666 episodes
Light of the East Father Thomas Loya
-
- Religion & Spirituality
-
-
4.7 • 64 Ratings
-
This unique program reveals how the riches of the Eastern Catholic Churches - their liturgies, spirituality and relevancy - are a gift to the whole Church and to today's world.
-
LIGHTEAST 959 The Elder Simeon
In the temple, the elder Simeon holds Christ in his hands and then asks to be dismissed from this world. What do we say with God entering our entire being?
-
LIGHTEAST 958 The Great Baton Race
The next runner to receive the baton in the relay race has to start running before the actually receive the baton from the previous runner. So it is now in the liturgical calendar of many Eastern Churches.
-
LIGHTEAST 957 Two Giants Lost to the Church
Within only a few weeks of each other two giants have been lost to the Church in these modern times. How does this concern or impact the Eastern Catholic Churches?
-
LIGHTEAST 956 Pope Benedict XVI and Monastics
Almighty God raises up in each age, certain persons who turn the Church and the world on its axis. Pope Benedict XVI in our age and the desert monastics in an early age are some examples.
-
LIGHTEAST 955 The Baptism of Christ
As though being born in a manger in Bethlehem was not humbling enough, Our Lord lowered himself into the Jordan River for our sins and God as Trinity was revealed.
-
LIGHTEAST 954 Blessed New Year to All!
Blessed New Year to all! Don't take down the decorations just yet. We are not finished with the immersion into Our Lord's Incarnation and Divine Condescension.
Customer Reviews
Truly Light Shedding
Father,
Would you be able to help me find the episode or create one that goes into depth on how certain Eastern Churches have a Latin tradition in devotions such as the Ukrainian Greek Catholic (though the argument those are really universal, such as the Rosary)?
May God bless you!
Wonderful Podcast, but….
…please try to stay away from divisive U.S. politics.
Dear Father Loya,
Thank you so, so much for continuing to make this wonderful podcast that has greatly enriched my spiritual life and taught me so much about Eastern Rite Catholicism/Christianity. I just finished listening to episodes 946 and 947. Ep. 946 about St. Michael and the Incorporeal Beings was tremendous! Ep. 947 was also good, and I learned more about how the iconostasis and the sanctuary in Eastern churches echoes the Holy of Holies from the Jewish Temple. However, you lost and kind of upset me when you waded (again) into divisive politics and started to equate the iconostasis with the U.S. southern border.
I think the analogy of separating a holy sanctuary with the current border crisis is a pretty big stretch. And though you said you were not promoting any particular political party, you were clearly advocating and defending, by name, a particular divisive political figure and his policies. You have shown similar explicit or implicit support before for particular politicians, in multiple previous episodes (including one focused on the southern border) and it has seemed equally inappropriate.
Personally, I’m pretty politically conservative, and I am a big supporter of strong border security and tight immigration policy. But I don’t think these political issues have much to do with Eastern Christian spirituality or heritage. I also don’t think it wise to be seemingly trying to turn off a large segment of listeners — who do not support certain U.S. political figures — from the beautiful message you have of uniting Eastern and Western Christianity.
Anyway, that’s just my two cents. Please continue your excellent podcasts on the beauty and truth of Eastern Catholicism. But please avoid divisive, non-religious political issues. Thank you.
—Longtime Listener
Wonderful Reflections
Such wonderful reflections for both East and West rites of the Catholic Church. Fr. Loya presents such a rich understanding of scripture and tradition. I always learn something new when I listen.