00:00 Introduction
01:43 The parable of the ten bridemaids
04:50 Distinct hymns & gospel readings
13:09 Jesus’ conflict with Jewish leadership
17:25 The twelve steps to humility by Saint Benedict
19:23 One - Reverence for God
20:03 Two - Doing God’s Will
22:05 Three - Obedience to Others
24:24 Four - Enduring Affliction
26:09 Five - Confession
28:27 Six - Be Content without Prestige
29:17 Seven - Interior Conviction
30:23 Eight - Fulfill Your Role
31:09 Nine - Keep Silence & Solitude
31:37 Ten - Avoid Frivolity
32:29 Eleven - Speak Modestly & Rarely
33:57 Twelve - Keep a modest posture
35:17 Icons of humility in paint & in Saint Paul’s words
38:19 Closing

~~~

The 3 Bridegroom Orthros Services - Is Our Lamp Full?

~~~

Reference materials for this episode:

Rubrics of the three bridegroom services in English translation

St John Chrysostom Homily 78 on Matthew
- https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200178.htm

The Rule of St Benedict, 12 steps to humility
- https://www.regent.edu/journal/inner-resources-for-leaders/rule-of-st-benedict-12-steps-of-humility-in-leadership/


Scripture citations for this episode:

Matthew 21:18-43
- Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
- The Authority of Jesus Questioned
- The Parable of the Two Sons
- The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

Matthew 22:15-23:39
- The Question about Paying Taxes
- The Question about the Resurrection
- The Greatest Commandment
- The Question about David’s Son
- Jesus Denounces Scribes and Pharisees
- The Lament over Jerusalem

Matthew 25:1-13
- parable of the ten bridesmaids

John 12:17-50
- The crowd comes because Lazarus was raised from the dead
- Some Greeks Wish to See Jesus
- Jesus Speaks about His Death
- The Unbelief of the People
- Summary of Jesus’ Teaching (keep my commandments)

Romans 13:1-7
- Submit to the civil authorities

Phillipians 2:1-11
- Jesus’ humility

~~~

In our series of reflections on the Lenten Triodion we have reached the 3 Orthros Services known as The Bridegroom Services, which, strictly speaking, is after Lent is over, but we're going to carry all the way through Holy Week here.

These 3 services are held Sunday, Monday & Tuesday evening rather than Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday morning for reasons Jim explains in the video. In fact, all the services of Holy Week, after Palm Sunday Divine Liturgy, are shifted forward.

In this episode Jim reflects on what the gospel reading & hymns of these three services set us up to become aware of & then he goes through the 12 steps of pursuing humlity as laid out in The Rule of Saint Benedict of Nursia.

The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father Symeon Kees of Iowa City & James John Marks of Chicago.

Paradosis Pavilion - https://youtube.com/@paradosispavilion9555

https://www.instagram.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://x.com/podcast_saints
https://www.facebook.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://www.threads.net/@christiansaintspodcast
https://bsky.app/profile/xtiansaintspodcast.bsky.social

Iconographic images used by kind permission of Nicholas Papas, who controls distribution rights of these images

Prints of all of Nick’s work can be found at Saint Demetrius Press - http://www.saintdemetriuspress.com

All music in these episodes is a production of Generative Sounds
https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com
Distribution rights of this episode & all music contained in it are controlled by Generative Sounds
Copyright 2021 - 2026

00:00 Introduction
01:50 The focus of the four gospel accounts
02:40 The hymnody, apolytikion & odes for Palm Sunday
07:55 But what about us Gentiles?
11:59 We are from the ten tribes & we are grafted in to restore them
13:42 Closing

~~~

Palm Sunday - Is This For Everyone?

~~~

Reference materials for this episode:

Orthros for the Sunday of The Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem

Scripture citations for this episode:

Isaiah 1:2-3
- Prophecy we see reflected in The Nativity icon, those Of The Nations are the donkey

Ezekiel 37: 1-14
- The valley of the dead bones

Zachariah 9:9-17
- The prophecy picked up by Saint Matthew

The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
- Matthew 21:1-17
- Mark 11:1-11
- Luke 19:28-40
- John 12:12-19

Matthew 27:51-53
- Those who rose from the dead when Jesus died

~~~

In our series of reflections on the Lenten Triodion we have reached Palm Sunday, which, strictly speaking, is after Lent is over, but we're going to carry all the way through Holy Week here.

When talking about Lazarus Saturday, Jim focused on what Jesus' ministry meant for The Jews. This week he's focusing on what it means for those of us who are Of The Nations, known as Gentiles. Salvation is for everyone.

The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father Symeon Kees of Iowa City & James John Marks of Chicago.

Paradosis Pavilion - https://youtube.com/@paradosispavilion9555

https://www.instagram.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://x.com/podcast_saints
https://www.facebook.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://www.threads.net/@christiansaintspodcast
https://bsky.app/profile/xtiansaintspodcast.bsky.social

Iconographic images used by kind permission of Nicholas Papas, who controls distribution rights of these images

Prints of all of Nick’s work can be found at Saint Demetrius Press - http://www.saintdemetriuspress.com

All music in these episodes is a production of Generative Sounds
https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com
Distribution rights of this episode & all music contained in it are controlled by Generative Sounds
Copyright 2021 - 2026

00:00 Introduction
01:19 The Gospel Account of Saint John's telling of the raising of Lazarus
08:53 The apolytikion emphasizes the general resurrection
11:29 Parallel to The Feast of Transfiguration
12:32 The verses of the odes for Lazarus Saturday
15:36 Our obligation to the evangelion of The Christ
19:45 Closing

~~~

Lazarus Saturday - From What Are We Saved?

~~~

Reference materials for this episode:

Little Compline for the evening prior to Lazarus Saturday
- As translated into English by the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America

Scripture citations for this episode:

John 11:1 - John 12:11
- The raising of Lazarus

~~~

Jim returns to the series of Lenten Triodion reflections he began last year. Having completed the Sundays of preparation & the Sundays of Lent, he picks up this week with Lazarus Saturday.

The Church emphasizes the confirmation of the general resurrection as well as this event being the "final straw" which drives the Sadducees to seek Jesus' death which is why this day is one week prior to His crucifixion on the Liturgical calendar.

The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father Symeon Kees of Iowa City & James John Marks of Chicago.

Paradosis Pavilion - https://youtube.com/@paradosispavilion9555

https://www.instagram.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://x.com/podcast_saints
https://www.facebook.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://www.threads.net/@christiansaintspodcast
https://bsky.app/profile/xtiansaintspodcast.bsky.social

Iconographic images used by kind permission of Nicholas Papas, who controls distribution rights of these images

Prints of all of Nick’s work can be found at Saint Demetrius Press - http://www.saintdemetriuspress.com

All music in these episodes is a production of Generative Sounds
https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com
Distribution rights of this episode & all music contained in it are controlled by Generative Sounds
Copyright 2021 - 2026

00:00 Opening
02:50 Fr Symeon's Sermon
21:30 Salvation isn't heaven, or morality, it's illumination
28:11 The paranoia born of living in exile
37:18 Orthodoxy doesn't do philosophical apologetics, we seek illumination
54:10 You can't put an onion dome on The Academy
73:29 Closing & housekeeping

~~~

This, too, Shall Pass (Season Finale) - S7E20

~~~

This is the end of season 7, in which we have focused almost entirely on the journey on the way of the life of faithfulness being one which requires us to put all ideologies to the side & focus on the inner, spiritual life.

~~~

Scripture citations for this episode:

- Gospel Reading from Sunday January 11
- Matthew 4:12-17

- Wisdom & illumination are spiritual not discursive
- Colossians 1:3-14

The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father Symeon Kees of Iowa City & James John Marks of Chicago.

Paradosis Pavilion - https://youtube.com/@paradosispavilion9555

https://www.instagram.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://x.com/podcast_saints
https://www.facebook.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://www.threads.net/@christiansaintspodcast
https://bsky.app/profile/xtiansaintspodcast.bsky.social

Iconographic images used by kind permission of Nicholas Papas, who controls distribution rights of these images

Prints of all of Nick’s work can be found at Saint Demetrius Press - http://www.saintdemetriuspress.com

All music in these episodes is a production of Generative Sounds
https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com
Distribution rights of this episode & all music contained in it are controlled by Generative Sounds
Copyright 2021 - 2026

00:00 Opening
01:04 You can't put The Faith on the screen & do it well
04:23 Stop debating if Jesus was an undocumented immigrant or refugee
07:54 Don't use Christian images as a foil for ideological vision
10:42 I care if the vulnerable meet God, which means I have to feed them
18:40 Silencing the monstrous is the only righteous anger
22:33 Response videos & click bait breed arrogance & division
27:43 Our utopian vision tends to not include ourselves changing
31:38 It is too easy to convince ourselves our sin does not matter
34:08 Your anger is probably self righteous, which means it is sinful
38:27 The lesson of Ebineezer Scrooge is "fear not!"
40:44 God wants to look at us & have us look at Him the way husband & wife look at each other
42:25 It is hard to be angry at other people if we know we're an idiot
46:26 The utopian vision eliminates the possibility of forgiveness
50:49 Dungeons & Dragons plane of Nirvana teaches us how scary utopia would actually be if we tried to live in it
53:34 Closing

~~~

It Will All Fail - S7E19

~~~

We are nearing the end of season seven & Fr Symeon didn't want to miss the opportunity to talk about how the two dominant ideologies in our culture both rely on what we could call an unconstrained vision of humanity - the dream of The Enlightenment still alive.

In this third part of three, we delve into a bit more pop culture references than is typical for us as we continue to try to drive home the idea the pursuit of utopia brings dystopia & the problem is human delusion. We must focus on dispelling delusion, not problem solving & system building.

~~~

Scripture citations for this episode:

Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-48, John 2:13-17 - Cleansing of the temple

Mark 5: 1-20 - Gerasene Demoniac

The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father Symeon Kees of Iowa City & James John Marks of Chicago.

Paradosis Pavilion - https://youtube.com/@paradosispavilion9555

https://www.instagram.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://x.com/podcast_saints
https://www.facebook.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://www.threads.net/@christiansaintspodcast
https://bsky.app/profile/xtiansaintspodcast.bsky.social

Iconographic images used by kind permission of Nicholas Papas, who controls distribution rights of these images

Prints of all of Nick’s work can be found at Saint Demetrius Press - http://www.saintdemetriuspress.com

All music in these episodes is a production of Generative Sounds
https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com
Distribution rights of this episode & all music contained in it are controlled by Generative Sounds
Copyright 2021 - 2026

00:00 Introduction
02:20 Opening
06:17 We are all nuts
10:36 The sins others can't see are more dangerous
13:30 Living enslaved to Sin is standing on a cliff
17:39 We Can't Build Utopia
18:45 What we do has far more consequence than we realize
23:00 The Dream of The Enlightenment breeds cattle & monsters
25:27 Pursuit of Eutopia breeds Dystopia
28:45 A rabbit trail about our favorite fiction genres
32:47 Self delusion causes us to make the means The End
34:10 The Gerasene Demoniac & the pigs
36:07 Why can't people see the path of The Kingdom
43:55 Confession shatters self delusion
47:45 The divine revelation to The Apostles was unique
49:30 Humans tend to want kings, one way or another
50:50 Another rabbit trail about movies about The Bible
54:00 Closing

Human Persons Are Not Infinite - S7E18

We are nearing the end of season seven & Fr Symeon didn't want to miss the opportunity to talk about how the two dominant ideologies in our culture both rely on what we could call an unconstrained vision of humanity - the dream of The Enlightenment still alive.

In this second part of three, we delve into a bit more pop culture references than is typical for us, we both admit to a love of dystopian fiction & we also speak of the core mission of The Church to usher all of Creation into Paradise, not to amass warriors to create Utopia through Power.

Scripture citations for this episode:

Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-48, John 2:13-17 - Cleansing of the temple

Mark 5: 1-20 - Gerasene Demoniac

The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father Symeon Kees of Iowa City & James John Marks of Chicago.

Paradosis Pavilion - https://youtube.com/@paradosispavilion9555

https://www.instagram.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://x.com/podcast_saints
https://www.facebook.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://www.threads.net/@christiansaintspodcast
https://bsky.app/profile/xtiansaintspodcast.bsky.social

Iconographic images used by kind permission of Nicholas Papas, who controls distribution rights of these images

Prints of all of Nick’s work can be found at Saint Demetrius Press - http://www.saintdemetriuspress.com

All music in these episodes is a production of Generative Sounds
https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com
Distribution rights of this episode & all music contained in it are controlled by Generative Sounds
Copyright 2021 - 2026

00:00 Introduction
05:25 Competing ideologies
09:46 The fundamentals - vision of humanity
12:27 Are humans good or evil
16:20 Are people evil or deluded?
19:46 Can we agree on what good & evil are?
22:55 The sinless passions
25:29 Issues of identity
28:00 The Prince of Peace is Born!
31:44 Too much Emmanuel Kant
33:36 Christmas proclaims Love Incarnate
35:00 Genesis 3, The Lie is "Be Unconstrained"
38:12 Optimistic Christianity
40:30 The subtle lie of the brazen serpent
44:15 Christmas is the beginning of the end of Death
47:29 Closing

Human Persons Are Not Infinite - S7E17

We are nearing the end of season seven & Fr Symeon didn't want to miss the opportunity to talk about how the two dominant ideologies in our culture both rely on what we could call an unconstrained vision of humanity - the dream of The Enlightenment still alive. We are suggesting the journey on the way of the life of faithfulness to the evangelion of Jesus, The Christ requires us to accept we are created, finite beings & as a consequence we must have a constrained vision of humanity - the dream of The Enlightenment is not only dead, if it came true, we would become either monsters or animals.

Yes, there is a way in which our understanding theosis, divination, is a vision of an unconstrained humanity, we can become divine through grace! And the world's denial of this is a kind of constrained vision. Yes, we see this irony. But for the sake of the conversation, we're framing our thoughts as we outlined them above.

This conversation was quite long! So the production team has decided to cut it into three sections this time, not just two.

Scripture citations for this episode:

Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-48, John 2:13-17 - Cleansing of the temple

Mark 5: 1-20 - Gerasene Demoniac

The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father Symeon Kees of Iowa City & James John Marks of Chicago.

Paradosis Pavilion - https://youtube.com/@paradosispavilion9555

https://www.instagram.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://x.com/podcast_saints
https://www.facebook.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://www.threads.net/@christiansaintspodcast
https://bsky.app/profile/xtiansaintspodcast.bsky.social

Iconographic images used by kind permission of Nicholas Papas, who controls distribution rights of these images

Prints of all of Nick’s work can be found at Saint Demetrius Press - http://www.saintdemetriuspress.com

All music in these episodes is a production of Generative Sounds
https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com
Distribution rights of this episode & all music contained in it are controlled by Generative Sounds
Copyright 2021 - 2026

00:00 Intro/lead in from previous episode
02:49 Icon of The Nativity, concentric circles
09:05 She Isn't Looking At Her Baby?!
13:00 We Are Joseph, Trying to Understand
18:18 Everyone Has Doubts, We Can't Stay There
22:06 Joseph As Exemplar for Masculinity
29:29 There is Doubt & There is Doubt
33:31 Overcoming Sin Is Target Practice
35:50 Bethlehem is The Church
39:30 Wanting to Believe, Over Time, Changes Us
45:25 Who Is The Hairy Old Man?
48:01 When Jesus Talked to Job About Doubt
51:53 Listen to God, Not Lies
56:20 Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Mankind!
57:49 Is Mary Beckoning to Joseph?
62:03 Closing thoughts & outro

In this second half of our conversation with friend of the show, iconographer Nick Papas, we turn primarily to Christmas, while continuing to explore the relationship between the Old Testament icon of The Tree of Jesse & the icon of The Nativity of Our Lord God & Savior Jesus Christ.

If you would like access to the spreadsheet which details the relationship of the figures on the tree to Jesus or The Theotokos, please contact us so we can provide it to you.

Reference materials for this episode:
- Nick’s work
- https://www.saintdemetriuspress.com
- https://www.facebook.com/Nick.Papas.Studio

Scripture citations for this episode:
- Genesis 18: Sarah laughed
- Isaiah 11: The Peaceful Kingdom prophecy of The Messiah
- Luke 1: Zechariah doubts the birth of John & Mary is amazed at the birth of Jesus
- Luke 24: The Road to Emmaus
- Romans 15; references Isaiah 11

#advent #christmas #nativity #iconography

The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father Symeon Kees of Iowa City & James John Marks of Chicago.

Paradosis Pavilion - https://youtube.com/@paradosispavilion9555

https://www.instagram.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://x.com/podcast_saints
https://www.facebook.com/christiansaintspodcast
https://www.threads.net/@christiansaintspodcast
https://bsky.app/profile/xtiansaintspodcast.bsky.social

Iconographic images used by kind permission of Nicholas Papas, who controls distribution rights of these images

Prints of all of Nick’s work can be found at Saint Demetrius Press - http://www.saintdemetriuspress.com

All music in these episodes is a production of Generative Sounds
https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com
Distribution rights of this episode & all music contained in it are controlled by Generative Sounds
Copyright 2021 - 2026