In Church history, many people were forced to choose between Christ and their own family members, who sometimes even persecuted them. The Lord predicted this and invited us to pick up our cross. Does picking up your cross mean enduring life's troubles or something else?

In Matthew 10, the sermon known as The Missionary Discourse, the Lord tells his disciples to expect persecution. All true Christians should expect persecution and must endure until the end to be saved. But why are Christians persecuted? The Lord and the Fathers explain.

“Brother will deliver up brother to death.” The Lord foretold that we would face persecution for his sake, even from members of our family. The Fathers of the Church explain this and St. John Chrysostom considers how our lives compare to those of the apostles.

This week, we continue the patristic explanation of the Missionary Discourse of the Lord’s Instructions to the disciples before sending them out on their first mission of teaching and healing. What does it mean to be a sheep? A serpent? A dove?

This instruction by the Lord to the disciples led St. John Chrysostom to make a lengthy comment about his personal experience as a priest. He repeatedly blessed the congregation but his blessing of “peace” was not returned by them.

The Lord bluntly described the challenging circumstances the disciples faced when he sent them out to preach. They were to take no money and no extra clothing. "Freely you have received, freely give." How were they to live, and why did the Lord give these instructions?

As we conclude this remarkable set of ten miracle stories, we meet two blind men who persist in crying, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" and a deaf and mute man who cannot express himself at all. Who is truly blind and truly deaf? The Fathers offer their spiritual insights.

The call of St. Matthew seems odd to us. He was doing his job and suddenly left everything to follow Christ. Other disciples also responded suddenly and inexplicably. Did they have free will? What brought on such a reaction? What about the responsibilities they left behind?

Some people have asserted that Jesus himself never claimed to be God; rather, this notion was invented by his followers. In the healing of the paralytic, Jesus’ identity and claims of authority are challenged as he is accused of “blasphemy.” What is blasphemy anyhow?

This week we examine a familiar and puzzling story, especially in Matthew's gospel. Not one but two demoniacs live among tombs, severely possessed by perhaps thousands of demons. Among other things, we will discuss demonic possession and why the herd of swine was destroyed.