At the head of the new year, we heed Deuteronomy 32:1–18 (Second Song of Moses, Part 1), in the light of other Biblical passages, and remember the days of old. Especially we contemplate the pictures of God offered here—Rock, Father, Ruler, like a mother giving birth—and learn from Moses to “ascribe greatness to the LORD our God.”

We read the righteous Zachariah’s canticle of praise and hope from Luke 1:68-79, looking to the Old Testament to shed light on it: Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 22:16-17; Psalm 18/17:3; 2 Sam/2 Kingdoms 7:1-17; 2 Sam/2 Kingdoms 22:3; Isaiah 9:2 and Malachi 3:1; 4:2-5.

In this second reading of Tobit, we see its connection with Amos 8:10, Daniel 3:51-90, Revelation 21:18-21, and notice how the prophecies and prayers of the book both accompany its action, and speak in times of distress today.

The Three-Day Pascha Series by Mother Melania (Conciliar Press Ministries, 2006).

We Pray, by Daniel G. Opperwall, illustrated by Jelena and Marko Grbic (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2017)

Dawn’s Gentle Light, "The Feast Day of Saint Nina, January 1909," by Renee Riva (Pink Heart Press, 2017)

The Saint Nicholas Day Snow, by Charlotte Riggle, illustrated by R.J. Hughes (Phoenix Flair Press, 2017).

2. Chrissi reads The Man and the Vine by Jane G. Meyer (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press), The Monk Who Grew Prayer by Claire Brandenburg (Conciliar Press), and the conclusion of The Boy, a Kitchen, and His Cave by Catherine Contopoulos (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press).

10. The Jesus Prayer and Me by Vasiliki Tsigas-Fotinis (2006 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Deptartment of Religious Education) and Basil's Search for Miracles part 8 (chapters 17-18) by Heather Zydek (Conciliar Press, 2007).

46. Book 1: It's Sunday Shall We Go to Church? By Elias Liamis and Penelope Moraitou (Akritas Publications, 2007). Available from St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite Publication Society, 240 Diamond St. Northampton, PA 18067. Fax: 610-440-0995. Book 2: Wise Man Artabanes and His Gifts to Christ the Saviour, by Gregorye S. Petrov (The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral).

54. Book 1: The Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem from The Twelve Great Feasts for Children by Sister Elayne, now Mother Melania (Conciliar Press, 2005) (duration 3.37) Book 2: Great and Holy Friday from The Three-Day Pascha Series by Mother Melania (Conciliar Press, 2006) (begins at 4:20, duration 5.25) Book 3: Drita: An Albanian Girl Discovers her Ancestor's Faith by Renee Ritsi (Conciliar Press, 2008) (begins at 9:58, duration 13.10)

55. Book 1: Great and Holy Saturday from the Three-Day Pascha Series by Mother Melania (Conciliar Press, 2006) (duration 3.33 mins) Book 2: Pascha, The Feast of Feasts from the Three-Day Pascha Series by Mother Melania (Conciliar Press, 2006) (begins at 4:18, duration 3.32 mins) Book 3: Christ has Risen, Children! by Svetlana Visotskaya (The Publishing House of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, 2001) (begins at 8:00, duration 4.02 mins)

142. Great and Holy Friday from The Three-Day Pascha Series by Mother Melania (Conciliar Press, 2006)

143. Great and Holy Saturday from the Three-Day Pascha Series by Mother Melania (Conciliar Press, 2006).

A Wish and a Prayer by Beth Bence Reinke, illustrated by Ginger Nielson (4RV Publishing, 2010).

Fr. Ted gives the Sunday of Forgiveness a new name: the Sunday of Miracles.

Fr. Ted explains why Holy Week actually begins with Lazarus Saturday.

Fr. Ted explains that there is a huge difference between being popular and being the Son of God.

Fr. Ted explains that, because we are hypocrites, we are in danger of losing God's grace.

Fr. Ted reminds his fellow priests that they can easily fall into hypocrisy along with the Pharisees.

Fr. Ted asks whether you will choose to be a person of the light or a person of the darkness.

Fr. Ted reminds us that more important than our sinfulness is the mercy of God.

Fr. Ted reminds us that in order to experience the fruits of our labors, we must go through many trials and tribulations.

Fr. Ted explains that the Church provides a foretaste of the Resurrection before we celebrate it because, as Orthodox Christians, we know how this particular story ends.

Fr. Ted explains that there's a reason behind everything we do in the Orthodox Church.

Fr. Ted urges encourages us to stay the course, as the feast of Pascha draws near.

Fr. Ted explores Holy Monday's Gospel, explaining how it foreshadows Christ's passion.

Fr. Ted urges us to focus on what we can give to others and to the Church, rather than what we can get.

Fr. Ted tells us that we need to use the rhythm of prayer to remove those things from our lives that get in the way of our relationship with Christ.

Fr. Ted explains that the Feast of the Transfiguration reminds us of who God is as the one who reveals all of our acts and deeds, whether they be good or evil.

Fr. Ted explains that the cross teaches us humility and how our relationship with God is supposed to be.

Sunday school should just be about reinforcing what is taught in the Divine Litrgy and not a replacement of it.

There are two paths—a path of life and a path of death—and we need to make sure that we are on the right one when it is time to meet our Lord.

Too often we seek to bend the Church to our own will instead of bending our will to meet that of God.

The more secular society gets, the more we begin to forget those things that used to come naturally to us.

Fr. Ted reflects upon the story of Peter walking on the water to Jesus.

Fr. Ted asks, "What happens when are neither the Publican or the Pharisee?" The Triodion calls us back to the roots of our faith to engage fully in the life of Christ's Church.

Fr. Ted calls us to become like the Father who was ready and willing to welcome those who return to the life of the Church, rather than the big brother who was judgmental towards his returning brother.

Fr. Ted challenges us to take seriously the coming Judgment by Christ which will reveal what we have chosen in this life.

Fr. Ted calls us to do battle with the Enemy in the arena within during Great Lent.

Fr. Ted calls us to take up our Cross during Lent by intensifying our efforts to grow more deeply in the image of Christ.

Fr. Ted speaks to us of the wall of faith that cannot be destroyed.

Fr. Ted reflects upon the power of prayer to protect our heart or nous at the center of our being from the passions and influences of the world.

Fr. Ted continues his reflections upon a Lenten hymn and how it applies to the call to show mercy to others during our journey through Great Lent.

Fr. Ted calls us to put to use one of the most powerful tools that we have in fighting the passions—fasting!

Fr. Ted calls us to daily live our faith in the resurrected Christ without fear!

Fr. Ted encourages us to consider the story of the paralytic who had no one to help. How are we living our Orthodox faith in a way that personally serves those in need?

Fr. Ted talks about the role of thanksgiving in the House of God.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos reminds us that the Church is a place for building our faith in Christ!

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos explains the importance of Godparents in the life of the Orthodox Christian.