St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church Bible Study

In this Q&A from our Orthodox Bible study, we look at a common question: what should we make of dreams and visions in the spiritual life? The Orthodox Church teaches caution here, reminding us that not everything we experience comes from God, even if it seems spiritual.

The discussion explains how the Fathers approach dreams with sobriety and humility. Sometimes dreams are simply natural, even influenced by what we eat or think ...

In this Bible study, we look at what it means to grow spiritually in Orthodox Christianity and why the journey toward Christ takes a lifetime. The teaching focuses on becoming an “unfinished icon,” slowly shaped into the likeness of Christ through prayer and repentance.

We explore the levels of prayer described in the Orthodox tradition, including the Jesus Prayer and the call to “pray without ceasing” from 1 Thessalonians 5:17. The...

In this sermon, we reflect on the image of the Ladder of Divine Ascent and what it teaches about the Orthodox Christian life. Why does following Christ sometimes feel harder, especially during Great Lent?

The Orthodox Church teaches that the spiritual life is a steady climb toward Christ. Drawing from the teaching of St. John Climacus, this sermon explains how growth in faith often brings increased struggle. As we take steps toward ...

In this Bible study, Anthony Ally reflects on one of the deepest questions every human being asks: what happens after death? Orthodox Christianity teaches that death is not the end of the person. The soul remains alive before God, the body rests in hope of the resurrection, and every person will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. This is why the Orthodox Church speaks about death with both sobriety and hope. Christians griev...

In this sermon we reflect on one of the most important themes of Great Lent in Orthodox Christianity: spiritual struggle and victory. Many people think of Lent only as a time of fasting and repentance, but the Orthodox Church teaches that these struggles lead toward the victory of Christ’s Resurrection. The Cross may look like defeat, but in the Gospel it becomes the instrument of salvation.

The Orthodox Christian life includes real...

In this last session of our 2026 Lenten Retreat, Fr. John Dresko took questions on stewardship, repentance, and the Christian life in the Orthodox Church. What does it mean to live faithfully with the gifts God has given us? This discussion helps answer that question in a clear and practical way. It shows that stewardship is not only about money, but about offering our whole life back to God. Orthodox Christians believe everything ...

In this 2nd retreat session we explore what stewardship means in the life of the Orthodox Church. Stewardship is not just about finances. It is about how Christians respond to the blessings God has given them.

The talk explains how Scripture describes offerings such as first fruits and sacrificial giving. From the Old Testament sacrifices to the perfect sacrifice of Christ, the Bible shows that giving is an act of faith. Orthodox Ch...

Stewardship in the Orthodox Church means more than giving money. It means offering our whole life back to God because everything we have comes from Him. In this retreat talk, Fr. John Dresko explains why stewardship is really about putting Christ first and learning to live as faithful servants in His Kingdom. He also shows how Great Lent is a time to reorder our priorities and let God reshape the heart.

The talk begins by challengin...

In this homily, Fr. John Dresko reflects on the Gospel story of the paralytic and why the Orthodox Church places this reading during Great Lent. The story is simple but deeply meaningful. A paralyzed man is brought to Christ by his friends, and through forgiveness and healing he rises and walks again. Fr. John uses this Gospel to show something important about the human soul and our need for Christ.

He begins by describing the crowd...

In this talk we reflect on a prayer heard during the Presanctified Liturgy that calls us “sinful and useless servants.” At first, these words can sound harsh. Why would the Orthodox Church speak about human beings in this way?

The answer reveals something important about Orthodox Christianity. The Church teaches that we come to Christ because we are broken and in need of healing. Orthodox worship speaks honestly about sin so that we...

In this adult Bible study, Anthony Ally reminded us that holiness is not reserved for monasteries or clergy. After we worship in the Divine Liturgy and receive Christ in the Eucharist, we are sent back into the world to live what we have received. Work, marriage, parenting, and daily responsibilities become the arena where we are shaped into the likeness of Christ.

Scripture tells us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as serving the ...

On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, we celebrate victory in the very first week of Lent. That may seem strange in a season of repentance. But this feast reminds us why we are fasting and struggling in the first place. Our true identity is not found in politics, culture, sports, or personal branding. Our true identity is in Christ.

The Church defended icons because the incarnation is real. God truly became man. We are truly made in His image...

On Saturday of Orthodoxy, the Church remembers a time when believers boldly proclaimed that Jesus Christ is truly God. They did not keep their faith private. They processed through the streets holding icons and declaring that the Word became flesh. The defense of icons was really a defense of the Incarnation.

If Christ is truly God, then our faith cannot remain quiet or optional. The Church building is not just a meeting place. It i...

Clean Week is intense because it is meant to wake us up. The Great Canon of St. Andrew confronts us with our weakness and reminds us that we are not as invincible as we often imagine. In a culture that constantly tells us we are good and self sufficient, the Church calls us back to reality. We are broken, and we need salvation.

But the message is not despair. It is hope. When we finally admit that we are sick, we can begin to seek h...

In this homily, Fr. Stephen reflects on the Presanctified Liturgy and why it is so essential during Great Lent. Though it is one of the oldest services in the Church, many Orthodox Christians attend it only a few times each year. Yet this deeply penitential service meets us in the middle of our weekly struggle and reminds us that heaven is still present even in the darkness of repentance.

At the powerful moment when we sing “Now the...

In this homily, Fr. Stephen reflects on a powerful verse from the Canon of St. Andrew that calls us to prepare our souls and be courageous like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Great Lent is not simply about feeling sorrow for our sins. It is about taking responsibility for them and doing something about them. Repentance is active. It involves confession, prayer, almsgiving, and service.

Stewardship during Lent means more than financial g...

In this homily, Fr. Stephen reflects on the Canon of St. Andrew and reminds us that Lent is not only about inward repentance. Yes, we fast. Yes, we pray. But healing does not stop there. The early Christians did not change the world by retreating from it. They changed it by serving it.

True fasting moves outward. It means forgiving someone who hurt you. It means helping someone in need. It means seeing every person as made in the im...

In this homily, Fr. Stephen Osburn reflects on what true forgiveness really means as we enter Great Lent. Drawing from a personal story from seminary, he shares the powerful definition given to him in confession: real forgiveness is being able to stand in the Kingdom of Heaven next to the person who hurt you and still say, “Glory to God for all things.”

As we prepare for the fast, we are reminded that resentment is heavy and distrac...

In this Bible/adult study, Anthony Ally teaches on “Your Spiritual Family: The Saints and Godparents.” This is a catechism study for people who feel overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure if they even belong in Church. We look at the real lives of the saints and see that many of them were strugglers who kept getting up after they fell.

We talk about how to choose a patron saint who understands your specific battles, how a godparent walks wit...