It’s no surprise that the language that the Fathers of the Church often use when they talk about the Great Fast of Lent is the language of spiritual athleticism. “Strip yourselves,” wrote St. John Chrysostom, “for it is the season of wrestling.”

This meditation on marriage was delivered by Fr. Christopher on the Feast of Nativity in 2006.

Blessed Nativity; Merry Christmas! For most of us, our celebration of this great Feast of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ centers on hearth and home, on our gratitude for the loved ones God has brought in to our lives. We reflect on the year which has passed, and on the year which is to come. We stand quietly before the mystery of God’s Incarnation, of the Holy Child at rest in His Mother’s arms.

The latest statistic on inter-faith marriages among Orthodox singles stands at almost 90%. That means that the vast majority of marriages of Orthodox Christians are to non-Orthodox Christians or even non-believers. So why is this important? Well, maybe it isn’t. But I think it is a symptom of a potential weakness. Let me tell you why.

The most significant fact about Orthodox marriage is that it is a sacrament. No other human relationship - not that of father and son, of sister and brother, of lifelong friends - is so honored. Indeed, the only other intimate relationship that is also a sacrament is that relationship which marriage most nearly resembles - the relationship of the individual with Jesus Christ, manifested in the sacrament of communion.

"If I knew then what I know now..." ever said that? Have you ever wondered if you knew the hurdles you'd have to overcome to achieve certain goals if you'd do it again? Are some victories worth any price?

In September 2006, Conciliar Press and AGAIN Magazine (www.conciliarpress.com) published an interview with Dr. Bradley Nassif, one of the most striking teachers in our Church today. Orthodox Christian Network is proud to bring to you here a special extended version of this email. Tune in to Come Receive The Light this week to here Fr. Chris’s new interview with Brad, taking a closer look at the story behind his recent article on the future of Orthodoxy in Christianity Today, the country’s leading Evangelical magazine.

There is a covenant between God and His people. What does this mean? It means that there was an agreement between God and Israel that God would be their God, and they would be His people. Originally this agreement was sealed by the blood of a bull, sprinkled on the elders of the people (Exodus 24). This covenant of union meant that God would always care for, guide, and be present with His people, and for Israel’s part it meant that they would be obedient to the commandments of God, delivered through Moses His prophet. These commandments were meant to guide and keep Israel in holiness and to help His people fulfill the calling to be a light among the nations, a lamp in the darkness of this fallen world.

The Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox Church can and should be for all of us not a dreary repetition, but a source of ongoing instruction in the deepest and most important truths of our faith. This week at OCN, we’re focusing on the Holy Eucharist. And we can’t hope to understand the Eucharist without understanding it’s context – the Divine Liturgy.