen, used and created.

People often make Pope Francis out to be what they want him to be. At the risk of doing the same, we will look at Pope Francis in light of Eastern Spirituality.

The Sacramental-Liturgical world view of Eastern Christianity can help the world understand one of the most controversial teachings of the Church in modern times. The author of a new book will help us understand how.

It is often asked if the Eastern Churches acknowledge things like Lourdes and Fatima. There is a particular way that the Eastern Churches do approach visions and revelations especially in regard to the Mother of God.

There are implications for the church and for civilization from the stream of refugees pouring into Europe from the Middle East. Our special guest will provide insight into the situation that will not be heard elsewhere.

It is not, "Go west young man! but, Turn east young man!" as one fine group of young men are doing and we will see how this can make a difference in the Church and for society.

As both lungs of the Church liturgically place the triumph of the Cross in full view, so too does the complementary nature of both lungs of the Church come into full view.

Moral relativism and the rejection of absolute truth is leaving many people of good will confused and restless. The Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, so ancient yet so relevant, can provide a constant for answers.