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Fr. Bill here - Roman Catholic priest of just about 50 years now - I am astounded by the depth of the richness and truth-filled-ness of wisdom that comes from Fr. Seraphim. Thank you! I am nearly 76 years old and through a very sad and really less than charitable set of circumstances my bishop refuses to reinstates me as an "active retired priest!" My one true desire is to be back at the altar publically, but for me even more than that to be a Confessor again - i love more than anything to reconcile sinners and reconnect them with their brothers and sisters in the Church. Please pray that a likewise reconciliation can happen between me and my bishop so I can get my faculties back! Thank you! I pray daily for all who view my FB posts! - Blessings and Peace and Joy! Fr. Bill
God bless you father I am sure you don’t need my preaching but I’m sure Christ has something in store for you. I can sense your yearning in your message - May you always serve Him at the altar of your heart. Maybe now that you have served His people for so long - Christ wants you all to Himself alone 🙏
Fr. Bill praying for a full reconciliation between you and your bishop, so that you may continue to serve your brothers and sisters in Christ as a Priest. God Bless You from Texas.
Maybe your new path is exactly what you yearn except not from the pulpit. Pray to God that He send you to people whom you can shepherd. At any rate ask for God’s will be done re this matter.
Unfortunately for you sir; the Roman Catholic church is a false church and always has been since schism... God more then likely has better plans for a faithful servant such as you.
Once you discover Jesus Christ the world isn’t as important as you used to think it was. It’s dead unfulfilling and exhausting. Jesus Christ is the main focus from here on out.
As a new Orthodox Christian, worldly matters and desires and ambitions that once were so important -- now seem like mere distractions. Growth into Christ is the essential purpose of this life. It's as if I see the world in a new light.
On most days I feel helpless and destined for hell. I go to confession often, but I hear these stories of priests and saints that barely escaped hell, and I think to myself, "I simply don't have a chance". I do the spiritual math, and when I compare and contrast, the numbers just don't seem to fall in my favor. I repeatedly make the same dumb mistakes over and over again. I hate it. I feel depressed.
Pray the Akathist to The Mother of God. She and all the Saints pray endlessly for us, as well as many monks and laymen. Don't give up. Never despair. We are not worthy, but God is endlessly merciful!
The devil tempts you, this is why you feel confused. Try to focus on discarding your negative thoughts. But I can say to you - God will make it better for you as His will will be upon it
I totally understand what you are feeling. Hang on to Jesus. Just keep surrendering to Him and building that deep relationship with Him. He sees your heart and knows you want Him and you want eternal life with Him. We are being attacked a lot. Just surrender to Him and look at His love for you and me. It's HUGE. Father I ask that you lift up BAR-ct7ti and show them your love like never before and that they are on your path! We praise you Father! Give them your Holy Spirit so they can endure to the end with joy and not scrupulosity. He hears us I know this for sure
May St Ephraim of Nea Makri intercede for you! A priest or a monk is not holier because of their position or learning… in fact I think that most of those stories serve to remind them of the kinds of warnings that they hear getting into what they do, that it is much harder to be saved as a priest, and that the expectations are higher for a monastic dedicated to their calling than for someone in the crazy chaotic world against whom they might be tempted to compare themselves. If you are not either, count yourself fortunate in that regard and take advantage of your position to cultivate your spiritual life. Where there is life there is hope! God bless you ❤
Ive been a christian for around 2 years, and I have been attending Orthodox Liturgies for close to 1 month now. I can say the worst moments of anxiety, depression, anger, hypochondria and fear have been after I became christian.
Same for me. The closer I get to the Light of the World the clearer my sins become and I want to turn off the light to hide the ugliness of it. The Lord tells us to persevere. Feels like torture. Gotta be done. Aaargh!
This hits me like a train. Every word was like hammer. Teared to pieces... I mean in good way. I'm lost to world - cares, career, pleasures, business, dopamine addictions...this hit all the false gods I worship and serve. Need to return to Christ and His calling. The words at the end - I felt this fire...years ago...lost it...need to spark it again. Thank you for this message.
Your blessings, Father. The quote of Elder Gabriel "Everything bad in man is accidental. Never despise anyone: not cowards, not dirty, not drunk, not those who swear the worst. The icon of God is preserved in all of them, in the depth of their being, despite the fact that they are most often not even aware of it. The enemy of man is the one who tarnishes that divine image and buries it with dirt. It is difficult to see the icon of God in those who mock you, who appear in the form of beasts. But one must pity them all the more because their souls are mutilated, perhaps even irreversibly, to the point of eternal torment... Oh, how difficult it is to love one's enemies."
That is my problem now… I’m ashamed of how sinful I am mind and body wise. And the Gm fact that it has taken me this long to realize it and turn to God is mind blowing to me. I don’t know if God uses social media to talk to me or send me messages but I’m definitely taking this as one.
This has spoken to my current situation very clearly and directly. I have found myself overwhelmed with the weight and pain of my past sins, and in the anxiety I have found myself hiding from the Lord. Avoiding prayer, even avoiding to look at the icons in my house. However, today I struggled through my morning prayer and devotion, and was led to watch this video. Our Lord and God is truly great. Thank you Fr, please pray for me.
I had the honeymoon period you mention. I've been a Christian for 55 years. We need to balance disappointment in ourselves with the love and grace of God through Christ. His grace is greater than our sin
Your words are like raindrops on a desert to me. For the past year my heart has been grieving because of my past sins and the sins of the world. I seem to have lost all of my worldly ambitions and desires. I thought something was wrong with me for feeling like a sinful failure all the time. So, now I know this is a good thing and I am actually getting closer to God. Thank you for your words and may God bless you.
It was helpful to me when the Spirit showed me that my depression is not actually my own, but a co-lament with Christ for the world he loves. Christians sometimes go to hell in the struggle for this world’s renewal. Thank you for your words.
Thank you Father Seraphim for these much needed words. I have been obsessed with the sins of the world lately, separating them from myself and placing myself on a spiritual tower as if I was above the problems of this world. Your words have made me realise that I must look inward to break free of sin. Despite this realisation I know that I will continue to sin.
Try walking with love in your heart when you first meet someone say in your mind i love you before you think anything else sounds soppy but it works believe me have faith your two beings spirit and flesh and flesh is sin it’s just the way it is, hope this helps.
Man it is crazy how much I have felt this way! I have been doubting my salvation because I feel so disgusted with myself for things I did before and things I still do! On one hand I feel better because this describes my walk right now and on the other I feel like oh no is this how I’m gonna feel for the rest of my life!
They offer temptations claiming you’re damned anyways so you may as well dig your hole deeper, but the reason they attack so hard is because you aren’t as damned as they would have you believe. If you were truly as damned as the enemy would have you believe, they would no longer attack you and leave you to your own devices to dig your hole deeper and deeper for yourself.
He put how i feel perfect. the last five years of me finally coming home to Christ, I still constantly feel the weight and burden of my sins and I do feel almost a burn out sensation at work, and just thinking about how this world today is going and i feel hopeless and sad for anyone and everyone that has NOT been saved or accept Christ. I want to take their sin's onto myself along with my own.
I'm very new. I'm attending classes so I can be baptised at Easter. Catholic. Your channel has helped me so much. Christ has separated me from the world. " He has taken me away from the world lest wicked men should alter my understanding or deciet beguile my soul" wisdom 4.11. I want to spend the rest of my life serving Him however He wants me to. I don't know how yet. I am considering oblation though monastic life. I'm watching and waiting to have His will be done and have Jesus guide me. You are so right father. The further I get along the path the more I'm filled with shame at my old life. I was a very bad man. Crime. Gangs. Drugs. Violence. It is hard to live with the knowledge of what I have been and done but the peace I find through Christ fills me with hope. Love. Peace. He came to save sinners like me. I really liked learning about Moses the Black. I knew men like him. Murderers. Thief's. I was friends with them. I'm so sorry. But. I am never going back. Thank you for being a light in the world father. God bless you in your pilgrimage.
Thank you for this beautiful and inspiring perspective father. In my own spiritual journey I have been so focused on myself and my own spiritual development and relationship with Christ that I have failed to look outward to the salvation of my fellow brothers and sisters. This was a wake up call. God bless.
I’m 63 years old, unemployed and I realized today that every job I have had I was never promoted, but always let go or demoted. Your message is amazing me!!!!!
This spoke to me deeply , ive never excelled in this world even before i became a Christian so its easy for me to let go of it but i do go through stages of deep despair over the state of my fallenness , it can be so painful to really see how unworthy of such beautiful Grace and love we really are , but the Lord always pulls me up out of the hole when it gets too hard to bear. And for me the most painful experience in my life was watching my uncle die actively rejecting Christ no matter how much we pleaded with him , the pain of watching him willingly reject Christ was unlike anything , it broke my mother.
I weep for the world, I weep for my own soul, I repent, but it is not enough, I plead His blood, i pray for them to be saved, I pray He has mercy on us all. There is truth to what you speak.
Iam.deeeeeply grateful that despite my sinful nature out of Love and mercy thinks i am worthy enough to come and make his home with me in Jesus Christ..It fills me with gratitude and joy..And of moves me to tears.....Be blessed Father to the core of your being...
May Christ bless and protect you, dear one. Follow Him with courage and patience, and He will guide us through all our darkness, all the way to His Light.
Thank you Father for the words. I've had this video in my list since it came out. I've come back after I fell for such a long time. And I've been struggling even more now than before. I'm more aware and fall even more than before. It's so hard. I'm trying and I know that I have many struggles left. Please mention me once in your prayers
I converted to Orthodoxy and I have come to the realization God will never let us forget our sins, they play back in our memory over and over again. Your right it is a reminder that we have to look towards the Lord and ask for forgiveness everyday. God Bless you and all Orthodox Christians. ☦️
It amazes me Father Seraphim how your teaching speaks directly to my struggles. I'm a recent convert to Orthodoxy and there has been no honeymoon period, but a lot of struggle. I see now that there is a purpose to this. I could never do this on my own, but only by God's grace.
Thank you. I have exactly experienced what you said. The world becomes less an less important. Christ is the center. But it is also hard to accept that the old life is gone. Than can be frustrating. Because you realize that all the things which the world (Satan) evaluates as important, are not important to God. Because these things, in a nutshell, are based on pride.
Thank you so very much for this information you shared with us all . I wondered why I could not let go of my sins why they bother me so much after I’ve repented many times . I just feel So dirty inside and unworthy of my Lord and savior. I’ve herd other people say it’s the Devil doing that not God and I was worried that it might be true . but I have no idea how to let go of the horrible way I lived my life for so long . It hurts so much still and it’s not been a long time since I gave my life to God ,in 2019 but I thought it had been long enough where this convection should had gone away . But something inside me told me that I’m feeling this way because of how I hurt God and he does not want me to sin anymore and he does this to keep me on his narrow path that I sometimes still fall off still but I’m trying very hard not to anymore . I thank you again and I send much love and gratitude to you and God of course for this video you have put out . ♥️🙏
Father truly the content of this Podcast ring so true. The ‘more we search and see the light of CHRIST’, the more darkened our own sins appear to us. You have been blessed Father. Thank you for sharing your blessings ☦️
We are the followers of the Crucified One, dear one. And He calls us to 'come, follow Me' all the way to His Cross, He calls us to daily lift up our cross and to move out of the world into His Kingdom. Be blessed, dear one.
I feel exactly in how you explained it here. I didn’t understand. All though I love my wife tremendously, I feel lost in this world after I searched for Christ. Since then I cannot find solid ground anymore on this planet..It seems that demons really try their best to make it even worse after i give my life to him…when i heard this beautiful message I broke down in tears. What happens on this planet really makes me so sad.. I wish that all people just would made peace…goodness we all received at birth…
Thank you father, ever since ive turned to christ i feel like sin and temptation keeps trying to push me into doing evil acts against god, they always tell me in my mind "it will feel good"" or "god wont forgive you after this." You give great advice and sometimes i cant find answers online about why this is happening to me or what is happening or how to prevent it, this channel has alot of advice and help i need. God bless you father
Wow, The devil didnt want me to here this. He came a me with so much heaviness almost put me to sleep but I persevered thru and received the message. I will work on not letting him steal what was given. Awesone teachings
Ce spuneti este foarte adevarat Parinte. Ca un crestin ortodox nascut in romania si crescut in ortodoxie, m am indepartat de la domnul pentru exact aceste motive. Nu pot vinui pe diavol, la urma urmei Dumnezeu ne a dat liber arbitru iar alegerea a fost a mea sa fug de lumina lui si de jugul lui Hristos, chiar daca si el poate si a bagat coada. Dar cu greu si rusine, smerenie si netrebnicie ma m intors in ograda tatalui ca fiul risipitor si ma rog zilnic pentru iertare si milostenia Sfintei Treimi. Ma rog ca el sa ma accepte macar in ograda sa, sa pot trebalui acolo si sa fiu util lui prin fapte bune, si respectand poruncile lui. Nu am nici o speranta de a intra in casa sau imparatia Sa ca nimic necurat nu intra acolo dar in ograda ma pot pocai si smeri intru speranta ca poate inainte de Judecata, ma voi indrepta catusi de putin. Tot ceea ce ati spus este 100% adevarat trait de mine si inainte de caderea mea si la intoarecere, dar as mai adauga un lucru dace e cu putiinta. Eu am gasit calea inapoi catre Dumnezeu doar prin dragoste, cand dragoste sincera a fost singura mea dorinta si cerere catre Domnul.Dragoste pura am dat si asta am primit inapoi. Si spun asta pt ca mereu am incercat sa gasesc calea inapoi dar in netrebnicia mea mereu am caut inapoi in gaura. Dragoste acceptata, sincera si data sincer aproapelui, asta m a ajutat sa razbesc, sa imi fac curaj, si sa bat la poarta Tatalui Ceresc si sa zic, Iartama, sunt un netrebnic si un necunoscator, primeste ma inapoi si invata ma calea cea dreapta. Nu o sa continui cu povesti de viata , de ce si cum sa savarsit tot acest paragraf, dar eu traiesc acum in Polonia dupa multi ani hoinarind prin lume, si m am asezat la casa mea. Problema mea este ca nu este nici o biserica ortodoxa aprope, Polonia fiind o tara predominant Catolica. Cu mila si voia Domnului intr-o zi voi ajunge si la o biserica sa ma pot spovedi, impartasi , si cine stie, poate si cununa religios cu sotia sa fim in rand in fata Sfintei Treimi. Va multumesc pentru videoclipuri si sa va tina Dumnezeu puternic si curajos. Toate cele bune.
Dear Father, I just wanted to let you know how much this video means to me. I am a new catechumenate in the Catholic faith, and I have really been struggling with what seem to be renewed spiritual attacks from the devil in my dreams, which have become quite evil, pornographic, etc. I feel shame all day, and then I doubt the goodness of Christ, but then feel torn and lowly, because I know when I lay my head down to sleep, that I love Christ so much. I feel so unworthy and ashamed of all of my sin. All of my endeavors; my graduate degree in forensics, my engagement, my search for a job, all seem to have fallen flat. I am suddenly struggling to focus in school where I was so engaged before I discovered Christ. Everything of the world feels empty. My lay pastor tells me, don't forget that Christ has already won, that we are already victors in the battle against the devil. But all I feel is what you are describing; a disgust with myself, a lowliness, and a constant awareness of my ignorance and pride. I don't know if you will see this message, but I just wanted to say that I am very thankful to have come across a video that describes this experience. I am not Orthodox but now and again find myself coming to your channel. I don't feel any of this joy and victory my pastor speaks of; just a constant awareness of my sin, and battles with darkness in my dreams. God bless you. If you have any words for me I would be so delighted to receive them.
“Maybe one day you and I will become one of his saints, the ones who no longer pray just for us in selfish demonic separation from the world, will no longer demonically condemn the world and secretly feel better in our hearts because we are not like the world, secretly rejoice that somehow they will go to hell and that means I will go to heaven… but maybe by Christ’s grace for us we will become some of those few chosen ones who will repent on behalf of the world and struggle on behalf of the world and fight, stand before God in prayer, like flames of prayer interceding, mediating, begging for the whole, whole world without any exception.”
Thank you for this reflection, I was standing in church last week and the thought crossed my mind "I have so far to go, so much work to do in my heart."
Glory be to God for all things, dear one. If there is any fruit in any of us, it if from Him, through Him, for His love for us, sinners. May we all be blessed, dear one.
Hello dear Father Seraphim. I bumped into you on Iona two weeks ago. - you appeared to be taking cat to the vet. Thank you for your blessing and the great warmth of your personality that I experienced at that time. Please continue to pray for all of us and to counter the dark period for humanity which lies ahead. You are in my prayers, likewise the monks and nuns. Was the little cat OK? Blessings, Sian
Thank you brother, I really needed to hear this.. This is exactly where I am and it is in such contradiction with the « feel good » attitude in the world. How not to become self-righteous or despondent leaves us only in this state of suffering that we must accept…. It is hard and not a message many are ready to hear.
Thank you Father, I will pray for you and I ask you to please pray for me and let’s us both pray for the whole world. 🙏❤️this teaching is explaining so much to me. I will use it well. Thank you!
May Christ bless you, dear one, and may He indeed teach you to use well everything that comes from Him. His word is our source of Life, we need to try to make His word the language of our hearts.
When saying The Act of Contrition (I'm Roman Catholic) I always feel deep sorrow for my sins when I say the following: I fear the loss of heaven and pains of hell BUT MOST OF ALL FOR HAVING OFFENDING YOU WHO ART ALL GOOD AND DESERVING OF OF ALL MY LOVE. I know how my sin disappointed the Lord.
I know that crushing feeling, my dear one. At the same time, you can place your sin before Him and allow Him to lift it up for you. You need to allow Him to do so, and that is a painful experience - it requires humility and acceptance that you too, like me also and like all human beings, have failed Him, abandoned Him and led Him to His Crucifixion. We all crave to be His 'heroes', and we all end up being those who crucify Him. But Christ is Love and His death is the source of our Life - if we hold on to Him, if we turn back to Him, if we act like the wonderful Apostle Peter, Christ can indeed turn us, who have crucified Him, into His heroes. he can do that for us; we cannot do that by ourselves.
I really needed this. I have prayed for people close to me and said lord I'd rather take their place in hell because I know they would not survive I have prayed lord ill take on that person's sin that persons illness or demon because that is what my heart feels I should do I questioned myself am i being a matere but it is what my heart truly belives so I thank jesus for you I know im on the right path god bless
Brother, I cannot express how Prophetic this was to me. It is exactly what I have been feeling. The closer I come to our Lord, the more unworthy I feel.
Sometime’s I don’t know how I can go on. The truth is I cannot anymore go on for myself, I can only go on for Christ. Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Hi Mull, God bless. To be honest, I havent heard this much wisdom in someone in a while. Although I believe what you are saying, I have feedback. I have trouble since I was born again in being fully into my business because I keep getting sidetracked by the will of God. I suffer with very severe pain and quality of life in terms of pain. God gave me back hope I didnt know existed. I have believed in God all my life but was only reborn two plus years ago. What you said remind me of Isaiah I AM A MAN OF UNCLEAN LIPS. It doesn't mean we cannot be successful, just not worldly successful. Due to multiple pain disorders, I have to be successful in order to be busy and make some money. I do not chase money or fame. The point of contention I have with you is this: What you are explaining is mostly true or possibly all true but I don't believe you and I should view ourselves as pieces of dirt. We can still please God as Paul says in Corinthians if we live a righteous life. Total depravity is something I cannot agree with or grasp. To be totally depraved is to think that we cannot please HIM. The bible says the opposite as his eyes scan to and fro throughout the earth. I think people get that wrong but it is true that we are like dirt due to sins and our continual sinful nature. You have some great insight, ty
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Fr. Bill here - Roman Catholic priest of just about 50 years now - I am astounded by the depth of the richness and truth-filled-ness of wisdom that comes from Fr. Seraphim. Thank you! I am nearly 76 years old and through a very sad and really less than charitable set of circumstances my bishop refuses to reinstates me as an "active retired priest!" My one true desire is to be back at the altar publically, but for me even more than that to be a Confessor again - i love more than anything to reconcile sinners and reconnect them with their brothers and sisters in the Church. Please pray that a likewise reconciliation can happen between me and my bishop so I can get my faculties back! Thank you! I pray daily for all who view my FB posts! - Blessings and Peace and Joy! Fr. Bill
God bless you father
I am sure you don’t need my preaching but I’m sure Christ has something in store for you. I can sense your yearning in your message - May you always serve Him at the altar of your heart.
Maybe now that you have served His people for so long - Christ wants you all to Himself alone 🙏
Fr. Bill praying for a full reconciliation between you and your bishop, so that you may continue to serve your brothers and sisters in Christ as a Priest. God Bless You from Texas.
Maybe your new path is exactly what you yearn except not from the pulpit. Pray to God that He send you to people whom you can shepherd. At any rate ask for God’s will be done re this matter.
Unfortunately for you sir; the Roman Catholic church is a false church and always has been since schism... God more then likely has better plans for a faithful servant such as you.
Praying for you 🙏
Lord Jesus Christ son of God have mercy on me a sinner.
Since I gave my life to Christ, everything getting worse expecially sins, because once you follow Jesus the devil try everything to stop you✝️
Once you discover Jesus Christ the world isn’t as important as you used to think it was. It’s dead unfulfilling and exhausting.
Jesus Christ is the main focus from here on out.
Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me, a sinner.
❤✝ CHRIST IS RISEN ✝❤
❤💪🙏✝ GOD BE WITH US AGAINST EVIL AND TEMPTATIONS ✝🙏⛪🕊
Roman Catholic here from the states. I accidentally found you and your knowledge is beyond wonderful. Thank you!! ❤❤❤
Welcome, dear one. May Christ bless you and may He gently (but firmly) guide you to His Light.
As a new Orthodox Christian, worldly matters and desires and ambitions that once were so important -- now seem like mere distractions. Growth into Christ is the essential purpose of this life. It's as if I see the world in a new light.
Praying now to our Blessed Mother for you Fr. Bill and Fr. Seraphim....God knows what is best, trust Him....
On most days I feel helpless and destined for hell. I go to confession often, but I hear these stories of priests and saints that barely escaped hell, and I think to myself, "I simply don't have a chance". I do the spiritual math, and when I compare and contrast, the numbers just don't seem to fall in my favor. I repeatedly make the same dumb mistakes over and over again. I hate it. I feel depressed.
Pray the Akathist to The Mother of God. She and all the Saints pray endlessly for us, as well as many monks and laymen. Don't give up. Never despair. We are not worthy, but God is endlessly merciful!
The devil tempts you, this is why you feel confused. Try to focus on discarding your negative thoughts. But I can say to you - God will make it better for you as His will will be upon it
Me too :( the pain is deep
I totally understand what you are feeling. Hang on to Jesus. Just keep surrendering to Him and building that deep relationship with Him. He sees your heart and knows you want Him and you want eternal life with Him. We are being attacked a lot. Just surrender to Him and look at His love for you and me. It's HUGE. Father I ask that you lift up BAR-ct7ti and show them your love like never before and that they are on your path! We praise you Father! Give them your Holy Spirit so they can endure to the end with joy and not scrupulosity. He hears us I know this for sure
May St Ephraim of Nea Makri intercede for you!
A priest or a monk is not holier because of their position or learning… in fact I think that most of those stories serve to remind them of the kinds of warnings that they hear getting into what they do, that it is much harder to be saved as a priest, and that the expectations are higher for a monastic dedicated to their calling than for someone in the crazy chaotic world against whom they might be tempted to compare themselves. If you are not either, count yourself fortunate in that regard and take advantage of your position to cultivate your spiritual life. Where there is life there is hope! God bless you ❤
Amen
I so look forward to your teachings Father. If I were younger and healthier, I would plan a pilgrimage to Scotland. God bless you always 🙏 ☦️🙏
Ive been a christian for around 2 years, and I have been attending Orthodox Liturgies for close to 1 month now. I can say the worst moments of anxiety, depression, anger, hypochondria and fear have been after I became christian.
Hold on to Christ, dear one. Place your trust and hope in Him, and He will carry you forward when you yourself can no longer carry yourself.
Same for me. The closer I get to the Light of the World the clearer my sins become and I want to turn off the light to hide the ugliness of it. The Lord tells us to persevere. Feels like torture. Gotta be done. Aaargh!
This message is so true!
This hits me like a train. Every word was like hammer. Teared to pieces... I mean in good way. I'm lost to world - cares, career, pleasures, business, dopamine addictions...this hit all the false gods I worship and serve. Need to return to Christ and His calling. The words at the end - I felt this fire...years ago...lost it...need to spark it again.
Thank you for this message.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”
Thank you Father, for your guidance in repentance especially during this period of fasting.
Thank you, dear priest.
Excellent
Your blessings, Father. The quote of Elder Gabriel "Everything bad in man is accidental. Never despise anyone: not cowards, not dirty, not drunk, not those who swear the worst. The icon of God is preserved in all of them, in the depth of their being, despite the fact that they are most often not even aware of it. The enemy of man is the one who tarnishes that divine image and buries it with dirt. It is difficult to see the icon of God in those who mock you, who appear in the form of beasts. But one must pity them all the more because their souls are mutilated, perhaps even irreversibly, to the point of eternal torment... Oh, how difficult it is to love one's enemies."
That is my problem now… I’m ashamed of how sinful I am mind and body wise. And the Gm fact that it has taken me this long to realize it and turn to God is mind blowing to me. I don’t know if God uses social media to talk to me or send me messages but I’m definitely taking this as one.
This has spoken to my current situation very clearly and directly. I have found myself overwhelmed with the weight and pain of my past sins, and in the anxiety I have found myself hiding from the Lord. Avoiding prayer, even avoiding to look at the icons in my house. However, today I struggled through my morning prayer and devotion, and was led to watch this video. Our Lord and God is truly great. Thank you Fr, please pray for me.
I had the honeymoon period you mention. I've been a Christian for 55 years. We need to balance disappointment in ourselves with the love and grace of God through Christ. His grace is greater than our sin
Your words are like raindrops on a desert to me. For the past year my heart has been grieving because of my past sins and the sins of the world. I seem to have lost all of my worldly ambitions and desires. I thought something was wrong with me for feeling like a sinful failure all the time. So, now I know this is a good thing and I am actually getting closer to God. Thank you for your words and may God bless you.
It was helpful to me when the Spirit showed me that my depression is not actually my own, but a co-lament with Christ for the world he loves. Christians sometimes go to hell in the struggle for this world’s renewal. Thank you for your words.
Thank you Father Seraphim for these much needed words. I have been obsessed with the sins of the world lately, separating them from myself and placing myself on a spiritual tower as if I was above the problems of this world. Your words have made me realise that I must look inward to break free of sin. Despite this realisation I know that I will continue to sin.
This gave me so much clarity on my life! Thank you
I feel like I don't have a heart anymore.
Try walking with love in your heart when you first meet someone say in your mind i love you before you think anything else sounds soppy but it works believe me have faith your two beings spirit and flesh and flesh is sin it’s just the way it is, hope this helps.
It brings me comfort to hear someone talking about what is happening in side of me. Praise Lord Jesus.
This is just what I needed to hear. Thank you for teaching us!
Thank you Father. Excellent and very profound words. Another good warrning on spirtual pride.😔
One of the humblest things St. Paisios the Athonite said was :"If I was as Christ wants me to be, married couples would not be divorcing"..
Man it is crazy how much I have felt this way! I have been doubting my salvation because I feel so disgusted with myself for things I did before and things I still do! On one hand I feel better because this describes my walk right now and on the other I feel like oh no is this how I’m gonna feel for the rest of my life!
Jesus is king 👑 and the moment he showed himself in my life is the moment sin bothered me so much .. I use to sin and smile now I sin and cry
All praise to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God bless you all.
Sin after the honey moon phase hurts deeply, and you feel disgusted with yourself.
Thank you this really helps my journey as a Christian.
They offer temptations claiming you’re damned anyways so you may as well dig your hole deeper, but the reason they attack so hard is because you aren’t as damned as they would have you believe. If you were truly as damned as the enemy would have you believe, they would no longer attack you and leave you to your own devices to dig your hole deeper and deeper for yourself.
He put how i feel perfect. the last five years of me finally coming home to Christ, I still constantly feel the weight and burden of my sins and I do feel almost a burn out sensation at work, and just thinking about how this world today is going and i feel hopeless and sad for anyone and everyone that has NOT been saved or accept Christ. I want to take their sin's onto myself along with my own.
An interesting and different perspective, thank you
God bless.
May God have mercy on us.
Can't think of a more perfect example of what Christians should strive for. Thank you father Seraphim x
I'm very new. I'm attending classes so I can be baptised at Easter. Catholic. Your channel has helped me so much. Christ has separated me from the world. " He has taken me away from the world lest wicked men should alter my understanding or deciet beguile my soul" wisdom 4.11. I want to spend the rest of my life serving Him however He wants me to. I don't know how yet. I am considering oblation though monastic life. I'm watching and waiting to have His will be done and have Jesus guide me. You are so right father. The further I get along the path the more I'm filled with shame at my old life. I was a very bad man. Crime. Gangs. Drugs. Violence. It is hard to live with the knowledge of what I have been and done but the peace I find through Christ fills me with hope. Love. Peace. He came to save sinners like me. I really liked learning about Moses the Black. I knew men like him. Murderers. Thief's. I was friends with them. I'm so sorry. But. I am never going back. Thank you for being a light in the world father. God bless you in your pilgrimage.
This is Orthodox, catholicism is wrong on so many levels
Beautiful!!!
A truly inspiring, awesomely meaningful message! ❤ Thank you. ❤
May God bless us all, dear one. Please remember us in your prayers.
Thank you
Thank you for this beautiful and inspiring perspective father. In my own spiritual journey I have been so focused on myself and my own spiritual development and relationship with Christ that I have failed to look outward to the salvation of my fellow brothers and sisters. This was a wake up call. God bless.
God bless you and protect you always to keep teaching us the way of light. I love you in Christ.❤
I’m 63 years old, unemployed and I realized today that every job I have had I was never promoted, but always let go or demoted. Your message is amazing me!!!!!
This spoke to me deeply , ive never excelled in this world even before i became a Christian so its easy for me to let go of it but i do go through stages of deep despair over the state of my fallenness , it can be so painful to really see how unworthy of such beautiful Grace and love we really are , but the Lord always pulls me up out of the hole when it gets too hard to bear. And for me the most painful experience in my life was watching my uncle die actively rejecting Christ no matter how much we pleaded with him , the pain of watching him willingly reject Christ was unlike anything , it broke my mother.
Very beautiful and so true indeed whole heartedly agree 👍 🙏
Thank you for this.
This is beautiful
Thank you, Father Seraphim! Feeling defeated by failure, spiritual and worldly, this is so encouraging!
I weep for the world, I weep for my own soul, I repent, but it is not enough, I plead His blood, i pray for them to be saved, I pray He has mercy on us all. There is truth to what you speak.
Iam.deeeeeply grateful that despite my sinful nature out of Love and mercy thinks i am worthy enough to come and make his home with me in Jesus Christ..It fills me with gratitude and joy..And of moves me to tears.....Be blessed Father to the core of your being...
May Christ bless and protect you, dear one. Follow Him with courage and patience, and He will guide us through all our darkness, all the way to His Light.
Thank you Father for the words. I've had this video in my list since it came out. I've come back after I fell for such a long time. And I've been struggling even more now than before. I'm more aware and fall even more than before. It's so hard. I'm trying and I know that I have many struggles left. Please mention me once in your prayers
I converted to Orthodoxy and I have come to the realization God will never let us forget our sins, they play back in our memory over and over again. Your right it is a reminder that we have to look towards the Lord and ask for forgiveness everyday. God Bless you and all Orthodox Christians. ☦️
Thank you, God bless.
It amazes me Father Seraphim how your teaching speaks directly to my struggles. I'm a recent convert to Orthodoxy and there has been no honeymoon period, but a lot of struggle. I see now that there is a purpose to this. I could never do this on my own, but only by God's grace.
Thank you. I have exactly experienced what you said. The world becomes less an less important. Christ is the center. But it is also hard to accept that the old life is gone. Than can be frustrating. Because you realize that all the things which the world (Satan) evaluates as important, are not important to God. Because these things, in a nutshell, are based on pride.
Thank you so very much for this information you shared with us all . I wondered why I could not let go of my sins why they bother me so much after I’ve repented many times . I just feel
So dirty inside and unworthy of my Lord and savior. I’ve herd other people say it’s the Devil doing that not God and I was worried that it might be true . but I have no idea how to let go of the horrible way I lived my life for so long . It hurts so much still and it’s not been a long time since I gave my life to God ,in 2019 but I thought it had been long enough where this convection should had gone away . But something inside me told me that I’m feeling this way because of how I hurt God and he does not want me to sin anymore and he does this to keep me on his narrow path that I sometimes still fall off still but I’m trying very hard not to anymore . I thank you again and I send much love and gratitude to you and God of course for this video you have put out . ♥️🙏
Phew. That was powerful.
Father truly the content of this Podcast ring so true. The ‘more we search and see the light of CHRIST’, the more darkened our own sins appear to us. You have been blessed Father. Thank you for sharing your blessings ☦️
Thank you for this teaching. Bless you in Jesus name.
This makes me feel a little better, i won't give up.
Never heard a view like this. Very Interesting and great explanations
We are the followers of the Crucified One, dear one. And He calls us to 'come, follow Me' all the way to His Cross, He calls us to daily lift up our cross and to move out of the world into His Kingdom. Be blessed, dear one.
@@mullmonastery I guess it makes sense considering we’ll have an eternity to create art
I feel exactly in how you explained it here. I didn’t understand.
All though I love my wife tremendously, I feel lost in this world after I searched for Christ. Since then I cannot find solid ground anymore on this planet..It seems that demons really try their best to make it even worse after i give my life to him…when i heard this beautiful message I broke down in tears.
What happens on this planet really makes me so sad.. I wish that all people just would made peace…goodness we all received at birth…
Thank you father, ever since ive turned to christ i feel like sin and temptation keeps trying to push me into doing evil acts against god, they always tell me in my mind "it will feel good"" or "god wont forgive you after this." You give great advice and sometimes i cant find answers online about why this is happening to me or what is happening or how to prevent it, this channel has alot of advice and help i need. God bless you father
Thanks father may God bless you always ❤
I know His allways with me
Wow, The devil didnt want me to here this. He came a me with so much heaviness almost put me to sleep but I persevered thru and received the message. I will work on not letting him steal what was given. Awesone teachings
Great video once again, thank you so much for your insights and wisdom!
Ce spuneti este foarte adevarat Parinte.
Ca un crestin ortodox nascut in romania si crescut in ortodoxie, m am indepartat de la domnul pentru exact aceste motive.
Nu pot vinui pe diavol, la urma urmei Dumnezeu ne a dat liber arbitru iar alegerea a fost a mea sa fug de lumina lui si de jugul lui Hristos, chiar daca si el poate si a bagat coada.
Dar cu greu si rusine, smerenie si netrebnicie ma m intors in ograda tatalui ca fiul risipitor si ma rog zilnic pentru iertare si milostenia Sfintei Treimi.
Ma rog ca el sa ma accepte macar in ograda sa, sa pot trebalui acolo si sa fiu util lui prin fapte bune, si respectand poruncile lui.
Nu am nici o speranta de a intra in casa sau imparatia Sa ca nimic necurat nu intra acolo dar in ograda ma pot pocai si smeri intru speranta ca poate inainte de Judecata, ma voi indrepta catusi de putin.
Tot ceea ce ati spus este 100% adevarat trait de mine si inainte de caderea mea si la intoarecere, dar as mai adauga un lucru dace e cu putiinta.
Eu am gasit calea inapoi catre Dumnezeu doar prin dragoste, cand dragoste sincera a fost singura mea dorinta si cerere catre Domnul.Dragoste pura am dat si asta am primit inapoi.
Si spun asta pt ca mereu am incercat sa gasesc calea inapoi dar in netrebnicia mea mereu am caut inapoi in gaura.
Dragoste acceptata, sincera si data sincer aproapelui, asta m a ajutat sa razbesc, sa imi fac curaj, si sa bat la poarta Tatalui Ceresc si sa zic, Iartama, sunt un netrebnic si un necunoscator, primeste ma inapoi si invata ma calea cea dreapta.
Nu o sa continui cu povesti de viata , de ce si cum sa savarsit tot acest paragraf, dar eu traiesc acum in Polonia dupa multi ani hoinarind prin lume, si m am asezat la casa mea.
Problema mea este ca nu este nici o biserica ortodoxa aprope, Polonia fiind o tara predominant Catolica.
Cu mila si voia Domnului intr-o zi voi ajunge si la o biserica sa ma pot spovedi, impartasi , si cine stie, poate si cununa religios cu sotia sa fim in rand in fata Sfintei Treimi.
Va multumesc pentru videoclipuri si sa va tina Dumnezeu puternic si curajos.
Toate cele bune.
This is confirmation of the revelations god just gave me! Thanks Jesus
Dear Father, I just wanted to let you know how much this video means to me. I am a new catechumenate in the Catholic faith, and I have really been struggling with what seem to be renewed spiritual attacks from the devil in my dreams, which have become quite evil, pornographic, etc. I feel shame all day, and then I doubt the goodness of Christ, but then feel torn and lowly, because I know when I lay my head down to sleep, that I love Christ so much. I feel so unworthy and ashamed of all of my sin. All of my endeavors; my graduate degree in forensics, my engagement, my search for a job, all seem to have fallen flat. I am suddenly struggling to focus in school where I was so engaged before I discovered Christ. Everything of the world feels empty. My lay pastor tells me, don't forget that Christ has already won, that we are already victors in the battle against the devil. But all I feel is what you are describing; a disgust with myself, a lowliness, and a constant awareness of my ignorance and pride. I don't know if you will see this message, but I just wanted to say that I am very thankful to have come across a video that describes this experience. I am not Orthodox but now and again find myself coming to your channel. I don't feel any of this joy and victory my pastor speaks of; just a constant awareness of my sin, and battles with darkness in my dreams. God bless you. If you have any words for me I would be so delighted to receive them.
“Maybe one day you and I will become one of his saints, the ones who no longer pray just for us in selfish demonic separation from the world, will no longer demonically condemn the world and secretly feel better in our hearts because we are not like the world, secretly rejoice that somehow they will go to hell and that means I will go to heaven… but maybe by Christ’s grace for us we will become some of those few chosen ones who will repent on behalf of the world and struggle on behalf of the world and fight, stand before God in prayer, like flames of prayer interceding, mediating, begging for the whole, whole world without any exception.”
Thankyou Father ❤
Thank you Jesus. Praise you Jesus 🙏
Every single word of that is just what I needed to hear. Thank you.
Orthodox catechumen here, from Germany😊 your videos help a lot!
Thank you for this reflection, I was standing in church last week and the thought crossed my mind "I have so far to go, so much work to do in my heart."
True wisdom you have spoken. It is sad and happy truth, at the same time. ❤
Im sure you are very blessed for speaking the truth directly and simple. Thank you for your wisdom.
Glory be to God for all things, dear one. If there is any fruit in any of us, it if from Him, through Him, for His love for us, sinners. May we all be blessed, dear one.
Hello dear Father Seraphim. I bumped into you on Iona two weeks ago. - you appeared to be taking cat to the vet.
Thank you for your blessing and the great warmth of your personality that I experienced at that time.
Please continue to pray for all of us and to counter the dark period for humanity which lies ahead.
You are in my prayers, likewise the monks and nuns.
Was the little cat OK?
Blessings, Sian
Thank you brother, I really needed to hear this.. This is exactly where I am and it is in such contradiction with the « feel good » attitude in the world. How not to become self-righteous or despondent leaves us only in this state of suffering that we must accept…. It is hard and not a message many are ready to hear.
Thank you Father, I will pray for you and I ask you to please pray for me and let’s us both pray for the whole world. 🙏❤️this teaching is explaining so much to me. I will use it well. Thank you!
May Christ bless you, dear one, and may He indeed teach you to use well everything that comes from Him. His word is our source of Life, we need to try to make His word the language of our hearts.
Thanks you brother 🙏🏻
Might our lord JesusChrist bless you ☦️
So beautiful and perfect timing for me to hear this message.
When saying The Act of Contrition (I'm Roman Catholic) I always feel deep sorrow for my sins when I say the following: I fear the loss of heaven and pains of hell BUT MOST OF ALL FOR HAVING OFFENDING YOU WHO ART ALL GOOD AND DESERVING OF OF ALL MY LOVE. I know how my sin disappointed the Lord.
I know that crushing feeling, my dear one. At the same time, you can place your sin before Him and allow Him to lift it up for you. You need to allow Him to do so, and that is a painful experience - it requires humility and acceptance that you too, like me also and like all human beings, have failed Him, abandoned Him and led Him to His Crucifixion. We all crave to be His 'heroes', and we all end up being those who crucify Him. But Christ is Love and His death is the source of our Life - if we hold on to Him, if we turn back to Him, if we act like the wonderful Apostle Peter, Christ can indeed turn us, who have crucified Him, into His heroes. he can do that for us; we cannot do that by ourselves.
I really needed this. I have prayed for people close to me and said lord I'd rather take their place in hell because I know they would not survive
I have prayed lord ill take on that person's sin that persons illness or demon because that is what my heart feels I should do I questioned myself am i being a matere but it is what my heart truly belives so I thank jesus for you I know im on the right path god bless
Brother, I cannot express how Prophetic this was to me. It is exactly what I have been feeling. The closer I come to our Lord, the more unworthy I feel.
Sometime’s I don’t know how I can go on. The truth is I cannot anymore go on for myself, I can only go on for Christ.
Philippians 1:21
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Hi Mull, God bless. To be honest, I havent heard this much wisdom in someone in a while. Although I believe what you are saying, I have feedback. I have trouble since I was born again in being fully into my business because I keep getting sidetracked by the will of God. I suffer with very severe pain and quality of life in terms of pain. God gave me back hope I didnt know existed. I have believed in God all my life but was only reborn two plus years ago. What you said remind me of Isaiah I AM A MAN OF UNCLEAN LIPS. It doesn't mean we cannot be successful, just not worldly successful. Due to multiple pain disorders, I have to be successful in order to be busy and make some money. I do not chase money or fame.
The point of contention I have with you is this: What you are explaining is mostly true or possibly all true but I don't believe you and I should view ourselves as pieces of dirt. We can still please God as Paul says in Corinthians if we live a righteous life. Total depravity is something I cannot agree with or grasp. To be totally depraved is to think that we cannot please HIM. The bible says the opposite as his eyes scan to and fro throughout the earth. I think people get that wrong but it is true that we are like dirt due to sins and our continual sinful nature. You have some great insight, ty
This is the most amazing explanation of the christian life I ever heard
Lucky for us, God loves a sinner.
Thank you father. I use to share your wisdom with my friends. Greetings from Roman Catholic. Slovakia ❤
May you and all your beloved ones be blessed, dear one. May Christ enlighten and gently guide you to His Light.
Wow he’s right
I keep you in my prayers daily, dear father Seraphim