A Word from the Holy Fathers Reflections on Orthodoxy in its Patristic and Monastic Heritage

Start date: December 2008 760 minutes, 37 seconds in 49 episodes

As a joint effort between Ancient Faith Radio and the Monachos.net web site on Orthodoxy through patristic and monastic study, “A Word from the Holy Fathers” offers a weekly reflection on the writings of the Church Fathers, their significance, and their insights for the life of Orthodox Christians in every age.

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Episodes

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Date	Title & Description	Duration
Jan 11, 2010	The Wonder of the Incarnation - St. Gregory the Theologian We conclude the first series of A Word From the Holy Fathers with this fiftieth episode, in which Fr. Matthew examines a poignant reflection on "the wonder of the Incarnation" by St. Gregory of Nazianzus. The broadcast concludes with a small announcement about the conclusion of this series, and advance notice of its return with a new series in a month’s time.   Click to play	09:24
Jan 04, 2010	“Glory to God Who Has Shown Himself to Us”—St. Ephrem and St. John on the Nativity In a broadcast for the Feast of the Nativity According to the Flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ, we reflect on two hymns of St. Ephrem the Syrian and a portion of a homily by St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco on the glory of the night of Christ’s full revelation.   Click to play	13:46
Dec 28, 2009	Remembering the Mother of God: St. Cyril on the Theotokos and the Incarnation In this season of Christ’s incarnate coming in the flesh, we take a moment to reflect, through the words of St. Cyril of Alexandria, on the role of the Virgin Theotokos in the nativity of the true God, Jesus Christ. Click to play	11:52
Dec 21, 2009	The Coming of the Lord - St. Leo the Great Fr. Matthew examines a sermon by St. Leo of Rome, normally read in the season of Pascha, yet which sheds great light on the coming of the Lord, and the pastoral message to be gleaned from the intense theological disputes about Christ’s natures that raged in the early Church. Click to play	12:39
Dec 14, 2009	St. Nicholas Cabasilas on the Assurance of the True Body and Blood In every age, there is the temptation to doubt the Mysteries of the Church—to question how it is that the faithful should remain secure in believing that Christ makes Himself truly present in Body and Blood at the Holy Table. In this week’s episode, Fr. Matthew examines an extended text by Nicholas Cabasilas on the substance of our faith in the Mystical Supper. Click to play	11:42
Dec 07, 2009	Abba Poemen the Great: On Softening the Hardest of Hearts In this week’s broadcast, Fr. Dcn. Matthew examines three sayings by Abba Poemen ("The Shepherd") of Egypt on the means by which the hardest heart can be softened by the Lord. Click to play	13:42
Dec 02, 2009	St. John the Dwarf: A Life of All the Virtues What has a man whose obedience once caused a barren stick to blossom forth a tree in the desert to tell us today about the life of virtue? Is it possible for man today to partake of all the virtues? In this week’s broadcast, Fr. Matthew examines two sayings of Fr. John the Short of Egypt on the accessibility of all the virtues through the foundation of the love of neighbor. Click to play	11:04
Nov 23, 2009	St. John Chrysostom on the Charity of Fasting In this week’s broadcast, Fr. Dcn. Matthew offers a reflection on a selection of sayings of St John Chrysostom on the pastoral nature of fasting as an act of charity. In what sense does our fast minister to our neighbor? Click to play	12:19
Nov 09, 2009	St John of the Ladder on Seeking a Suitable Way of Life St John of the Ladder, whom we normally read during Great Lent, is a Father who offers practical guidance to Christian life of every moment. In this week’s broadcast, Fr Dcn Matthew explores a series of passages from Step 1 of St John’s Ladder to Paradise, on the specific issue of the universal calling of the Christian life, coupled with the need for each person to seek out a suitable way of life for the spiritual struggle to be exercised. Click to play	11:57
Nov 02, 2009	St. Cyprian on Cain, Abel, and True Self-Sacrifice What are we to make of the Genesis account of Cain and Abel? In this broadcast, Fr. Matthew examines a portion of St Cyprian of Carthage’s Treatise on the Lord’s Prayer that shows forth Abel as the first martyr, the example of true self-sacrifice. And it is a lesson with a practical aim: the quenching of anger and hatred, and the discovery of a life offered more wholly to God.	15:04
Oct 26, 2009	Defeating the Slavery of “Bad Habits” Among the greatest struggles in the Christian life are the "little things"—the day-to-day "bad habits" by which we continually fall, and which seem to trap us in our sin. Is there a way out? In this week’s episode, Fr. Dcn. Matthew examines the Fathers on sin as habits, how these habits enslave us—and most importantly, how we can overcome our shackles and progress toward the Kingdom.	13:18
Oct 19, 2009	The Contours of Christian Love Can one call oneself a Christian without love? And what is the nature of the love we are called to show our neighbors? In this week’s episode, Fr Matthew examines four patristic passages on love, and asks the question: What is it about Christian love that makes it unique in the world?	15:26
Oct 12, 2009	From the Bone of Adam: St. Irenaeus on the Creation of Eve The Genesis account of Eve being created from the rib of Adam has, throughout history, often been interpreted in negative ways. In this week’s broadcast, through a brief text by St Irenaeus of Lyons, Fr. Dcn. Matthew examines a patristic vision of this creation grounding the true intimacy and mutual responsibility of the human community, male and female as ‘helpers’ of one another in the work of salvation.	14:54
Oct 05, 2009	Back to Forgiveness As A Word From the Holy Fathers resumes after a summer hiatus, we look again at the theme of forgiveness in the writings of the Fathers—with an eye particularly toward practical injunctions on forgiveness and the relationship of repentance, forgiveness, and redemption in quotations from a variety of patristic sources. Fr Matthew also introduces the Patristic Quotations Topical Index.	19:32
Aug 09, 2009	“God Is There, Where the Understanding Does Not Reach” In this episode, Fr. Matthew returns to the Life of Moses by St Gregory of Nyssa, and examines a key passage in which the Saint compares the ascent of spiritual life to Moses’s ascent of Mt. Sinai. What does it mean to ascend into "darkness," to converse with God "where the understanding does not reach"? And how does Moses’s example reveal the way in which all the Fathers and Saints draw the whole Christian family into deeper communion with God?	15:22
Aug 02, 2009	St. John Chrysostom: Practical Guidance on Dealing with Others St. John Chrysostom’s preaching is filled with practical advice on living a Christian life in the world, and in this broadcast we look at four sayings in which he addresses commonplace issues in the Christian’s dealings with others: combating envy, overcoming offence, learning to conquer anger with love, and living in unity to the glory of God.	16:10
Jul 26, 2009	St. Nicholas Cabasilas on the Trisagion Hymn In this episode, Fr. Dcn. Matthew explores the commentary on the "Holy God…" by the 14th-century Byzantine lay theologian, St Nicholas Cabasilas. What is the significance of this ancient hymn of glorification of the Trinity? This episode features portions of recordings of the hymn by St Anthony’s Monastery, the Monastery of St John the Wonderworker, the Stretennia Men’s Chorus, and St Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary.	13:03
Jul 19, 2009	St. Gregory of Nyssa on Emulating the Fortuitous Birth of Moses In the first sections of the second book of his Life of Moses, St. Gregory of Nyssa instructs that Christians are to "emulate the fortuitous birth of Moses"—but how can this be done? Is not birth outside the realm of a person’s control? In examining the manner in which St. Gregory exposes "birth" as the constant making of choices by the free human creature, we discover the rich manner in which the saint finds spiritual significance in the historical moments of Scripture.	18:20
Jul 12, 2009	St. Cyprian on the Community of the Lord’s Prayer What is implied in the "our" of the "Our Father"? In this week’s episode, Fr. Matthew examines two passages from St Cyprian’s treatise on the Lord’s Prayer, which focus on questions of unity and community in the Son of God. Do we live this communion in our own life of prayer?	12:12
Jul 05, 2009	The Heritage of St. Paul in Orthodox Spirituality - Part 2 Special extended-length broadcast (26 min.): part 2 of 2. This week we broadcast the second half of our lecture on the heritage of St Paul in Orthodoxy, given recently in Manchester, UK, to a largely non-Orthodox audience. In this portion, Fr Matthew focuses on St. Paul’s injunction to "pray without ceasing," and explores the manner in which this is lived out in the Prayer of the Heart and experiential life of Orthodox Christianity throughout history.	27:00
Jun 28, 2009	The Heritage of St. Paul in Orthodox Spirituality - Part 1 Special extended-length broadcast; part 1 of 2. In this first half of a lecture recorded live in commemoration of the "Pauline Year," celebrating 2,000 years since the birth of the Apostle, Fr. Dcn. Matthew explores the heritage of the great missionary saint in Orthodoxy. Drawing connections to Elder Joseph the Hesychast of Mount Athos, St Symeon the New Theologian, and other great figures of the Orthodox tradition, this first portion of the lecture addresses questions of conversion and relationship, and how St Paul’s example is at the heart of living Orthodox Tradition.	37:42
Jun 14, 2009	St. Basil the Great on Moses’s Words: “Be Attentive to Yourself” - Part 3 In the final of our three-part series on St Basil’s reflection on Moses’s words, Fr Matthew explores the saint’s culmination on the theme: Can we come to know not only ourselves, but also God and the whole of His creation, through adhering to Moses’s command?	14:26
Jun 07, 2009	St. Basil the Great on Moses’s Words: Be Attentive to Yourself - Part 2 Has our attentiveness to the things around us, rather than to our true selves, caused us to debase the body and forget the soul? In the second of our three-part series on St Basil’s great homily, Fr Dcn Matthew examines the saint’s insistence on the Christian’s need to know himself truly and fully.	09:57
May 31, 2009	St. Basil the Great on Moses’s Words: Be Attentive to Yourself - Part 1 In the first of a three-part series on St Basil’s Homily on the words "Be attentive to yourself," Fr. Matthew examines the way in which this great Cappadocian Father reveals the depth of meaning behind the short command from Deuteronomy. What has attentiveness to one’s self to teach us about the different types of sin we are prone to commit, and the ways they can be prevented?	13:36
May 24, 2009	St. Niketas on the Practice of Orthodox Music What might Orthodox singers in the 21st century learn from a Father of the 4th? In this broadcast, which includes portions taken from a recent retreat, Professor Dimitri Conomos reads a passage from the little-known St Niketas of Remissiana, which speaks with a startling "modern" voice on the question of how to sing in an Orthodox manner in the divine services.	13:21
May 19, 2009	The “Wonderful and Confessedly Striking” Christian Manner of Life Examining a passage from the anonymous second-century Epistle to Diognetus, Fr Matthew explores the witness borne by the early Christian community and asks: does it reflect our Christian testimony today?	13:29
May 10, 2009	St. Anthony of Egypt on Sobriety of the Heart Turning once again to the testimony of St Anthony the Great, this week’s broadcast examines an incident in the great Father’s life in which the true heights of sobriety of heart are witnessed. Might this feed us in our own moments of struggle in the spiritual life?	12:05
May 03, 2009	St. Clement of Rome on Living a God-Pleasing Life Are there practical measures at hand to help the Christian turn from the passions and live a God-pleasing life? In this week’s broadcast, Fr. Dcn. Matthew examines a brief passage by St Clement on practical steps toward living in holiness.	12:40
Apr 26, 2009	Singing Hymns at the Open Tomb In this broadcast, Fr Matthew looks at the "Evlogitaria" and Psalm 118, and considers the Church's moving reflection on the Myrrh-bearing women discovering the empty tomb. If you enjoy the music that is part of this episode, please consider supporting the choir by purchasing a copy of their newest CD, Chrysostom, by clicking here.	22:39
Apr 19, 2009	The Fathers on Holy Pascha Celebrating the holy Resurrection of Christ, our broadcast this Bright Monday looks at the writings of various Holy Fathers on the bright feast of Pascha, and its meaning to Christian life.	12:06
Apr 12, 2009	Abba Dorotheos on the Sunday of Palms In this broadcast—recorded "on the road"—we examine a brief word by Abba Dorotheos of Gaza on the spiritual symbolism of Christ's entry into Jerusalem.	11:18
Apr 05, 2009	St. Mary of Egypt and the Grace of the Holy Mysteries During this week of Great Lent, wherein the Church reads the Life of St. Mary of Egypt, we explore a section of that text which reveals the relationship between "mystical theology" in ascetical life, to the grace of the Holy Mysteries in the Church. We are prompted to ask ourselves: Do I lose sight of the chalice in my desire to find Christ?	21:24
Mar 29, 2009	St. John of Sinai on Sorrow that Produces Joy In this week’s broadcast, Fr Matthew examines several sections from St John’s Ladder to Paradise, read throughout Great Lent and particularly remembered in this Fifth Week, dealing especially with the paradoxes of spiritual life and the mystery of a "joy-creating sorrow."	12:30
Mar 22, 2009	St. Symeon the New Theologian on the “Impossible Beauty” of the Life in Christ In this fourth week of the Great Fast, when the Church commemorates the universal adoration of the precious Cross, our broadcast looks at an important passage by St Symeon the New Theologian, on being joined to the suffering Christ and so attaining the ‘impossible beauty’ of His glory. We ask with the saint: how shall we approach such glory?	28:04
Mar 15, 2009	St. Gregory Palamas on Icons as Tools for the Heart The New Testament Decalogue of St Gregory Palamas—who is commemorated during this third week in Great Lent—contains precious testimony to the use of icons in prayer, and the manner in which they bring the heart into a new relationship of love. In our broadcast this week, Fr. Dcn. Matthew explores St Gregory’s words, and the pastoral dimension of the Church’s iconic tradition.	16:01
Mar 08, 2009	St. Anthony the Great: Humility as the Gateway to Theology "To understand doctrine, one must live a holy life." In our broadcast this week, we look at two passages by St Anthony of Egypt on the relationship of Christian living, to the right understanding of Christian teaching.	11:06
Mar 01, 2009	Rising in Repentance This week, Fr Matthew explores two passages—one by St John of Karpathos, and the other by St Ambrose of Milan—on the nature of the continual falling down and rising up of repentance, examining the question: how is the Christian person to respond to continual failings in his attempts to live a holy life?	17:04
Feb 22, 2009	Shall We Forgive? The Fathers on Forgiveness as the Gateway to Salvation This week, in anticipation of Forgiveness Sunday, Fr. Dcn. Matthew explores a series of patristic texts that deal with the imperative of forgiveness, and the need to forgive as the gateway into the life offered by Christ in the Church.	14:17
Feb 11, 2009	St. Hesychius on Illumination According to St. Hesychius, Christ responds to our own, individualized state of growth or development, though we are all given the same strength that was granted to the saints.	14:40
Feb 08, 2009	St. Macarius the Great on Dying to the World St. Macarius the Great, a founding figure of monasticism, teaches us that one of the surest paths to salvation is the development of a mindset similar to those of the already deceased. Are you prepared to completely die to the world?	13:04
Feb 02, 2009	St Mark the Monk on Living the Life of the Cross This week, Fr Matthew reflects on a writing by St Mark the Monk which shows the true Christian life as one united to the Cross, living in self-abasement and humility to the world, finding in this humiliation the glory of the resurrection.	11:22
Jan 25, 2009	If You Would, You Could Become All Flame Three "Sayings from the Desert Fathers," two by Abba Elias and one by Abba Joseph, reveal the way of freedom in the spiritual life, and the truly transfiguring nature of authentic prayer.	14:34
Jan 18, 2009	St Isaac of Syria on the Approach to Spiritual Wisdom How does one attain spiritual wisdom? This week offers reflections grounded in the sayings of St Isaac of Syria, on wisdom approached through humility, prayer in the scriptures, and love of neighbor.	12:09
Jan 11, 2009	A Forest Climb for St Athanasius and the Three Monks Recorded during a forest walk, this week’s broadcast considers a traditional saying regarding St Athanasius’ encounter with three monks on an island, and the relationship between doctrine and transfiguration.	16:31
Jan 04, 2009	The Feast of the Incarnation: The Fathers on the Nativity of Christ In our broadcast for the Feast of the Nativity, we hear the words of the Fathers and the liturgical hymns of the Church on the mystery that brings the Son humanly into the world for the life and redemption of His creature.	15:01
Dec 28, 2008	The Theological Poetry of St. Gregory the Theologian Reflections on the poems of St Gregory of Nazianzus, including his poems for morning and evening, of sin and of redemption; with a comparison to the hopeful proclamation of the funeral songs of the Church.	14:18
Dec 21, 2008	St Athanasius: “What was God to do?” Why did God become man? This week’s reflection explores St Athanasius’ consideration of the Son’s incarnation as a response to his probing refrain, in the face of man’s sin: ‘What was God to do?’	13:22
Dec 14, 2008	Creation and Sacrifice in St Symeon the New Theologian Fr Dcn Matthew explores the homilies of St Symeon on man and creation, and in particular the way in which the Christian response to ecological concerns resides in the theology of sacrifice and the participation in divine Communion—including brief remarks from a recent talk by Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia.	20:50
Dec 07, 2008	St Jacob of Serug: The Theotokos and the Archangel This week, we consider the testimony of St Jacob on the dialogue between the Mother of God and the Archangel Gabriel, as he draws a parallel and contrast to the dialogue between Eve and the serpent in Eden.	18:44
Dec 01, 2008	St Irenaeus on a Christ ‘of every age’ Beginning a new series of broadcasts reflecting on the writings of the Church Fathers, this opening segment explores St Irenaeus of Lyons’ famous consideration of Christ ‘passing through every age’ of human life.	13:31