Holy Father Seraphim Rose, please pray to God for us. We are in very shaky times. My faith is weak. Lord Jesus Christ forgive me a sinner. Only with Gods grace will we be able to reject the antichrist. Christ said, “fear not”, yet I still fear. Lord have mercy. The spiritual struggle is very taxing on me and deservedly so. I lived many years away from the Lord. Lord have mercy. God, please help me to be a righteous Orthodox Christian. ☦️
A dilemma very close to my heart. I was an atheist ecologist struggling to find my true purpose helping to solve the environmental degradation when God revealed Himself to me. I struggle to approach trying to be a good steward and encourage better stewardship without making it an idol and trying to use it as a means to direct people to God and Christ even if not always being overt. This video was good for me, thank you.
Like the prophets of old, Fr Seraphim had a definite message to leave behind. Because of him, millions around the world have come to know the True Faith.
I cannot believe how much wisdom and insight are contained in this one letter. Thank you for making this video and therewith providing a medium through which anyone may access the words in Eugene's letter.
It's been thirty years since I first started reading Blessed Seraphim Rose's biography and works. At that time I also read Henri de Lubac's book The Drama of Atheistic Humanism, which I found deeply illuminating. Now that I have become so deeply attuned to Blessed Seraphim's vision on the drama of Christian Humanism I see how limited De Lubac's vision was, and how prophetic were Blessed Seraphim's warnings! The way in which Christian Humanism's ideals have robbed the Roman Catholic Church of its otherworldly dimension and led it ever more deeply into heresy and apostasy... But Blessed Seraphim foresaw this fifty years ago! Blessed Seraphim, pray for me a sinner, so that I may be counted worthy to become an Orthodox together with my family someday soon.
So much wisdom here, though I take exception to his outright opposition to Berdeyev, who made several salient points pertaining to and promoting the very sort of stateless otherness Fr. Seraphim is blessedly alluding to as the correct comportment of faithful persons.
Thank you. Thank you. These are the thoughts, words, ideas, explanations that i needed.. for myself in some ways but also to be able to speak about this should a situation arise.. ☦☦
Eastern religions do not take you into the heart of God where all is in the mystery and abounding peace, faith, and grace in His glory. His very heart with yours. No. The eastern religions take you into the empty void. Where nothing can follow you. An easy peace. Pale sister of death. Upon judgement how will there be a way out? God have mercy!
Part of why I don’t do recordings of many early Saints is because almost always they have already been done. With how precious the time is, I try to make sure what I do is already widely available elsewhere. Is there a particular text from St. Justin that isn’t easily available on TH-cam or another platform? Thank you.
Interesting distinction. Is the upshot of Eugene Rose's preference that the Catholic projects of building cathedrals, hospitals, shelters and schools are misguided? Should we not establish organizations to plead the cause of the oppressed and expose the lies?
As with many things, Eugene sought to avoid the extremes and remain faithfully on the narrow path. I’m sure he would affirm St. Basil the Great who helped create hospitals, for example. A great temptation of our time, that he saw even then 60 years ago, is to replace the gospel of ascetic, prayerful, and other-worldly obedience to Christ with the “gospel” of social activity and over-emphasis on peace and health in this life. In his letter he writes, “The efficiency of modern medicines adds nothing to the fulfillment of the commandment to comfort the sick; if they are available, fine-but it is not Christian to think our act is better because more "efficient" or because it benefits more people. That, again, is idealism,” and “The "Peace of Christ," being in the heart, does not necessarily, in our fallen world, bring about outward peace, and I would wonder if it has any connection at all with the ideal of the ‘abolition of war.’” Eugene, as with all the Saints, place obedience to Christ and detachment from this world above all else. We must love our neighbor and offer ourselves to them for their good, and that good is not primarily their earthly needs, but their spiritual needs. Avoid the extremes and false dichotomies and keep the ascetic, prayerful, other-worldliness of true Christian obedience first. I hope this helps.
@@OrthodoxWisdom Thanks for the reply. It could be said that many idealistic political and social movements and projects are heresies of Christianity. But the Book of Acts emphasizes activism not quietism does it not? And the so-called Manifesto of our King is all about spreading grace and truth, not detaching to a cave in the desert. The real problem imho is the pollution of the gospel message with error, more than whether its integrated into earthly missions. But I certainly accept such activities can create serious worldly entanglements that darken the soul. Unfortunately there are ways that seemeth right to a man...
I think we largely agree, except that the lives of the Saints tell us that God blesses select individuals to detach “to a cave” as you put it. Their prayers and ascetic struggle still benefit the entire Body of Christ, and the entire world. But not many are called to that kind of a life. We just made a playlist of video that address different aspects of this topic. Maybe you’ll find more helpful info here: th-cam.com/play/PLCFiE3qfVkDhbqmkyAQhCRleqKy3qskTZ.html God help us both to be obedient to our own calling from Christ and to sit at the feet of the Saints and learn from them (cf 1 Cor 11:1)
@@OrthodoxWisdom I'm finding the playlist instructive thanks. Yes, I didn't mean to give the impression that I believe desert monkery is per se unchristian. Just that it's not the only alternative to avoiding entanglement in social justice activities. Agreed we should be alert to the snare of unwittingly being drawn into an idolatry of utopianism that starts with well-intentioned charitable works. Much to consider and pray about!
The only thing that dispels illusions is the Theoria of God. It's uncounterfitable. The Orthodox psychotherapy is focused preparing the faithful for the second stage of Christian illumination. All clarity springs from this because the revelation of God IS God. Following vain pursuits in the world is not relevant to question, other than distraction.
In the conclusion, Abbot Damascene highlights that Thomas Merton did later renounce his earlier works and commitment to the trappist way of life rejecting the world, but rather to embrace it. Father Seraphim saw these ideas beginning in his work before Thomas Merton played them out in reality. I would recommend relistening to the conclusion to hear this yourself.
Fr. Seraphim is a Saint of our time. Pray for his canonization as the 40th anniversary of his repose approaches (+September 2, 1982).
🙏☦
May it be blessed! ☦️❤️📿
Amen!!!!
I was baptized in his honor.
Holy Father Seraphim Rose, please pray to God for us. We are in very shaky times. My faith is weak. Lord Jesus Christ forgive me a sinner. Only with Gods grace will we be able to reject the antichrist. Christ said, “fear not”, yet I still fear. Lord have mercy. The spiritual struggle is very taxing on me and deservedly so. I lived many years away from the Lord. Lord have mercy. God, please help me to be a righteous Orthodox Christian. ☦️
A dilemma very close to my heart. I was an atheist ecologist struggling to find my true purpose helping to solve the environmental degradation when God revealed Himself to me. I struggle to approach trying to be a good steward and encourage better stewardship without making it an idol and trying to use it as a means to direct people to God and Christ even if not always being overt. This video was good for me, thank you.
Like the prophets of old, Fr Seraphim had a definite message to leave behind. Because of him, millions around the world have come to know the True Faith.
I cannot believe how much wisdom and insight are contained in this one letter. Thank you for making this video and therewith providing a medium through which anyone may access the words in Eugene's letter.
It's been thirty years since I first started reading Blessed Seraphim Rose's biography and works. At that time I also read Henri de Lubac's book The Drama of Atheistic Humanism, which I found deeply illuminating. Now that I have become so deeply attuned to Blessed Seraphim's vision on the drama of Christian Humanism I see how limited De Lubac's vision was, and how prophetic were Blessed Seraphim's warnings! The way in which Christian Humanism's ideals have robbed the Roman Catholic Church of its otherworldly dimension and led it ever more deeply into heresy and apostasy... But Blessed Seraphim foresaw this fifty years ago! Blessed Seraphim, pray for me a sinner, so that I may be counted worthy to become an Orthodox together with my family someday soon.
He was so brilliant and so ahead of his time.
Thank you for all the work you do on this channel. It is a true blessing. Father Seraphim Rose please pray for us.
So much wisdom here, though I take exception to his outright opposition to Berdeyev, who made several salient points pertaining to and promoting the very sort of stateless otherness Fr. Seraphim is blessedly alluding to as the correct comportment of faithful persons.
Thank you for this. It was very enlightening. Fr Rose please pray for us.
A Saintly and prophetic voice for our times !
Thank you. Thank you. These are the thoughts, words, ideas, explanations that i needed.. for myself in some ways but also to be able to speak about this should a situation arise..
☦☦
Glory to God for all His Saints! The Lord knows His own. May our dear Fr. Seraphim Rose rest now in the bosom of our Savior! Amen.
Thank you for this. Christ is Risen!
Thank God, Christ is risen
Maranatha! ☦️
Very well said let us all hope to do the will of God
Fredo, you're my older brother and I love you
Eastern religions do not take you into the heart of God where all is in the mystery and abounding peace, faith, and grace in His glory. His very heart with yours.
No. The eastern religions take you into the empty void. Where nothing can follow you. An easy peace. Pale sister of death.
Upon judgement how will there be a way out?
God have mercy!
Where, exactly, can one find a copy of this text? It's brilliant!
Ah! I forgot to add it to the video description. I just added it and here it is as well: orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/merton.aspx
@@OrthodoxWisdom Bravo! Much appreciated. And thank you for reading these for all of us. Christ is Risen!
Hello friend. May i ask, can you do a video on Saint Justin martyr?
@@yeembus I'm not forcing him, I'm just asking. Well, any readings would do ok.
Part of why I don’t do recordings of many early Saints is because almost always they have already been done. With how precious the time is, I try to make sure what I do is already widely available elsewhere. Is there a particular text from St. Justin that isn’t easily available on TH-cam or another platform? Thank you.
Interesting distinction. Is the upshot of Eugene Rose's preference that the Catholic projects of building cathedrals, hospitals, shelters and schools are misguided? Should we not establish organizations to plead the cause of the oppressed and expose the lies?
As with many things, Eugene sought to avoid the extremes and remain faithfully on the narrow path. I’m sure he would affirm St. Basil the Great who helped create hospitals, for example. A great temptation of our time, that he saw even then 60 years ago, is to replace the gospel of ascetic, prayerful, and other-worldly obedience to Christ with the “gospel” of social activity and over-emphasis on peace and health in this life. In his letter he writes, “The efficiency of modern medicines adds nothing to the fulfillment of the commandment to comfort the sick; if they are available, fine-but it is not Christian to think our act is better because more "efficient" or because it benefits more people. That, again, is idealism,” and “The "Peace of Christ," being in the heart, does not necessarily, in our fallen world, bring about outward peace, and I would wonder if it has any connection at all with the ideal of the ‘abolition of war.’”
Eugene, as with all the Saints, place obedience to Christ and detachment from this world above all else. We must love our neighbor and offer ourselves to them for their good, and that good is not primarily their earthly needs, but their spiritual needs. Avoid the extremes and false dichotomies and keep the ascetic, prayerful, other-worldliness of true Christian obedience first. I hope this helps.
@@OrthodoxWisdom Thanks for the reply. It could be said that many idealistic political and social movements and projects are heresies of Christianity. But the Book of Acts emphasizes activism not quietism does it not? And the so-called Manifesto of our King is all about spreading grace and truth, not detaching to a cave in the desert.
The real problem imho is the pollution of the gospel message with error, more than whether its integrated into earthly missions. But I certainly accept such activities can create serious worldly entanglements that darken the soul. Unfortunately there are ways that seemeth right to a man...
I think we largely agree, except that the lives of the Saints tell us that God blesses select individuals to detach “to a cave” as you put it. Their prayers and ascetic struggle still benefit the entire Body of Christ, and the entire world. But not many are called to that kind of a life.
We just made a playlist of video that address different aspects of this topic. Maybe you’ll find more helpful info here: th-cam.com/play/PLCFiE3qfVkDhbqmkyAQhCRleqKy3qskTZ.html
God help us both to be obedient to our own calling from Christ and to sit at the feet of the Saints and learn from them (cf 1 Cor 11:1)
@@OrthodoxWisdom I'm finding the playlist instructive thanks. Yes, I didn't mean to give the impression that I believe desert monkery is per se unchristian. Just that it's not the only alternative to avoiding entanglement in social justice activities. Agreed we should be alert to the snare of unwittingly being drawn into an idolatry of utopianism that starts with well-intentioned charitable works. Much to consider and pray about!
Please Can you send me the letter by mail ? I
Can you not read it from the link in the description?
@@OrthodoxWisdom oh okay thanks i didnt notice the link in the description , thanks a lot , god bless you ☦️
The only thing that dispels illusions is the Theoria of God. It's uncounterfitable. The Orthodox psychotherapy is focused preparing the faithful for the second stage of Christian illumination. All clarity springs from this because the revelation of God IS God. Following vain pursuits in the world is not relevant to question, other than distraction.
Thomas Merton the New Man should sum up any doubts about this quite misinformed letter. Humanism? Really?
In the conclusion, Abbot Damascene highlights that Thomas Merton did later renounce his earlier works and commitment to the trappist way of life rejecting the world, but rather to embrace it. Father Seraphim saw these ideas beginning in his work before Thomas Merton played them out in reality. I would recommend relistening to the conclusion to hear this yourself.