We can't all do one or the other. It's ideal, but it's not doable. Traveling is prohibitively expensive. Monasteries don't take you if you have some kind of illness or debt. The man to woman ratio in parishes is disproportionate, never mind taking into consideration age gaps. In my small town I was the only person my age for 10 years. Now I'm the old guy. Long distance relationships are equally expensive. I can't speak for the women, but I know too many men who aren't in a monastery and are already living a life of poverty well below the living standards of any monastery I've been to, have no relationship prospects and no one to guide them in the life that's been presented to them. Fr Tryphon we need your prayers.
"...no one to guide them in the life that has been presented to them." I felt that hard. It is a true statement and is equally true for women. It is beyond sad.
Hello Monastic Brothers, There is another category besides married and monastic. Being a faithful Orthodox Christian and ministering to those in the world a missionary calling whether married or single. The Apostles were missionaries. They were grounded in the Lord. Whatever path we are called to may be give glory to God. ☦️
I know when the world/work rejected me I couldn't afford to do anything else but what you said Donna. My family helps but rejects organized religion for the most part. Pray for them please. There are many who need a witness that requires us to leave our "safe space", I can testify to that. I look at the state of Catholic school teaching today. I think they practice "be silent" the wrong way personally(maybe I do as well). If I stated my concern would/should a bishop get offended by the pride of his office title and fruit basket? Love them and God either way, but I would appreciate a perspective from this monastary. Privately or publicly.
When I became orthodox, my wife left. After a few years, I tried monasticism. I failed at both. Now I'm quasi-homeless, living in a camper. So, I suppose I'm monast-ish 😂
Multiple guys at our church have been abandoned by their wives when they joined the church, some of them have since remarried and started families though!
Life is incredibly messy and difficult to traverse at times. As a man, I'm the one taking care of and educating our children, and my wife is the one that goes to work to support us financially. We tired it the other way around, and I was able to fulfill my role, but my wife couldn't keep up with everything at home and was getting so depressed that she was a failure as a mother and a wife. I couldn't let her suffer like that, but we refuse to let other people in a secular, perverse culture raise our precious girls. But now I constantly worry how it will affect our children to be primarily taken care of by the father instead of the mother. I do what I can to help them grow and thrive, but I still worry so much. Please pray for me brothers and sisters. God bless you all. ☦️
God bless you, brother! I am so happy to hear that. Similarly to you, my mother works outside the home while my father works inside the home. It doesn’t matter what way things are done, and anyone who tells you otherwise is full of utter nonsense. So long as both the husband and wife are married, a family is a family. Don’t ever let anyone tell you their nonsense about how the man must be the provider. This is offensive, unjust, and hardly Christian. I have lived a wonderful, fulfilled life with my parents working the way they do, and their charity and kindness is unbounded. I am here for you brother to say that I support you and am praying for you. GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS! ❤️☦️
Please pray for me so that i can become a cathecumen and be crismated. Probably the cathecumem classes are too far from where i live and my mom wouldn't be willing to take me there regularly because she thinks it is just nonsense, she is mormon but actually don't practice any religion.
Marriage is a great life. We must not be confused by false Western practices that claim that Marriage is a lesser calling. My wife and I married in the Orthodox Church in the spring of '23 with our martyrs crowns and we now live for each other. Which can be difficult at times but is ultimately very fulfilling.
@@J..P.. Neither marriage nor monasticism are mandatory. St Paul said that it is good for those who are unmarried to remain as they are, as long as they have self control.
I don't know if it's similar in the East but in the West there is a third option of becoming an oblate. Oblates were traditionally lay people who would live close to a monastery and essentially run errands for the monks as they weren't able to leave the monastery grounds however in recent decades they have become more involved in the spiritual life of the community such as living according to the rule and visiting the monastery regularly.
Dating isn't feasible for me anymore. My mind was shattered by the evils of our times at a young age and repeated rejection/manipulation has made me distance myself romantically from women. Monastic life or isolation are the only options left.
Hi Father, i have a question, i am near 60, and am blessed to find the Church late in life, and am in a parish i really love. I would like to live in a monastery, but i am not really healthy, lots of arthritis in my joints. I don't think i should use a monastary for a retirement home haha, plus i would have to move to another state, none are near here. and i am too old to make a family. I do have a baby god son. I wish i did marry and have a family, i would be a grandfather now, but i was to selfish to give my life to another 😞 oh well it is what it is.
They exist, but there will be more when they hear that all the good men are in the Orthodox Church. We must first focus on our faith and the women will follow our lead
it's difficult not to notice that monks live pretty lavish lifestyles nowadays. most of them seem to be living better than the average person. i, for example, do not have a wingback chair next to a roaring fireplace perhaps single life in the secular world is the new monasticism since it seems to involve much more struggle, solitude and suffering than actual monasticism does nowadays?
This is the one thing that holds me back from really exploring orthodoxy. I have a job, I have pets, I have responsibilities. I can't give those up to go become a monk. but now that I'm in my 40s I have no desire to get married and have kids. I agree that life in the world as a single man is probably more of a "struggle" than the lives of many monks in their monasteries.
Why is almost all of your comments on this channel about how bad Orthodoxy is. Honestly get off the internet and stop complaining about others. Go and be the person you keep saying others should be.
@@DesLimbo if my comments upset you so much, you must think there's some truth in them. and if i can manage to get on your nerves, you *really* would've hated Jesus. He'd be calling your high priests snakes and hypocrites right to their faces. i'm much more subtle with my criticisms
I feel no draw towards a monastic life, but I don't see how marriage would be possible for me at this point. How can there be a blessing for a reluctant monk, how could we even consider such a thing? Would we call a begrudging marriage blessed? I am certainly not the only one in this position. What is a man in a similar position to mine to do?
I am in the same position as you, brother. I don’t want to marry nor become a monk because I want to be a physicist and I simply don’t have time to dedicate to a wife. I want to study the universe and I must live out in the world to do that, and science is a very intimate form of spirituality for me. I want to live very close to God, but also learn about his creation through science.
Thank you! Science is a community so deprived of God, but for me, it is the exact opposite! Science studies God’s creation, so what better way to grow closer to Him? God bless you! ❤️☦️
No, as a man (not a woman) you have to find a wife and marry one woman and have kids. As a man you can’t live a worldly life with women around you, you can do it if you are a secluded monk. And as a man you have the God given obligation to marry a woman and it’s upon you, the man, to work to be able to provide for her and to propose marriage to her. If you want to be celibate it’s too risky to do it in a worldly setting with women and young girls etc and also you are not an honest man if once you are of age you do not marry. If you feel called to celibacy without being a monk it’s contradictory and strange for orthodoxy
@@FoundSheep-AN. When I asked my spiritual father about this as a woman, he said the regular way is getting married or becoming a monastic and most of people are called to do that. However, there is a third option. There are some pious women that stay single, yet don’t become nuns and that can be accepted. Why is it different for men?
@@FoundSheep-AN Could you provide where it says you are *required* to marry in life as a man who is not a monk in the Bible? You are conflating risk with necessity... you can be celibate and not be a monk and there has never been any rules against that unless you are in some sort of horribly misled American splinter denomination... Now, you are encouraged to marry... but you are not required. So long as you do not fornicate and whatnot
Probably this is only something someone who knows you well can answer. In my view the reason one traditionally becomes either a monk/nun or a husband/wife is because both of them are a cross to go to. So doing neither willingly could be motivated by not wanting to go to the cross, but there also could be legitimate reasons to not pursue either option. For example one might have a strong monastic calling but live in a country that does not have any monasteries. It really depends on the person their motivations and the advice of their spiritual father.
Its not impossible. I would think it requires a close relationship to a spiritual father, spending some periods in monasteries, a pretty strict prayer rule and so on.
I wish I could do either, if not both. But I can't even go to what would be my first liturgical service in my entire life because due to personal life circumstances, I am unable to go even to the Orthodox Churches closest to me. I've prayed & prayed, I've tried things out of my comfort zone, put effort into changing things, continued to pray, but for unknown reasons God isn't opening up a path for me. Maybe He'll listen to your prayers more than my worthless attempts.
What about unmarried layman? Neither marriage nor monasticism have ever been mandatory. Saint Paul said that it is good for the unmarried and widowed to remain as they are, as long as they have self control. This is the only thing that truly pains me about being single in Orthodoxy, being neglected by my church and never being given at least any words of encouragement. I have yet to find a single video of a priest or monk saying anything uplifting to unmarried laymen. We just don’t matter.
@herkload quite the opposite I find... Usually lacking any Christian love, full of ignorant, uninformed, uncaring criticisms and malicious advice. As if they don't see us/them as human. Young men may flee from these kinds of churches as quickly as theyre coming.
hello father. I've had some time to realize that a monastic life may be for me and the thought of it sticks around. one of them being celibacy but that is beside the main focus of my concern. the real issue I face before wanting to head into a monastic life is my parents. my concern is not that I would be leaving them, but rather their approval for what im doing. as I was talking about my visit this February to Mt. Athos and even before that, I sort of hinted at my mom that I would like to be a monk on the Holy Mountain. She has shown she clearly disapproves and doesnt want me doing that. Im stuck as to what the correct decision would be. I know many people, im sure, have brought up "honor thy father and mother" when it comes to monks leaving their parents despite what the parents felt about it, but I would like to see what u have to say about my position as of right now. when I go to mount athos, I will also conversate with the spiritual fathers there to get their guidance on it as well. any response is appreciated, thank you.
What if neither path is open to me? I once tasted the monastic life but, in my folly, I walked away. When I finally came to my senses and sought to return, the door was closed. Now, nearing 40, marriage is just as distant, no one would have me, and even if they did, by the time courtship and engagement ran their course, I’d be too old to raise a family. Am I simply stranded in the world, unfit for monasticism yet unable to build a home of my own?
I think many people in the Orthodox community-of course not Father Tryphon or any clergy/monk for that matter-tend to become very pretentious in the sense that they firmly believe that one can only live a life in marriage or in monasticism. But I really believe this is not the case. I choose to be celibate-as a covenant to God and as a way to focus more on my work (both worldly and spiritually)-but I live an ordinary life. It is easy to complain about what the “right path” is when you have found what works for you, as many of these commenters seem to say. But I believe in reality, it is more about living the life Christ outlined. Monk, married, or whatever-so long as you are living God’s word to praise Him and keep His Commandments. As long as you follow Christ, try your best and make a real effort, what else can you do? God bless you, brother! ❤️☦️
I don’t get enough female attention to get married, unless my future wife is praying that I know no woman until I meet her… (her prayers sure are working and I am also only 19 so perhaps I have time)
The monastic life kind of appeals to me, but I would love to have a wife & kids if God's willing to give me such a gift. Why not both? If I got married & had children, after they're grown my hypothetical wife & I could come to a mutual agreement & I could then spend my remaining years in a monastery. Then I could experience both paths! But without a social life, and without being able to go to any Orthodox Church, I can do neither. Both paths remain mere fantasy. Please pray that God will help me change my life circumstances very, very soon.
I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm one of those strange sigma males. I have received the spirit baptism. But have this fierce independence in me. Reflection and thought is needed.
I can´t marry because now I m called to take care of others, I cant become a monk because now I m called to take care of others. Should I pray for God to change my circumstance ? I dont think so, he is certainly trying to teach me something through all this pain and suffering. I end up not living for my needs, because I cant meet them anyway, so either way im trapped and trying to learn how to be free in this "prison". All I can say is, its heavy the cross of caregiving. Taking care of someone 24/7, no job, no wife, no fellowship with other brothers and sisters. wow just wow. Only have you Lord, have mercy on me, forgive me when I complain, forgive me when I dont accept the path you laid out for me, for your own glory and honor. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. No matter where we are, he can work in us. The hard part, is to accept and surrender to what is, instead of thinking with our rational selfish minds what we think it should be. Help me to surrender Lord, remove from me this lack of love, that leads me to misery, loneliness and sadness. So be it. May it be blessed.
Praying for you! There’s no need to worry about marrying or becoming a monk if you don’t want to or can’t. All you need to do is follow Jesus Christ and do the best you can to serve him. A hard life is a good life, and I’m sure our Lord is happy to see you caring for someone and living a good life. Marriage isn’t necessary to live a good life. I am single and have no plans to marry and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. All that matters is that we keep close to Jesus Christ. May our Lord and Savior protect you and keep you always. I am praying for you! ❤️☦️
one of the commandments is not to make idols, images and icons are okay its when you begin to worship the icons that become a problem. God bless you; marriage isnt for me i honestly wouldnt mind being a monk.
We don't worship icons, we generate icons because of the prototype. In another sense, we do worship Christ who is an icon of the Father. He who has seen Jesus has seen the Father
I am Australian Aboriginal with over 65,000 years of godless civilisation and culture , Please explain why i should not press charges of racism against you and your racist ignorant channel.
Please pray for me. I found my path and am getting married in six weeks. Glory to God!
Wow…
Congratulations, may you and your family be blessed!
God bless you! ❤️☦️
Congratulations!
Glory to God!
We can't all do one or the other. It's ideal, but it's not doable.
Traveling is prohibitively expensive.
Monasteries don't take you if you have some kind of illness or debt.
The man to woman ratio in parishes is disproportionate, never mind taking into consideration age gaps. In my small town I was the only person my age for 10 years. Now I'm the old guy.
Long distance relationships are equally expensive.
I can't speak for the women, but I know too many men who aren't in a monastery and are already living a life of poverty well below the living standards of any monastery I've been to, have no relationship prospects and no one to guide them in the life that's been presented to them.
Fr Tryphon we need your prayers.
"...no one to guide them in the life that has been presented to them." I felt that hard. It is a true statement and is equally true for women. It is beyond sad.
This is exactly what in the cities and states around me.
Can I join if I have autism?
I am autistic as well. God bless you! ❤️☦️
@Melancholian i've met a few monks i'm certain are on the spectrum. I think you'd be ok.
Hello Monastic Brothers,
There is another category besides married and monastic. Being a faithful Orthodox Christian and ministering to those in the world a missionary calling whether married or single. The Apostles were missionaries. They were grounded in the Lord.
Whatever path we are called to may be give glory to God. ☦️
That is the category I wish to be in! God bless you! ❤️☦️
I know when the world/work rejected me I couldn't afford to do anything else but what you said Donna. My family helps but rejects organized religion for the most part. Pray for them please.
There are many who need a witness that requires us to leave our "safe space", I can testify to that.
I look at the state of Catholic school teaching today. I think they practice "be silent" the wrong way personally(maybe I do as well).
If I stated my concern would/should a bishop get offended by the pride of his office title and fruit basket?
Love them and God either way, but I would appreciate a perspective from this monastary.
Privately or publicly.
When I became orthodox, my wife left. After a few years, I tried monasticism. I failed at both. Now I'm quasi-homeless, living in a camper. So, I suppose I'm monast-ish 😂
God bless you, brother! I love your videos! ❤️☦️
Μην απελπιζεσε αδερφέ το ίδιο και εγώ έπαθα.Το έλεος του Κυρίου μαζί μας εις τον αιώνα.
Did she leave because of religion or was it a complicated thing with multiple facets?
@@nicholasdefilippis6186it was part of it.
Multiple guys at our church have been abandoned by their wives when they joined the church, some of them have since remarried and started families though!
God bless all who see this video, and God bless you Fr Tryphon. May The Lord have mercy upon our souls.
God bless you and all Monks dear Abbott
Life is incredibly messy and difficult to traverse at times. As a man, I'm the one taking care of and educating our children, and my wife is the one that goes to work to support us financially. We tired it the other way around, and I was able to fulfill my role, but my wife couldn't keep up with everything at home and was getting so depressed that she was a failure as a mother and a wife. I couldn't let her suffer like that, but we refuse to let other people in a secular, perverse culture raise our precious girls. But now I constantly worry how it will affect our children to be primarily taken care of by the father instead of the mother. I do what I can to help them grow and thrive, but I still worry so much. Please pray for me brothers and sisters. God bless you all. ☦️
God bless you, brother! I am so happy to hear that. Similarly to you, my mother works outside the home while my father works inside the home. It doesn’t matter what way things are done, and anyone who tells you otherwise is full of utter nonsense. So long as both the husband and wife are married, a family is a family. Don’t ever let anyone tell you their nonsense about how the man must be the provider. This is offensive, unjust, and hardly Christian. I have lived a wonderful, fulfilled life with my parents working the way they do, and their charity and kindness is unbounded. I am here for you brother to say that I support you and am praying for you. GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS!
❤️☦️
Your children will turn out just as well as they would have the other way! 😊❤️ Love from a parent is the most special form!
God bless you, Father Tryphon! ❤️☦️
Please pray for me so that i can become a cathecumen and be crismated.
Probably the cathecumem classes are too far from where i live and my mom wouldn't be willing to take me there regularly because she thinks it is just nonsense, she is mormon but actually don't practice any religion.
I will pray for you.
I used to be mormon. May Christ be with you in Orthodoxy!
Don't be just Chrismated, be Baptized! Dont make my mistake
@iplyrunescape305 i was baptized in the roman catholic church as a baby, so i guess i have only to be crismated to be received in the orthodox church
Get Baptized you won't regret it
Please pray for my broken marriage. May God Save us
God bless you! ❤️☦️
Lord, have mercy!
Marriage is a great life. We must not be confused by false Western practices that claim that Marriage is a lesser calling. My wife and I married in the Orthodox Church in the spring of '23 with our martyrs crowns and we now live for each other. Which can be difficult at times but is ultimately very fulfilling.
marriage is a concession to weakness. that isnt a western idea but it is what the holy fathers say.
That’s another reason why I am choosing to live my life celibate, but still in the ordinary world working.
@@adenise__122 us following Christ is a concession to the weakness of our souls
@@bobbyking2490 The Church only blesses two paths - monasticism or marriage.
@@J..P.. Neither marriage nor monasticism are mandatory. St Paul said that it is good for those who are unmarried to remain as they are, as long as they have self control.
We desperately need orthodox men and orthodox women to marry, and be good parents, and raise an abundance of orthodox children.
Amen! I'm 29 and grew up in a secular home without a dad. I hope to follow Christ and be baptized in good time to be married in the church. ☦️✨️
@@Ephesians_6_12 My parish is overflowing with young married couples and children. It's a great blessing.
God bless you! ❤️☦️
No hymen? No Diamond.
Eve didn't have 300 boyfriends and a dog before Adam.
@@GoblinusMaximus May our dear Lord give you mighty strength and great wisdom to be a wonderful spouse and parent.
I don't know if it's similar in the East but in the West there is a third option of becoming an oblate. Oblates were traditionally lay people who would live close to a monastery and essentially run errands for the monks as they weren't able to leave the monastery grounds however in recent decades they have become more involved in the spiritual life of the community such as living according to the rule and visiting the monastery regularly.
@@PatriceRobinson-r2g I like that idea! Hope some more experienced Christians will comment on it.
God bless you! ❤️☦️
Dating isn't feasible for me anymore. My mind was shattered by the evils of our times at a young age and repeated rejection/manipulation has made me distance myself romantically from women. Monastic life or isolation are the only options left.
God bless you! ❤️☦️
Become a monastic brother, my friend who felt similarly is now on Athos serving God every single day
@@SILLY_BILLY_777 I just have to settle some debt to the system and I'm very likely going to break away.
@@SILLY_BILLY_777 how did his parents react? i face this issue before wanting to head to the monastic life on Mount Athos.
Hi Father, i have a question, i am near 60, and am blessed to find the Church late in life, and am in a parish i really love. I would like to live in a monastery, but i am not really healthy, lots of arthritis in my joints. I don't think i should use a monastary for a retirement home haha, plus i would have to move to another state, none are near here. and i am too old to make a family. I do have a baby god son. I wish i did marry and have a family, i would be a grandfather now, but i was to selfish to give my life to another 😞 oh well it is what it is.
God bless you, brother! I am a young man who looks up to your story very much. God bless you and take care. May He be with you always! ☦️
@bobbyking2490 thank you for your reply! May Christ keep and bless you in this new year!!
Thank you! And I just subscribed to your channel! I do like fishing!
God bless you! I am a young man myself, and I have been inspired by your story
My prayers
Major issue: There are no Orthdox women in the US
Or even Christian
there are no orthodox women in the world. religion is the domain of men which is why, when patriarchy fails, religion also fails
@@BodhiCody-mh2ecsame thing.
just one Christianity
They exist, but there will be more when they hear that all the good men are in the Orthodox Church. We must first focus on our faith and the women will follow our lead
@@665denierofthebeast who told you that women want good men? did women tell you that? did you believe them?
it's difficult not to notice that monks live pretty lavish lifestyles nowadays. most of them seem to be living better than the average person. i, for example, do not have a wingback chair next to a roaring fireplace
perhaps single life in the secular world is the new monasticism since it seems to involve much more struggle, solitude and suffering than actual monasticism does nowadays?
This is the one thing that holds me back from really exploring orthodoxy. I have a job, I have pets, I have responsibilities. I can't give those up to go become a monk. but now that I'm in my 40s I have no desire to get married and have kids. I agree that life in the world as a single man is probably more of a "struggle" than the lives of many monks in their monasteries.
That’s why you have to go to an Old Orthodox country and find a brotherhood that is hesychastic and have the spirit of true poverty.
Why is almost all of your comments on this channel about how bad Orthodoxy is. Honestly get off the internet and stop complaining about others.
Go and be the person you keep saying others should be.
@@DesLimbo if my comments upset you so much, you must think there's some truth in them. and if i can manage to get on your nerves, you *really* would've hated Jesus. He'd be calling your high priests snakes and hypocrites right to their faces. i'm much more subtle with my criticisms
@@ChristopherAnderson-e5o How DARE you notice things
I feel no draw towards a monastic life, but I don't see how marriage would be possible for me at this point. How can there be a blessing for a reluctant monk, how could we even consider such a thing? Would we call a begrudging marriage blessed? I am certainly not the only one in this position. What is a man in a similar position to mine to do?
I am in the same position as you, brother. I don’t want to marry nor become a monk because I want to be a physicist and I simply don’t have time to dedicate to a wife. I want to study the universe and I must live out in the world to do that, and science is a very intimate form of spirituality for me. I want to live very close to God, but also learn about his creation through science.
@@bobbyking2490 "I want to live very close to God, but also learn about His creation through science."
That's awesome! I love that!
Thank you! Science is a community so deprived of God, but for me, it is the exact opposite! Science studies God’s creation, so what better way to grow closer to Him? God bless you! ❤️☦️
Father, can one be celibate, seeking unity with Christ, and not be a monk, still living an ordinary life working?
No, as a man (not a woman) you have to find a wife and marry one woman and have kids. As a man you can’t live a worldly life with women around you, you can do it if you are a secluded monk. And as a man you have the God given obligation to marry a woman and it’s upon you, the man, to work to be able to provide for her and to propose marriage to her.
If you want to be celibate it’s too risky to do it in a worldly setting with women and young girls etc and also you are not an honest man if once you are of age you do not marry.
If you feel called to celibacy without being a monk it’s contradictory and strange for orthodoxy
@@FoundSheep-AN. When I asked my spiritual father about this as a woman, he said the regular way is getting married or becoming a monastic and most of people are called to do that. However, there is a third option. There are some pious women that stay single, yet don’t become nuns and that can be accepted. Why is it different for men?
@@FoundSheep-AN Could you provide where it says you are *required* to marry in life as a man who is not a monk in the Bible? You are conflating risk with necessity... you can be celibate and not be a monk and there has never been any rules against that unless you are in some sort of horribly misled American splinter denomination...
Now, you are encouraged to marry... but you are not required. So long as you do not fornicate and whatnot
Probably this is only something someone who knows you well can answer. In my view the reason one traditionally becomes either a monk/nun or a husband/wife is because both of them are a cross to go to. So doing neither willingly could be motivated by not wanting to go to the cross, but there also could be legitimate reasons to not pursue either option. For example one might have a strong monastic calling but live in a country that does not have any monasteries. It really depends on the person their motivations and the advice of their spiritual father.
Its not impossible. I would think it requires a close relationship to a spiritual father, spending some periods in monasteries, a pretty strict prayer rule and so on.
Magnificent Question!!! MY Gratitude, MY BeLoved FRIEND! ☯️❤️🦋♾️🐠
God bless you! ❤️☦️
I wish I could do either, if not both.
But I can't even go to what would be my first liturgical service in my entire life because due to personal life circumstances, I am unable to go even to the Orthodox Churches closest to me. I've prayed & prayed, I've tried things out of my comfort zone, put effort into changing things, continued to pray, but for unknown reasons God isn't opening up a path for me. Maybe He'll listen to your prayers more than my worthless attempts.
God bless you! ❤️☦️
What about unmarried layman? Neither marriage nor monasticism have ever been mandatory. Saint Paul said that it is good for the unmarried and widowed to remain as they are, as long as they have self control.
This is the only thing that truly pains me about being single in Orthodoxy, being neglected by my church and never being given at least any words of encouragement. I have yet to find a single video of a priest or monk saying anything uplifting to unmarried laymen. We just don’t matter.
@herkload quite the opposite I find...
Usually lacking any Christian love, full of ignorant, uninformed, uncaring criticisms and malicious advice.
As if they don't see us/them as human.
Young men may flee from these kinds of churches as quickly as theyre coming.
hello father. I've had some time to realize that a monastic life may be for me and the thought of it sticks around. one of them being celibacy but that is beside the main focus of my concern. the real issue I face before wanting to head into a monastic life is my parents. my concern is not that I would be leaving them, but rather their approval for what im doing. as I was talking about my visit this February to Mt. Athos and even before that, I sort of hinted at my mom that I would like to be a monk on the Holy Mountain. She has shown she clearly disapproves and doesnt want me doing that. Im stuck as to what the correct decision would be. I know many people, im sure, have brought up "honor thy father and mother" when it comes to monks leaving their parents despite what the parents felt about it, but I would like to see what u have to say about my position as of right now. when I go to mount athos, I will also conversate with the spiritual fathers there to get their guidance on it as well.
any response is appreciated, thank you.
God bless you! May our Lord bless you always!☦️☦️
6:55 dont marry the first?
i havent even met the first, my church is full of old people, their children and grandchildren dont come to church
What if neither path is open to me? I once tasted the monastic life but, in my folly, I walked away. When I finally came to my senses and sought to return, the door was closed. Now, nearing 40, marriage is just as distant, no one would have me, and even if they did, by the time courtship and engagement ran their course, I’d be too old to raise a family. Am I simply stranded in the world, unfit for monasticism yet unable to build a home of my own?
I think many people in the Orthodox community-of course not Father Tryphon or any clergy/monk for that matter-tend to become very pretentious in the sense that they firmly believe that one can only live a life in marriage or in monasticism. But I really believe this is not the case. I choose to be celibate-as a covenant to God and as a way to focus more on my work (both worldly and spiritually)-but I live an ordinary life. It is easy to complain about what the “right path” is when you have found what works for you, as many of these commenters seem to say. But I believe in reality, it is more about living the life Christ outlined. Monk, married, or whatever-so long as you are living God’s word to praise Him and keep His Commandments. As long as you follow Christ, try your best and make a real effort, what else can you do? God bless you, brother! ❤️☦️
I don’t get enough female attention to get married, unless my future wife is praying that I know no woman until I meet her… (her prayers sure are working and I am also only 19 so perhaps I have time)
its normal to still be a virgin at 19. don't just give up your virginity to anyone. make sure you're married first
I am also 19, looking to be celibate but live a normal, working life as a promise to God. Best of luck in finding a wife. God bless you!
@@ChristopherAnderson-e5o only for men
@@ChristopherAnderson-e5o it's normal for men and exceedingly rare for females
@@ChristopherAnderson-e5o exceedingly rare for females
Not worthy of either marriage or monasticism due to my pre-orthodox life, so just trying to go to church as much as possible.
God bless you! ❤️☦️
The only thing we are worthy of is death, marriage and monasticism are gifts
Amen🙏
God bless you! ❤️☦️
The monastic life kind of appeals to me, but I would love to have a wife & kids if God's willing to give me such a gift.
Why not both? If I got married & had children, after they're grown my hypothetical wife & I could come to a mutual agreement & I could then spend my remaining years in a monastery. Then I could experience both paths!
But without a social life, and without being able to go to any Orthodox Church, I can do neither. Both paths remain mere fantasy. Please pray that God will help me change my life circumstances very, very soon.
God bless you! ❤️☦️
catholics dont have the eucharist - its so obviously the teaching of the saints, saint theophan says Christ is not to be found in the other churches
I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm one of those strange sigma males. I have received the spirit baptism. But have this fierce independence in me. Reflection and thought is needed.
God bless you! ❤️☦️
Don't settle for a Jezebel spirit. Pray for discernment.
I can´t marry because now I m called to take care of others, I cant become a monk because now I m called to take care of others. Should I pray for God to change my circumstance ? I dont think so, he is certainly trying to teach me something through all this pain and suffering. I end up not living for my needs, because I cant meet them anyway, so either way im trapped and trying to learn how to be free in this "prison". All I can say is, its heavy the cross of caregiving. Taking care of someone 24/7, no job, no wife, no fellowship with other brothers and sisters. wow just wow. Only have you Lord, have mercy on me, forgive me when I complain, forgive me when I dont accept the path you laid out for me, for your own glory and honor. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. No matter where we are, he can work in us. The hard part, is to accept and surrender to what is, instead of thinking with our rational selfish minds what we think it should be. Help me to surrender Lord, remove from me this lack of love, that leads me to misery, loneliness and sadness. So be it. May it be blessed.
Praying for you! There’s no need to worry about marrying or becoming a monk if you don’t want to or can’t. All you need to do is follow Jesus Christ and do the best you can to serve him. A hard life is a good life, and I’m sure our Lord is happy to see you caring for someone and living a good life. Marriage isn’t necessary to live a good life. I am single and have no plans to marry and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. All that matters is that we keep close to Jesus Christ. May our Lord and Savior protect you and keep you always. I am praying for you! ❤️☦️
@@bobbyking2490 thank you for the support. May God bless you. Christ is Risen!
one of the commandments is not to make idols, images and icons are okay its when you begin to worship the icons that become a problem. God bless you; marriage isnt for me i honestly wouldnt mind being a monk.
God bless you! ❤️☦️
We don't worship icons, we generate icons because of the prototype. In another sense, we do worship Christ who is an icon of the Father. He who has seen Jesus has seen the Father
I am Australian Aboriginal with over 65,000 years of godless civilisation and culture ,
Please explain why i should not press charges of racism against you and your racist ignorant channel.
Be kind to Fr. Tryphon. All you need is love! May Jesus Christ bless you! ❤️☦️
Sin isn't consolidated to one race brother. Every race has sinners in it, repentance is how we dig ourselves out of our own mess, by the grace of God
This is ironically super racist.
I assume this is irony but this is a wholesome monastic Channel don’t be disrespectful god bless you
You've been alive for 65,000 years?