Your BODY is not your ENEMY. Your body is a GIFT from God and a TOOL for your salvation.
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2020
- God does not create anyone for damnation - this idol which chooses whom to save and whom to torment based on a 'divine' whim is a monster created by monstrous minds, not the God of Love Who reveals Himself in the Good News of the Gospels and Who has been worshipped by each generation of Saints, starting from the Apostles to our times.
Every single human being has the chance of salvation open before him / her until the very last breathe. There is no sign, no visible tell-tale to indicate that one is lost until God's Word has spoken from His Judgement Seat. Until then, everything we are, every aspect of our humanity - good or bad, positive or negative - can be redeemed and turned into a tool for salvation.
Our bodies do not diminish who we are; the fact that we are bodily beings does not diminish our faith. Our bodies are not our enemies. Even when they fail us, physically or spiritually, our bodies are not our enemies, but our God-given tools with which to work for our salvation.
Fr Seraphim, from the Orthodox Monastery of All Celtic Saints on the Isle of Mull in Scotland, talks about the need to include our bodies in the story of our salvation. A human being is made of Body and Soul, and that means that any act of a human being - worship, prayer etc - needs to come from the entirety of that being: soul AND body.
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Father, your words are so blessed, you described about suffering so excellent that made me understand and did great impact in my action. I am a Roman Catholic and since 56 years old listening about suffering, just now I found an excellent speech about suffering that made me understand. Only from you, also another topics you describe...such praying etc...you described so excellent, thanks God... .
When I realized I had a very distorted (Calvinistic) view of God and that God actually LOVED me - and indeed Loves everyone - it shook me to the core; obviously in a good way but in a very humbling way. Like you said at the first of this video, THAT kind of god is a Monster and is not the God of the Church.
Finding Orthodoxy came after a long, but quickly travelled, road. (In fact I just emailed you "my story.") But one of the things that struck me, after my realization that I was in fact "claiming" Christ but not living for Him in the least - or maybe indeed living for Him in THE Least! - was that I wanted to know what "to do!" I needed my spiritual life to be more than "spiritual." I desired a physicality to it.
I remember sort of rolling my eyes (at least mentally) when my mother-in-law, a wonderful, Godly example of a Protestant, started covering her head during prayers. She still does this. She said she wanted to be more physical in prayer. That, however, was one thing I pointed to as an example to my wife when I said, "I need to be more physical in my spiritual life!"
When I began saying "The Jesus Prayer" I also BEGAN to enter into bringing my body into my spiritual life. Before that I was definitely that second kind of person you mentioned. I had "signed the contract" and what my spiritual life was had nothing or little to do with what my bodily life was.
I see this is a major downfall of Western Christian thought. They have divorced themselves from Holy Tradition to the point that they read the Bible as a "theology book" and worship God in "spirit (only) and truth."
By "they" I do very much mean ME. That was me when I was Protestant. I do not judge them who are still there. Who am I to say anything about anyone else? I know only what Western scholastic, systematic theology did to me; I give Glory to God that I have found the True Faith!
To our great as our God, Who is abundant in mercy and benevolent in strength, may He bring consolation and salvation to all mankind!
I'm Catholic but I love this channel and I love Fr Seraphim. He injects humanity into what for Catholics is often only the Divine. I'll explain that some other time. God bless!
I always blamed God in flaws of my nature. I own something bad that brings pain and uncertainty in my life every day. And I didn’t choose it - God allowed it to happen in my life... Now, I slowly try to change my view and accept these horrible things in me. To accept my total failure to “fight” and “eliminate” it. I don’t know if I succeed changing my perspective. But I am tired and exhausted of hating myself and hating God. If He wanted this in me - okay, let’s have it and live with it
Thank you father Serafeim for a
this deep & dynamic soul searching message today.
We pray by the grace of God
we may fight off our pride &
with much more patience &
faith to sacrafice more bodily
trials as to climb steps e.day.
Sadly we tend to fall all the time yet by the grace of God go we.
We extend our lo❤e to you our spiritual father we too pray that
we walk together through eterinity God forgive us all in the 🌍 wirld & through the intercessions of our most Holy Panayia & all our saints
Amen.🙏🏻❤🙏🏻💒⚘🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Following from Port Elizabeth South Africa.🙏🏻💟➕🌿
Thank you! This is exactly what I needed to hear. I have been in both extremes, oscillating between both categories of people you are talking about. But now it all makes sense.
Father Bless,
Your message is what I needed to hear, as a survivor of an Eating Disorder (2 years into remission now) I know the value and role of the body in all aspects of life. Yet at times I still struggle at times especially as I struggle with other physical problems while I await the full treatment for my condition. It is sickness which has tought me the interconnectedness of body, mind and soul, yet at times I still need to be reminded that my body is not the enemy.
The whole struggle is not helped by it not being possible to receive communion at this time, in part because the rule are written by those who do not understand the core role the body and subsequently receiving communion plays in the faith. You definitely brought out one of the key struggles and philosophic debates of our time and an area where there is often a lot of catachesis needed.
Please remember our mission of the Holy Apostles in Eastleigh.
I too have an eating disorder. Thanks be to God it has gotten better/easier over the years. It's a heavy cross to bear regardless of where you are in the healing or how long you've carried it. May God give you strength, peace, and envelop you in His love!
Thank you, Áthair Seraphim. Christ is doing such good through you, and it is helping to heal the spirituality and story of this Celtic woman's heart. Mo sheacht mbeannacht ort!
This reality that suffering is a gift from God, was such a surprise to me. That all life struggles and suffers and that if we can accept that this is the will of God for us, it is mercy that refines our soul. Before my conversion to the Orthodox Faith I was always under the belief that we suffer in this life because of Gods deep displeasure.
Praying for you, Father. Thank you for taking on a complex issue. I realize from returning to church, that standing is prayerful, and all we do physically in Orthodox worship. So at home we replicate this in as many ways as we pray unceasingly.
This is what people yearn for when they say to “accept people for who they are” but without orthodoxy its distorted
Thank you Abba, your blessing and prayers. I’m grateful that you always have a word to give us on Tuesdays and Fridays, and whenever you speak to us.
Dear Elijah, I am grateful, too, that God has allowed me to be close to you all through this difficult time. It can only be His gift that we have grown even closer during a time when we should have grown distant because of everything the world is facing. I am grateful for that, as I am for everything.
Again thank you so much father.
So many things I want to say,all of them come down to a big thank you!
Dear Petros, I am grateful that God allows me the opportunity to share these things with you. These months, we should have grown more distant from each other. Instead, God has blessed us to grow closer than ever. I see His love and great care in all of this.
I wrestle with this as ive come in contact with those far from ever having a chance to hear the good news, generations of peoples having lived and died without ever hearing the word jesus. So many of them have NO chance of knowing god . Yet they are born and die, i struggle with the beginning of the message, because of this, if god wanted to save us all why has he allowed people to be born and die without ever hearing one rightous word
Thank you Father. I needed this. ☦️🇬🇷
Very timely... I was just diagnosed with diabetes and a couple related conditions. In addition to medication, I’m on a very severely restricted meal plan.
The beginning of this video helped me out greatly. Even with confessions, after I sin I feel as though I do not deserve to receive the sacrament. Your words help out a lot Fr. Seraphim
You are a lovely person, Father, and an inspiration. I have to ponder your teachings from this video. Chronic illness has been with me for quite some time- but, I manage. The hard thing for me now, is that someone has tried to hurt and even kill me- and for no reason, as I am not connected to this person and their cohorts.
I feel stricken with grief as to why I have been targeted. And I have been badly hurt- I am not sure that i will recover- I have a family who depends on me. I know that this is not the will of the Lord, but the action of evil. I pray and will continue to pray, and have faith and trust, but I am very sad.
I needed to hear these words today
Thank you Jesus for loving me
Blessings to all at Mull Monastery
Thank you sooo much Father. I needed to hear those words coz today I hung my head with shame. Now, I can thank God for the gift of my physical body which I completely ignored but now incorporate to God's work of salvation including my own. I take joy in your wisdom. Please Father remember me n my family in your prayers and sacrifices for the salvation of souls. My humble prayers come your way. I am Catholic but have used the Jesus prayer for months. Have also watched a number of your videos. I happened upon your night vigil videos and am keeping in that. Have tried prostrations and bows but I am recovering from a Dec 8th 2019 stroke, so not consistent practise. I live in a tropical Pacific island far from you but thank you for sharing your faith in God.
❤❤❤
Thanks for that
Profound and will listen to this a few times more. Lots in here to breakdown. Thanks be to God
It was yesterday I found out about your preachings on this media and it is very inspiring.Thank you so much for these kind words Abba. It is displayed in such simplicity and humility that it touches my heart deeply. It will help me continue to serve our Lord and His creation.
Thank you my brother, may God richly bless you and your monastery
Such an encouragement blessings Father 🙏🏼🕯☦️
Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. By post today came a 100 knot Isle of Mull black sheep wool and shell prayer rope - it’s beautiful and since it’s from Mull I can join my prayers with yours. Many years ago I read ‘The Way of the Pilgrim’ and loved the story of that wandering pilgrim.
All I can say is thank you Father Seraphim.
Wow Father Seraphim, that was something else, thank you so much. SO helpful, deep, profound and real. Grateful thanks.
Such a great point, Father Seraphim! Thank you again, and always! 🌷🌷🌷
I was raised in an Evangelical family and I always felt put off by the disembodied aspirations the worship seemed to invoked. Not only did it seem earth-disdaining and flimsy in its decisional aspects, but it seemed to privilege just getting people to accept Jesus into their heart (a spiritual act) without meeting them where they are in their bodily suffering, needs, and losses. Until we clothe the naked, feed the hungry, warm the lonely, and protect the suffering and war-torn, how can we possibly claim to care about them, much less love them. In seems cheap to care about someone's soul without caring about their bodies. Consequently, I fled first to the Roman sacraments and then to a Nietzschean/Marxist materialism. I agree that the latter in its dead or base materialism has very little room for faith in a divinity or life eternal. I have come to believe that in making us in His image and drawn from the dust, God raised the materiality of the world into ever more complex and vibrant forms. Made in His image, it strikes me that we are called to do the same, to be salvation for this material world by offering it back to God in words and actions. This is our priestly function, our offering, to raise the rich materiality of the world into words and conscious actions and thereby bring it back to God all-in-all. I thank you very much for affirming this is an orthodox theology and I ask for prayers that I may indeed believe and feel in my body the hope I claim at an intellectual/spiritual level.
Thank you so much Father for yet another uplifting talk. What a wonderful exegesis of the human body! I have taken much from your talks, always insightful and uplifting. I am slightly behind on your videos because sometimes my new job exhausts me.
I hope one day to visit you and your monastery.
What do you mean by prostrations??? Thanks for the video. It's obvious blessed by Jesus and his saints, because it answers my problems with despondency when I fast.... I tried to accept the excuse that I have a child. Also I've hated my body vehemently for a long time actually. Thank you for the truth and relief; mostly for your obedience in speaking the words.
Doamne ajută, părinte!
Amen , Amen
Thank-you dear Father !!!!!
This was wonderful...food for my soul. Thank you.
So basically the world is living at a global level, the concepts of manichaeism, hedonism and even satanism! No surprise at all! Thanks for the another great teaching F. I am also an orthodox from Romania and also a theology student who just got his license!
Great message, thank you for this.
Father, I think that pastoral care is your saving grace. Just as for those of us who are not priests, charity is a saving grace, perhaps second only to direct worship and honor and glorification of God, for a priest that saving grace may be pastoral care.
"the fact that you are in pain is a sign that God has chosen you" There is plenty of spiritual advice available of how to make sense of your suffering and it would almost seem that pain and suffering is a prerequisite to get closer to God. But what about (pious) people who do not suffer or who perceive their "trials" as banal or easily surmountable? Has God less confidence in them? Does He not deem them worthy enough? Are they not sensitive enough? Do they have the knack of better dealing with their problems? Are there any examples of saints who did not have to suffer in order to attain deification?
This has been a burning question of mine for a while. It seems helpful if not absolutely necessary for our salvation. But some people suffer more than others, and it’s not necessarily because they are more pious. Did you ever get a response to this?
Thank you Father!!
Very clear. God Bless you
God bless you! 🕊️
Timing of this chat is exquisite. Thank you 🙏🏼
God bless you Abuna!!
Thank you so much for your messages to us. God help us in the way.
Love you 🌹🙏
Hello! God bless you all! When you say saint Seraphim, are you referring to Seraphim Rose?
Thank you fr. Seraphim and greetings from Finland.
Thank you 🙏🏼
Domnul sa te binecuvanteze.
Αμήν !! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
According to Orthodoxy, is suffering EVER a punishment from God in His displeasure or is it always viewed in a positive manner as you mention in this video? Thank you.
Thank you for such a wonderful video Fr Seraphim. Whilst watching your video, I pondered the following question: Is there a difference between living as a human born with Original Sin and living as a human free of Original Sin as Jesus was? On the face of it, I think that there is a huge difference between living as a Perfect, Sinless human being as Jesus did and living life as one who was born with all the trappings of humanity and Original Sin. The experience for both Jesus and me is human. However, I am living my life in the hope of Salvation whereas Jesus lived life as my Saviour. However, our respective experiences are vastly different. Jesus was tempted in the desert and I am tempted every day in my own desert. However, it is Jesus who displays his majesty over Satan by resisting Satan's temptations whereas Satan has a better scorecard over me and what I'm left with through my repentance is the Hope of my Salvation. Just because I have repented, it does not mean that my sinlessness starts from my repentance. Christ never sinned yet I continue to sin and lose my battles against temptation after my repentance. Therefore, my lived experience of humanity differs greatly from Jesus' lived humanity because although Jesus was 100% human, he was also born free of Original Sin. How can I therefore relate to Jesus who was born without Original sin whereas I was born with Original Sin? I can only relate to Him as my God, my Saviour and my Teacher but I cannot relate to Him as a fellow human being born from Original Sin. He can relate to me but can I relate to Him?
Amen. Amen. Amen!!!
Thank you again for your excellent teaching! I am a Hermit
In the desert. (I don't know why the word hermit came up with a capital h?
☦️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🛐
Where can I find the words to the hymns in this video?
What do you think about yoga? When you say honour your body, it reminds me of that path...
What is that picture on the table?
If we confess our sins to a priest, and we still feel pain from the sin. Does this mean that we have lost the grace of God? Can it be restored?
(LoDA 7,39) Be like a king in your heart, seated high in humility, and commanding laughter: Go, and it goes; and sweet weeping: Come, and it comes; and our tyrant and slave, the body: Do this, and it does it.
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(LoDA 9,9) Be malicious and spiteful against the demons, and be at constant enmity with your body. The flesh is a headstrong and treacherous friend. The more you care for it, the more it injures you.
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(LoDA 14,6) He who fondles a lion often tames it, but he who coddles the body makes it still wilder.
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(LoDA 15,16) A fox pretends to be asleep, and the body and demons pretend to be chaste; the former in order to deceive a bird, and the latter in order to destroy a soul.
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(LoDA 15,71) He who has conquered his body has conquered nature; and he who has conquered nature has certainly risen above nature. And he who has done this is little (if at all) lower than the angels.
Thankyou Fr Seraphim for deep spiritual messages you give us it is very difficult to grasp and understand but Only I pray that God ABBA Father give me Holy Spirit to
Understand the messages you are giving. I ask this in Mighty name of Jesus. Please pray for me a Sinner like me.
India.
Father , what Orthodox Church you belong ? Russian?
I post this as an argument only. I think the Ideas that you are blessed by God in experiencing suffering like christ on the cross is hard. Christ came to the physical level to help us go beyond it. He proved who he was by healing in love. He walked on water to show we are more than a body. Yes we have to accept we are here and this world attacks itself and everyone in it, so christ pointed out that we are not just human bodies and we have to think inwardly to reject what decays so that we can accept and be accepted in Christs kingdom of pure love. In pain we ask why. This is allowed by God to provoke thought. Pain is not love. Pain points out that this world has freedom of will to be good or bad and the bad highlights the good that can be accepted in thought and deed. We are born human and die human but our thought moves on. Bodies cannot be blamed for weakness, but our thought can be.