<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For Orthodox Christians Christmas is a problem. Western culture celebrates the Holy Days (what is left of them anyway) with parties leading up to that day. Orthodoxy sees the days leading up to the Holy Day as a period of ascetic struggle<\/em> — an inward reorientation towards greater prayer, fasting, and caring for the poor. <\/p>\n To accomplish this our lives need structure. We conform our lives to a calendar where outward practices and disciplines helps foster the inward reorientation (see the essay “The Twelve Days of Christmas<\/a>“). <\/p>\n In the most recent podcast of Ancient Faith Today, host Kevin Allen discusses with Father Gregory Jensen, author of the book The Cure for Consumerism<\/a>, the reason for the ascetic struggle for Orthodox Christians and offers some practical reasons for applying it in our lives.<\/p>\n Listen here:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n