Family against faith? When our loved ones become our enemies.
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มิ.ย. 2023
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The video 'Family against faith? When our loved ones become our enemies.' was recorded by Fr Seraphim (Aldea) at Iona Monastery (The Orthodox Monastery of the Mother of God and All Saints of Iona), on the Isle of Iona.
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May God bless us all!
Help me father tell me how to pray what to do to make it easier for me I suffer from social anxiety
I grew up in an atheist family. My whole family are extreme liberals. After being an atheist for 25 years, I decided to follow the path of Christ. I have been mocked and ridiculed by my family, and they constantly try to argue with me or attack me. I have lived under the spiritual oppression of atheism for so long, but I will stay true to Christ. Thank you for this video!
Stay with Christ, stay firm with your prayer and never judge your family. At the end of the day they are still under the same spiritual sickness as we all struggle against. Love them with all your heart no matter how they treat you. Christ grant you many years and may he give you the great grace from the cross you hold. I’ll pray for you peace to be with you brother/sister.
thanks for fighting, youre true family is much bigger than the ones who mock you.
Good luck on your journey! I grew up in a false Baptist family. When I say false I mean we never went to church nor did my family really fall into Christian values. Wish me luck and good will as I shall prove Christ unto my family soon. May Christ be with you!
@@oakinson1585 Absolutely
A free person has never existed, A person either belongs to God or to the Evil one.
You my friend now belong to God 🙏🏽
“Love all men, but keep distant from all men.” - Saint Isaac the Syrian
That is very wise.
Before I was a Christian I was really alarmed by Jesus' declarations that one must love Him more than wife, brother and children. Now I am a Christian and I understand it. Salvation is between each man or woman and their Creator. No one has the right to stand in the way of this communion. Nothing is higher. God Bless.
That was my sin loving my parents more then God
I left the Mormon Church after 30 years to convert to the Holy Orthodox Church. As a result, I lost my family. My BYU-Alumni ex-wife, four children and six grandchildren. I was received by Christ through Holy Baptism and Holy Chrismation this past Holy Week (2023) on St. Lazarus Saturday. Very appropriate as I was being loosed from the binds that kept me spiritually dead for my whole 60 years. Yes, it was a high price to pay! But I have never been happier! Might I say that #MULLMONASTERY was my biggest impetus to converting! May God bless you and keep you!
May the Lord continue to bless you! ❤️☦️
May God bless you, dear one. It is amazing how much love Christ has for us - He will use anything and anyone, even a sinner like myself, to call us to Himself from the world. Thank you for your comment - it gives us courage and hope to move forward with our work.
Brother in Christ - that is such a brave leap of faith. You have my prayers - I don’t know if I’d have had the strength to make such a sacrifice to become Orthodox. May the Lord and His Mother give you peace and hope for the reconciliation of your family.
Glory to God 💕🪔🕊📿☦️
Thank you for this video. I was raised protestant and became catholic after marrying my husband. Ironically, my evangelical family is more encouraging of my catholicism than my in-laws, who were all raised catholic. My father-in-law constantly criticizes us for reading the Bible to our children and praying with them every day. My sister-in-law called my husband two days ago to intervene in our plans to homeschool our children and raise them in the church because we’re “indoctrinating” them. I worry that my children’s faith won’t survive unless we can physically distance ourselves from my husband’s family. This video is an important reminder to me that I must continue to pray for them regardless of what they say to us.
I live in an area where is mostly all Roman Catholic Churches. I am cradle catholic. Many of my friends are going towards Orthodox Christianity. My sister married an atheist and sadly she sees my faith as phony now. My faith is why I’m still here. Without it I’d have offed myself long ago. Anyway. God bless you. I listen to you, Fulton sheen and many others. Rabbis as well. God is Love. Love is God… ❤
I am the only Catholic in my family as well. All my siblings are atheist now. Agree with all you say. Thank-you.
May God bless you and always guide you to travel on your path with love, dear Tony.
I have a child with mental illness and I've learnt with time to shield myself from the kicks coming from her part and to keep the love intact. Your words have given me strength. Thank you, Father.
Dear Ana Maria, may God strengthen you in your love and care for your child. Once you experience mental illness in a person you love, you understand that you need to create this safe space for them to be whoever they become because of their illness, while also remembering that deep down, underneath this suffering persona, hides the one you love. A lot of it has to do with waiting in faith, waiting in love, waiting with prayer. May you be blessed, dear one.
Praying for you; I know others in similar circumstances and it seems some days are a personal via dolorosa, but keep the faith. The other responders I see on this post are wonderful, and offer good advice and spiritual support. You have mine☦️
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.
Please pray for me and my children. Prayers are all I need. I’m so discouraged and I’m losing hope. I’ve had so many people come against me that do not know me or my situation. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS the truth and my heart! My struggles are real! Jesus hear my prayers. I still trust in you and will keep my faith even though it is so very difficult at this time. I’m constantly faced with hardships and can barely support my two sons. Both of my boys are autistic. I’m a single mom and I’m overwhelmed. I lost my job at Forsyth hospital for declining the vaccine. I declined because of my health conditions lupus and heart disease. I recently started waitressing and I’m glad to be working. But I’m just not making enough to get by. Every month is a struggle choosing groceries over paying bills. Struggling to pay rent. I know God doesn’t give us more than we can handle I will keep faith even though I truly want to give up. Jesus hear my prayers and keep me and my children safe I’m losing hope. ❤
I pray for you with all my heart. Sister make sure to avail yourself of help the government may be able to give you for food, medical care, etc. Don't be to proud to accept help if you need it. Because you need it.
@childofGOD I agree with Archangel M. Jesus tells us to make friends with unrighteous mammon, which means use the things of this world to our benefit so long as we do not sin doing so. Please avail yourself of all help you can find. Also, find a church family that will support you.
1) Calm your thoughts with the Jesus prayer, (you're not just praying for yourself when you do) keep saying it until thoughts calm down ...
2) Accept your situation, give thanks for your children, pay what you're able, visit the food bank .... do what you can ... LEAVE THE REST TO GOD !
3) Ask for help from Social services.
This was brave of you to share all this here. And I imagine it took your last bits of energy to write. I felt anxious just reading about your situation. As another commenter already suggested, your church family is who you should turn to for help. Your pastor may already be connected with various aid services. And it’s pretty amazing how God works through His flock when it comes to connecting you with all the resources you need. May God bless you and keep you in His abundant Grace, my sister.
Lord Jesus i come to you today in Faith, i surrender my life to you! Lord, restore my life in the likeness of you and help me to have provision, safety, joy and abundance in every area of my life, Amen❤
Even one of my own loving son’s is turned away of his heart from me and attempts by the evil one to use my son’s continuously in order to break it because of my faith in Christ and putting Christ first , family , friends all turn their hearts from you to stay in this world and your cut off from all sides , so today a message given has made sense regarding needing help from brothers and sisters in Christ ❤️🩹🫣
Thank you. So much wise and sensible help here. Your words about the Mother of God at the wedding at Cana were remarkable. An understanding i had never heard before. Shows the depth of understanding and care with which you made this video.
Happy to be seeing you again. ☦💝📿💝☦
This is timely. Thank you. I was just…chastised that I’ll read from the Bible every day but I won’t read such and such book that i ‘should’ be reading to help this family situation.
How to even begin explaining to someone that Scripture is the only thing teaching me and keeping me afloat in this very difficult infra-family situation? I can’t. So I just remain silent.
Gospodi pomiluj ☦️
My parents are involved in a protestant and cult that is obsessed with sex and world dominion through bullying and deception. When I became Orthodox, it was like I was meeting Christ for the first time as He truly is. I am estranged from them for multiple reasons and I'm not allowed to contact 6 of my 8 younger siblings, all of whom are still children that I helped to raise. I hope that the distance will protect them from the conflict that I have with my parents just as much as it protects me. This video is so timely and healing to my soul. 💜 Thank you so much.
Well said, I'm a Christian who has a good relationship with my family and friends regardless of them not sharing my faith. I'm relatively new to truly embracing Christianity so my social circles and family are still mostly secular. I'm lucky to have a Grandmother who is Christian and has lead by Christ like example throughout her life.
That healthy distance between family and friends that you mention seems to also have the inverse effect of strengthening bonds between those who truly share the faith. At this point I'm just grateful to learn the teachings of Jesus Christ and take steps to do better and help others in his name.
THAT'S ME ASWELL FATHER, IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE. MY FAMILY WERE FOLLOWING THE FAITH, BUT THEY HA VE ALL FALLEN AWAY FROM THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST.
I'M THE 1ST DAUGHTER AND THE ONLY ONE STILL HOLDING ON TO CHRIST, & FOLLOWING HIM.
I have been a Christian all my life,but have only recently been a convert to the Orthodox Church. Today's subject expresses exactly my situation , and has given me the way forward to conduct my life as an Orthodox Christian. Thank you Father. Thanks be to God for your guidance.
My dear Michael, may God bless us all. May Christ illumine your heart, so that your heart does not harden as you learn to navigate your life. Always check your heart: if there is love there, especially if there is love AND suffering, you are on your cross, and you are following Christ.
Dear Fr Seraphim,
This video is an answer to my prayers regarding this very topic.
May God bless you and keep you safe from all evil. Amen 🙏🏻
May God bless you p. Serafim! Thank you so much for your love to us.
Spiritual discernment is powerful! I can deeply recognize whom are of God and whom are of satan. I Pray for my family and this whole world to repent and follow Yeshua, Abba our father, Adonai Elohim....sweet Jesus Christ ❤
Thank you Father for this amazing heart warming message truly this was speaking to me. Every single example of your teaching will help me to keep Loving and Praying for everyone. May God be with us all.
O5:06.
How do we know that we are really ok with the Lord and will go to heaven? I am tormented by this for my family and for myself. I pray for my family and friends and myself. I have always had faith in the Lord but I feel like the devil attacks me mentally. I have been reading Elder Piasio's books and they have helped. I have been hearing blasphemy thoughts and watched your video on that. It happens every time I try to pray. I don't know why it is happening. Thank you for bringing God's words of wisdom and truth to us common people. May God Bess you.
This hits deep because it is my situation also… thank you, Fr Seraphim. Lord have mercy
He always seems to speak personally about my struggles ...God Bless
Thank you great advice & wisdom. I think Abraham had faith through obedience that somehow God would bring Issac back; he said they'd return.
AND HAVE HAD TO SEPERATE MYSELF FROM THEM
Praying for the difficult
The more I followed God and especially Christ, entering the Church, the more distance I felt between myself and most of my friends and family, alhough I became closer to some. And it has been hard for me to know how much is from me or from them, so I have often guilt as if I abandoned them, and on the other hand a sense of mission to pray for them and to become holy so that God may use me or somebody else to reach them. But I think for now, the distance protects them from me being the object of resentment or otherwise negative sensibility towards the Church as a source of what to them has turned me upside down because it detached me from the upside down world we shared.
I needed this so much, thank you Father for your ministry!
thank you Father Bless Amen Amen Amen
God Bless you. The Holy spirit has spoken to me through you. I thank you for speaking about alzheimer's and people suffering with mental illness, so many of us can relate I enjoy all of your videos, this one was so powerful . The separation you speak of I understand. I am trying to put this into practice.
With Gods grace may we increase our love.. and guard our hearts. May The peace of Jesus be with us always.
Amen. This is truly timely. I have been praying about this. Thank you so much, Father Seraphim! Thank you, Holy Spirit!
Thank you god I have a family I love and that loves me. We might argue at times but we all love each other at the end of the day
Wow! In New York, UsA, the sun always sets by 6-8 p.m ,
Thanks for sharing. I've been under intense spiritual or mental oppression for a long time, with an element of it having been experienced abuses within the religious sphere I grew up in, but it's only left me only bewildered what to do to heal or who I am anymore in Christ and feeling distant from any sense of fellowship or if even should.... I will keep seeking I guess
Thank you father
This by far, is the most useful and practical spiritual advice I have received from your teaching! Thank you, Father Seraphim. Amen. 🙏
Thank you, Father Seraphim, for sharing this wonderful video of wisdom and love 😊😊😊☦🎇
Thank you so so much father, this really helped me in my difficult situation with my husband.
I needed this today. Thank you! Glory to God! ☦️
The visions you have some of my visions have been similar.im hoping 2024 will be my best year ever
Thank you Father Seraphim.
Glory be to God. I will never distance the ones I love internally, they will always be with me. Thank you for posting this.
Father Seraphim, Praise the Lord for the words of wisdom that get to us through your work. God have mercy on us for we are in need of forgiveness! Amin
I think there is some kind of misunderstanding with common meaning and notion the word of separation. This could be dangerous and lead someone in wrong direction. Separation is opposition to unity, the Oneness we are on spiritual level of consciousness. To make space doesn't mean to separate. The spiritual struggle which accompanies us is needed for growth and salvation. Jesus Christ explained this in Bible. When being attacked we are not alone, God is always with us. In situations described mostly our ego is suffering, not our souls.
May all the souls rest in peace. Blessed pentecostal!
Thank you so very much for all the important topics that you present. It is important in the life of every soul, and It is a grace to hear it from a Christian teaching according to the Bible. Praise be to God.
May all souls rest in peace .
Blessed pentecostal for all.
It s a very,very interesting,definitely Christ-like perspective!But I m really moving away,just for a little while.Please,Fr.,send me a guardian angel,if You can,as I have a long way ahead of me.I Thank You.❤🙏
Thank you Father ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
May God bless you🙏🏻 This was needed to me❤ Thank you a lot Father❤️❤️❤️
THANKYOU FATHER FOR THIS VIDEO GOD BLESS YOU IN CHRIST'S NAME AMEN 🙏 🙌 ❤️
Beautiful words of comfort and support, dear Father. God has blessed you with the grace of helping other hearts that are hurting. Praise Him for this holy gift! Many prayers and blessings to you and your community. Suzanne, Oregon, USA
Matthew 23:9
Thank you Father Seraphim!!! That was absolutely enlightening and inspiring!!! It's a wise thought that requires meditation and decisions! 🙏🙌🕯️☦️💖
I can't believe how valuable this video is to me, I really needed to hear this.
Thank you
Thank you fr Seraphim ☦️🙏🏻🕊️
I have been estranged from my family for over 16 years because after My daughter was born, I just couldn't stand the verbal, abusive sarcasm of My father, the denial of My mother, the indifference of My brother, and the addiction of My sister. I come from a dysfunctional alcoholic and mental ill family. It hurts my heart every time I interact with them. It is very painful. It was very painful to make this decision. Not taking things personally and giving space for spouse to make mistake. Not taking things personally acknowledge it is not directed personally. This is invaluable. I could not stand my father's kicks it was just too much even with inner distance it is so painful; the rejection is so painful. The rejection of my father is very painful to me. I'm saying a novena to St. Joseph to help me. I hope to break these generational curses. Amen. Thank you. distance to help with pain.
My family is also fractured by addiction and my father is verbally abusive and I just blocked him with great difficulty and guilt. I know how you feel. Godwilling in heaven, these will all be rectified 😘
Help me father tell me how to pray what to do to make it easier for me I suffer from social anxiety
Kalimera Father, it is crazy that the sun has set in the islands in that video, amazing.
I thankyou so much for this message 🙏🏽👐 I've had to separate myself from family completely as they swept my childhood abuse under the rug and their silence that has continued for many years hurts 😢. I never saw the story of Isaac and Abraham in that light... wow! 😮
Thank you so much, Father. This is timely and helpful.
Amin!❤
Thank you Father. I have been asking God many questions about this very subject. I feel this is probably my answer. I have needed this message for a long time.
Thank you, Bless you, Yeshua Christos bless us all ❤
Excellent video Father. I learned a long time ago how to interiorly distance myself from those around me who were too harsh, I just had no name for it until now. My heart has always been too open and soft which left it particularly vulnerable. In the area that I live this is seen as weakness. In my case I think I was born this way. That shield that I have inside now totally makes all the harshness only a minor problem. I turn it all over to Christ. I hope those pesky bugs 🦟 do not decide to carry you away. Always a fascinating speaker and this makes the time go way too fast. God Bless you dear Father and all the men and women that inhabit the two Monasteries.
Please say more about how you’ve created this space. I can see and have wanted to create this space and have with love with some members of my family and see beautiful fruit (over much time) from that, but I really struggle to disengage and stop looking for and reacting to my husband’s state. If he’s happy, I’m happy; if he’s not, its much much harder for me to be and I’m usually not. The few times I did manage to create space, determined to bloom where I’m planted and carve out happiness and joy where I can, made him very angry. It’s as though he is so angry and resentful (mostly silently) that I became a believer that he wants me to suffer as he suffers. If I’m happy, it’s like he tries to find a way to destroy my happiness, and sometimes it feels like he wants to destroy me. And it’s kind of working. I’m often a nervous wreck. I know that ultimately, if I love God and am in communion with Him no one can take that joy away from me because it’s not something that I could lose, but I am not there yet because I suffer greatly at times and begin to doubt myself, not God, but wonder if my husband is right that maybe I’m on the wrong path, that the tiny bit of the Orthodox way of life I try to follow is maybe misguided-especially if it is causing so much pain and suffering and not love and peace. I am stuck-I feel I need to go to church the little bit that I do, but church is not close by and takes me away from my family (the drive and service takes 4-5+ hours depending on whether we have a priest there that weekend and so is a liturgy or not; whether I stay and talk with people or not (usually not). No one near me including my parents understands why I am insisting on going far away (not every weekend mind you, honoring an agreement we made when I became a believer), as it is creating so much unhappiness and is tearing my family apart. I thought it would bring love.
Please pray for me, Maria. I am developing health problems because of the strain I create within myself over this. Lord have mercy on me. I try to love, to pray, to hold hope of something beyond what I see, to not react, but I do a poor job. Perhaps because *I’m* trying to do these things rather than simply praying for God’s help to love, etc at exactly those times.
@@mabrain9516 Dear Sister, I felt so sorry for you while I read your truth. This is a very complex situation and I am not experienced enough to answer properly. The most worrisome part of it was you are having health problems related to the stress. It would be best for you to tell Father Aldea of your situation. First, I will tell you that I will pray for you to our Lord and ask others to pray as well. I cannot put into words exactly how I shielded my heart. At first if anyone was even rude to me it would hurt me so much, I would think about it for days and feel sick over it. Gradually I knew I could not have a happy life if I didn't help myself. I stayed in prayer and decided to think of myself less and stop focusing on how I felt after such situations. I examined carefully why everything was so hard on me and not on others. Brick by brick I built hardness to the remarks of others with God's help and time, realizing that many times people were unhappy and acting on their unhappiness. It was often not even about me. Love and humility dear Sister in Christ generally will heal your heart and soul. This is all I have to answer you. May God protect you and your family. ❤
“Timely” was the exact word which came to me while watching this (seems to also be true for the others who have commented). I arrived in Alberta, Canada last night to visit my unbelieving family for ten days; ever since I arrived, I’ve been wondering how to navigate the indifference and unbelief by which I am surrounded. I thank God for your love, Father.
With prayerful affection for you and the other monastics on Iona and Mull.
Dragilor Doamne ajută!🙏🏻
Doamne ajută! 😊
Mâine dimineața am un examen. Mă cheamă Ionuț. Te poți ruga pentru mine?
@@blu9371 Domnul și Măicuța Domnului cu tine!🙏🏻
Wonderful. Thank you Fr.
You are a true blessing for me ❤️
I must have good discernments & safe boundaries, in a loving way. Thank you 🙂
BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY ABUSIVE AND WOULD KEEP HURTING ME, MY HEART & SPIRIT
Take care of yourself, dear sister.
Hello Father
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and teaching
I do not have community
I have asked about adult faith formation and get a response
You and a few other priests have become my community
Thank you Father for that insightful message on the nature of a mature love in marriage. If only both partners would have that distance between each other.
Thank you, Mull Monastery! Christ have mercy on us
Endlessly grateful, dear fr. Seraphim, for this message and ALL the messages you’ve shared. So often over the course of the past few years, your words have felt like a beacon of light amidst these dark, difficult, and confusing times. My family and I will continue to pray for you and the Monastery and humbly ask that you pray for us as well.
Thank you for this teaching Father.
Thank you 🙂 Great message as always.
You are a true blessing to me. I must have good discernments and safe boundaries.
thank you fr for these needed words ☦
Very helpful, THANK YOU FATHER! Every true CHRISTAINS around the world should know that Ur single most number one enemy is devil!!! He will fight through friends, families....someone whom U respect most!!!We hate devil not humans!!! We hate devil that works against us through our families but never our families or anyone personally!!!If the world/devil/his followers/his servants [those who don't WORSHIP JESUS truly ] hates just because we WORSHIP JESUS....this verifies we are on the right truck....because GOD/JESUS SAID TO ALL CHIRSTAINS THE WORLD HATED ME, THE WORLD WILL HATE YOU TOO....instead if the world loved, something wrong must be there in your CHISTAINITY....needs self appraisal! Finally, IN THE NAME SAINT MERRY /MOTHER OF GOD, I will kindly beg all CHIRTAINS all over the world to pray for HEAVENLY PEACE /FULFILMENT/JOY be upon everyone of US!!! Amen!
Father bless,
You have dealt with this difficult subject so well, I have heard this addressed by so many people both monastic and in the world who have been idealistic and put love second to their interpretation of the canons or image of how things would be ideally not with the messiness of real life. What you have said Father about maintaining an internal distance but with love or in some cases because of love has been the only way I have found I can manage my personal situation, it developed as a survival instinct when I was younger but it is good to see how it can be applied in a way useful for the faith.
I am just watching you, like we can watch an icon. I dont listen your speech, but still, you "radiate" helpful messages to me through the screen like these: I care for you, you are not alone, God cares of us, don`t judge and punish yourself with judgemental thoughts which causes spiritual death, but strengthen yourself, hope and pray. Stuff like that radiates from you just watching you bro. Your are definitely a choosen one, and not only a called one. Keep up. Carry on. Run until the end. Thanks for your videos! roland
I have watched this video so many times these passed three days. I thank God.
And I thank you Father.
I was thinking about this earlier today as asked god for help on this matter on being around secular people, I come home from work and your video popped up and answered my question, wow, god bless you and amen to the highest
Love this Ty
I know how you feel brother
My family literally nailed a he is risen sign backwards. Thus preventing any passerby from knowing the truth.
Thankyou so much for this thoughtful and loving guidance. Your way of explaining things gives my heart peace. God bless you Father Seraphim
My parents had me baptised and sent me to a Catholic school for all 13yrs of my education despite my father being agnostic and my mother a lapsed Catholic. After years of not believing and at times being vocally critical of religion, particularly Christianity, I can no longer deny the existence of God. My mother for some reason has a problem with this. It’s like she’s taken on my past negativity towards Christianity for some reason. Despite her being the one that introduced me to the faith. I pray she’ll come around.
I'll pray for her, too.
Wow. Really helpful video as I just blocked my dad after him being continually verbally abusive and an overall bully, let alone the abuse I faced in my childhood but I moved past that…
I felt so guilty. But I realize now, it’s not an excuse to not be loving. I can still pray for him, and I can still have masses said for him, and respect him peacefully in my heart.
We all are brothers and sisters in the eyes of God Jesus Christ Amen.
📿🙏🏼💯 the ambience of the ocean 🌊 record your videos here more often. Absolute serenity
Your timing is most provident
Thank you Father. My heart is so heavy because of this subject. Your counsel is needed and appreciated. Thank you
This was so important for me to hear. Hard to hear but very necessary.
God bless you Father Seraphim. I look forward to your videos, insight and Christ centred advice. It is a blessing in these fraught times. I take much comfort and practical advice from your words. Thank you.
I have two questions. The first is... how best to pray for loved ones who mock, turn away and openly reject the word of God and do not want to even consider his promise and his great sacrifice? They seem to completely shut down and behave in a very derogatory way when Christ is mentioned.
The second is, how do we steel ourselves for what is to come on the earth. When satan has free reign and the demonic presence is all consuming? When the presence of God is all but removed from the face of the planet and it remains only within our hearts as the world burns and descends into the worst version of itself. In other words the time of the antichrist. How do we best protect ourselves spiritually to withstand the hell that will be unleashed.
God bless you.
This has happened to us, our children have turned to the dark side.
Not our fault but their choice, very heartbreaking though,,such a terrible loss.
This is so relevant thank you sir ❤my family rly brought the old man back out I repent in Jesus name
BRILLIANT!☦ INSIGHTFUL☦
And so very true and helpful..
Your ideas of HOW one distances oneself seem almost perfect. Your examples of ABRAHAM and ISAAC and THE THEOTOKOS and HER SON, JESUS.. are bedrock ideas and teachings.
Applicable to far more than just those facing troubles from others. Such jewels of the spiritual life.
Thank you for the life of contemplation that has helped you to help us..
I don’t think the division is due to us being Christians. I think it’s due to us not acting like it and to our complete rejection of Church teaching in favor of free-market capitalism and meritocracy, which are Protestant ideals. People who hate us don’t even know why they hate us. They just know we are hypocrites who only love the idea of human beings while secretly hating them. Sadly, they aren’t wrong.
We all took those lovely Church teachings and enriched our own pockets with them while leaving our working poor brothers and sisters behind to fend for themselves, along with all youth, laborers, elderly, disabled, orphans and widows. We have quietly watched liberalism strip hope from millions by reducing living wages to poverty wages, and all we had to say in response was, “If only you were smart and good as I am, then God would bless you with money and stability, too.” Alas, Jesus was quite right when he assured us we would ALWAYS have the poor with us. As a carpenter, he assured us he would always be among us working poor, too. Whatever you do to the least, you will always do to Jesus.
I love you brother
This is good stuff