STAY IN THE FIGHT! ON STABILITY AND GROWING SPIRITUAL ROOTS
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- Опубліковано 25 січ 2021
- Two summers ago (when people still travelled) I met a lady on the ferry who had come to the Isles all the way from North America because 'God told me to visit Scotland'. Apparently, God had told her to visit many places in the world and she was looking forward to wherever He would send her on her next holiday.
This video is based on a very different story about St Macarius the Great who one day received the thought of leaving his cell to go and pray in the desert. After he waited for FIVE YEARS, fighting in prayer to discern if this is the will of God, he then went into the desert.
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The video 'STAY IN THE FIGHT! ON STABILITY AND GROWING SPIRITUAL ROOTS' was recorded by Fr Seraphim Aldea, at Mull Monastery (The Orthodox Monastery of All Celtic Saints), on the Isle of Mull.
Please, very seriously, 'I'm begging you on bended knee not to stop making these videos. They've become immensely important.
Father ever time I listen and watch your video looks like God is sending a message through you to me. Your video has help me to see my self and to improve to be closer to God not only to stay away from sin but to grow spiritually. Please for the Love of mother of God do not stop making this videos. Because of your videos I (we) get the answer we prayed for. Christ is talking to us through you.
Glory to God for all things.
I hope you stay. I always look forward to the spiritual exercise you give us. Perhaps it is the adversary trying to dissuade you as your ability to communicate is so gifted that I, who is not orthodox, find them enlightening. Prayers for you to stay on.
This is me, tonight. I had an interview for a job, a very technical one. I did it for my family. I new I wasn't skilled enough and I was so fraid of not being a dissapointment. Anxiety took over me right before joining the interviewers as if I was about to jump from high a cliff. I told my family I wasn't going to do it. I will cancel it. As I stood on the chair, in front of my laptop, I remembered, father, this image of you fighting with yourself to record this video. I also remembered something about stability. I clicked the link and joined the interview. Their faces were friendly. I wasn't a shiny candidate but they liked my attitude and want me on their team. After the interview I was in such a joy, I couldn't wait to tell to all my family how father Seraphim helped me.
Amazing! :)
Thank you so much! I will be praying for you and the monastery!
With love from Kyiv,Ukraine
I truly appreciate your messages. You are a blessed man.
It gives me so much courage to keep doing what we are doing, knowing that someone finds something useful in this work, dear one. I am blessed indeed - I am blessed to have been surrounded by beautiful, kind and supportive people who have kept me spiritually alive through their prayers. May we all find this blessing.
@@mullmonastery I'm sure you feel like you'd rather do something else because you're doing something very useful and powerful, like it sometimes happens with prayer, we know how this goes. I can confirm your work with these videos are indeed very useful. I'm a very anxious person, at times your videos immediately calm me, give me direction and help me continue what l need to do. God bless you Father and thank you very much for your work. One day l may even be able to visit. 😊
I really needed to hear this message today. Glory to God!
Brother... I was about to type these exact same words. 🙏
Merci beaucoup pour votre générosité!
It's like us, truly fighting and battling against reading or listening to worldly news or politics when we can focus on Christ and hearing your voice. Thank you Father for fighting for us, your brothers and sisters in Christ. ☦️
Thank you Fr Seraphim for this awe-inspiring homily! What essential guidance you offer us. Thank you!
Wonderful as always, Fr. Seraphim. I will be praying for you and the monastery. 🙏🏻
Thank you, dear Simeon. We all need prayer, we all need support for as long as we are in this body. May we all be blessed.
Father tears wells up in my eyes while gazing at the holy theotokos icon behind you - my heart melts for the mother of God! She did a lot to me. I am eternally grateful to The holy Trinity for giving us a mother like her.
Thank you for watering the roots of the Tree of Life within us with streams of Living water. I receive the teaching from the grace it was given and in thanks, pray, those seeds will grow in the Light of Christ. Amen!
God Bless You Fr. Seraphim.
Amen amen dear Father, your words are enlightening many even those who are not even Orthodoxy
Thank you so much! Peace and God’s blessings!
St. Gregory wrote of St. Benedict that "he learned to live with himself". Such a beautiful and eternal message. Accepting the moment exactly as God has given it. Profound.
You are me shaping up spiritually, Father. Thank you for your persistence in recording even though the pandemic is longer than anyone thought. I am praying for you and the monastery.
God bless you and strengthen you ,praying for you and the Monastery ,to fight the good fight and keep our minds on Christ regardless of the circumstances that befall us, God is good and a loving Father, again thank you Fr. For your work Glory to the Father Son and Holy Spirit amen
Thank you Father. I will not waver from the decision I I have made to continue to move forward and pray for strength never to stop until completion. Thank you Father for teaching us wisdom.
May God bless you... The Lord led me to your videos at a very difficult time in my life, and your words of encouragement and wisdom and love have been exactly what I needed to hear!
That you have been keeping your promise has been a great blessing to me and some others I know . . . your videos have made a real difference and been so encouraging and helpful and challenging all at the same time. May God continue to bless you for your patience and persistence and hard work, as you have blessed us. Amen and Amen and Amen!
You have no idea how important it was for me to hear the message of this video specifically... God brought His words through you to me at exactly the right moment. Thank you for the work that you do, and may you continue to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ through these videos!
This speaks to my own running away and not committing enough to the mission I sacrificed everything to do. I have to make that sign of the cross and trust God that it is blessed. In no sense do I not feel it is. Any time I go for it I have always been shocked at how much things have alligned. But it was in my heart a long time and much of it developed when I had stopped believing but in ways that only made me better informed... And it is a good thing. It's the one job we were given from the beginning really. Why doubt? Only because I hate to think highly of myself but that thought is itself proud - in doing a humble job of it I would be no better than I would like everyone to be. It would be an ample sufficient, as my grandfather used to say. Thank you Father. You do God's work. May God bless you.
Thank you again, Father. As always, this has been edifying. 💗
Thank you so much for this message.....I really needed it. Amen
Thank God, dear Sandra. This is all we can hope for - that someone, for an hour or a day, finds a bit of hope and courage by listening to what we do. Hour by hour, day by day, we slowly move together towards Christ. May we all be blessed.
We need these messages more than you could ever possibly know. Please keep them going as long as you can. Your words are like the freshest water in a desolate and parched land. Thank you Father and God bless!
Please continue your videos! They are so needed and are such a help and blessing. God bless you Father
Yes on your question if this shapes anyone! Me atleast. So thank you verry much! God bless you and your monasteri! Love from Sweden! 💟☦️💟
God Bless you Fr.Seraphim..you bring me so much peace and increase my faith listening to you..ISOUYS Xristos NIKA ✝️
Thank you so much Father. I needed to hear this. The part where you mentioned being under the loving watch of Christ brought tears. So often when I think of our Lord, I find myself weeping, but not in a sad way, just overwhelmed by His love and kindness that I know I do not deserve. Your talks help to make sense of it all. I know I need a spiritual father though. This has become so apparent. God bless you, the Monastery, and your ministry! May He also bless all good and pious Orthodox Christians (as well as the rest of us who need work on the good and pious bits).
I acknowledge that making the videos became a heavy burden, but you are filling a need that I have had for a long time. So I thank you for the holy grit that keeps you to your promise. God continue to bless and protect you and all the community. ❤
Spiritual Stability has conception within a predictable 'family' dynamic - unconditional loving acceptance and allowing for the growth cycle of what being human is - knowing God is Love and Mercy - regardless of the Grace / the Talents ... God holds us in the palm of his hand ...
Your promise to us is perhaps one of the best parts of this pandemic. God is always bringing good out of evil! Thank you for struggling for the sake of our souls.
Father I appreciate this video so much. Thank You
Glory be to God, dear Philip. Glory be to God!
Thank you for your faithfulness, Fr. Seraphim, in sharing the words Christ gives you to give us. The English speaking Christian community is hungry for the clarity of the explanations and exhortations of the Orthodox Faith we receive through your gift of faithfulness. And thank you for ending each one with a blessing. You are in our prayers here too.
Thank you Beloved Father. Yes, stay where you are and let the seed grow and put down roots. Here I am a consecrated widow with the Widows of Prayer, we pray for Priests. Also a Benedictine Oblate. It takes time to grow into any vocation. Time and prayer and silence. God bless you. May our Lord bless you with strength and holy peace.
If we all were bodily present listening to God's msg to you for tonight your struggle woth acedia would be different- but we need you delivering this message. YOU are of immense importance as a lifeline in our struggles.
Thank you Father. I am sporadic in wanting to do everything then burn out.
I keep seeing the old men at the watering hole like ghosts.
You are in my prayers. I pray that I will be able to hear your wisdom for a long time. You build me up.
God bless you, Fr. Seraphim. Great video as always, thank you!
You are a Great encouragement, just when I needed to hear this message. 🙏💕✌😇 Alberta, Canada
I'm a catchment and have much to learn. It's a daily struggle, but there is joy too:) Your teachings are a tremendous blessing, sources of strength, guidance, and comfort. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank God for your inspirational talks Fr. They are a great source of encouragement in these difficult times
Brother, you will be rewarded for your honesty and truth. I'm right the middle of Los Angeles the hot spot for sins in the new Babylon (America). Babylon was built on confusion and distraction, I fully understand the lack of attention to our work. Keep the faith brother, armor of God always on. You got this brother. We will be fighting the good fight very soon. - Son of Peter
I can’t tell you how much I treasure these honest, unbiased authentic teachings. I am fed up with the “show” of faith. I need words like yours to grow.
Question answered Father thank you. I was working struggling with thoughts about things. I had a break. Watched. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Fr. Seraphim - your efforts, honesty and self-sacrifice are a wonderful channel of Grace from our Lord. Also, my 5 month old son thinks you're brilliant (he's hooting and gurgling away at you).
We greatly appreciate your ministry and including us in your prayers.
Amen Dear Fr. Serifim!
You kept your word, faithfully recording videos to spiritually encourage us!
Thank you!
My Parish is growing, and new people come to Liturgy every single week!
(church is open per the health department).
Colorado Mullumni miss your visits!
A great analogy Father, like the steel which was put into the fire and hammered out will become the instrument it was intended to be, so too will we become what we were to be through the difficulty of our trials.
Praise to God, and to the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Thank you Fr Seraphim, this has helped me greatly, within hours of my struggle, thank you.
Father you are extremely effectual so I think the evil one does not like this and tries to discourage you. We value you more than you can ever know. May you be richly blessed 100 times more than you bless us.
Dear Father, I'm in a critical time full of tempations and pain and I know that God is always guiding me through your words, without you even knowing how those words will fit perfectly into my being. I truly believe these videos are healing us and that is why a war was declared upon them. God always prevails! Thank you for not leaving the cross! It's helping us all!
Please continue your instruction sessions ,I have found much strength in the love of jesus you bring to us!!! jesus bless you and give you strenth to continue !!!
Amen Amen Amen!!!
Thank you for your message of strength. I pray for your strength and health to fulfill your promise. I personally have grown so much because of your promise. I pray for all of the beautiful brothers and sisters who are encouraged by the promise you made during Covid.
Jeannie
Thank-you for fighting through.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! God bless you! God bless you! God bless you! ❤️
Amen Amen Amen.
⛪ 🙏🙏🙏
Thank you Father
Glory be to God, dear Andemariam. Please stay safe and healthy, wherever you are.
By GOD grace I am fine. Thank you Father.
Father pray for me. I am Weak.
they say that if you want to deceive a monk, praise what he is doing... i won”t... :) God bless you, brother.
Father you give wonderful messages driven by Christ in you. It is only natural that the enemy would try to stop you. I believe he despises Christians. He would particularly despise you because you are pure and wise and articulate your ideas so well. He has lately turned up his hateful pursuits on everyone, you can hear this and read it on the web. They say he knows his time is short. God Bless you for these videos you do. They are the best I have heard on YT. "How beautiful the feet that bring the sound of good news and the love of the King." I hope you don't stop this.
Beautiful. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I have only just started watching this and saw a few comments. My husband and i have watched several of these just today. And i seem to always forward them.
You make it clear that we are all in this battle to save our souls.. together.. As you well know, your very struggle to get started with this one today shows how serious the need to do them really is.
If you pretended to have no struggles, or even opretended to have them as well, you would lose the very truthfulness that we can FEEL in our very bodies as you speak..
(We had the pleasure to meet you in Los Angeles --or. rather, THE CITY OF OUR LADY, QUEEN OF THE ANGELS--- as you traveled around seeking funds to rebuild this important monastery. I hadn't forgotten you.. and i was delighted to see that you had started these videos..)
Well, enough from me. I must continue watching and listening to you..
I know videos can be a pain.....but you have been chosen for your path, and to spread the message you spread ......... that gives so much to others..... isn't that a huge part of what Jesus himself did?
Father, your truthful words at beginning about your struggle to record this is a grace to us all because we now know you are a true and sincere monk. Yes we thank you. I prefer your openess and way of speaking to us over the polished podcast priest and monks way of delivery. The church must be true. If it becomes slick and theatrical then we no longer trust or need its presence. Thank you. However , please go only as far with this as your heart allows. Your prayer is of utmost importance. Our prayers are with you and Community . Ljchmomas.
Thank you. I needed to hear this today!
It is INCREDIBLE how God times these videos. Literally this is where I am struggling right now. And all of your videos have been like that for me, ever change, ever new step, there is guidance from you dear father!! You know, could we also say that it is the evil one who inspires us with the temptation to desire to give up or become lazy in doing the things God has asked us to do- how do we fight this temptation dear father? For example, I am a student studying medicine- but I have found that at times, I am struggling against not wanting to studying, is the last thing I want to do most the time
God bless you, Father! Making videos can be as much fun as going to the dentist, but watching your videos is so helpful to all of us.
I love your sharing and feel tremendously blessed by it, as do thousands of other viewers I'm sure. I hope that you continue to bless us with your company after the pandemic (maybe once a week would be less of a burden). And I'd love to see your thoughts published in book form. Thank you so much for all you do to brighten my day.
I have learned in my prayers over the years that one should not fail to do as they can be because of what they can not. If I can't move a mountain today, still move that small stone - today, tomorrow, for as long as in dependence on God, that is the strength we have. Don't hesitate, be discouraged, nor turn away, and in God's timing and way, we will find that mountain has been moved.
So true. Thank you ❤
I appreciate your ministry with these videos. The depth of your faith, the maturity of your experiences, and your own personality shine in each video. The richness of your messages is a source of strength and encouragement. Thank you.
Doxa o theos, truly motivated by these words
Thank you again Father for these messages. So many of them I have felt they were personal to me. Prays for you and your monastery.
Hi father Serafim! Pray for us!
I hope you find the spiritual fortitude to continue to make these recordings to be a blessing to so many is truly a huge responsibility and burden but they have meant so much to so many so much to the one
Please pray for me to be in Gods will 🙏❤️ Many blessings
It is shaping me. Thank you.
Amen Father
Thank you for staying on your cross and reminding us to do so too. The pandemic has been a blessing to me if it is what has kept these videos coming out regularly. They are such a storehouse of wisdom and guidance and almost always seem to speak to quiet places directly in my own soul.
thanks for battling for us. . .
Thank you Fr.
Thank you Aba! May God give the strength and the health to keep spreading his work & words. I and my family are benefiting from your videos.
Thankyou so much for sharing 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thank you.
This is so true!
Dearest Father, please come back to us every Tuesday and Friday. We are waiting! You imagine with what kind of feelings, if we beg you to continue. I know you do it in obedience. But please consider also obeying to... any of us asking you to continue. One only, if this be the case. As it would be bless too, I am sure. I remember a story from B. Tikhon's wondeeful book, when blessed Bishop Basil from USA asked: "And to whom will I obey now (having received the highest "grade"). And the answer was: "to anybody on your way". This meant obeying to ... anybody, including old women in Russia asking him to come and bless their humble rooms in distant areas. Please come and bless my humble "house" every Tuesday and Friday. Help me to keep my stability. I just received this "word" from my spiritual Father. Even though is soooooo tough. I ask your cherished blessing!
God bless you!
Thank you again my brother - do continue to be a blessing to the body of Christ - we need it. Bless you. Shalom
Blessed Father thank you for holding to your promise and reminding us to hold on to ours in Christ. Your words always feed me. Amen!
Thank you, Staying in there praying . The "Helper" is with us. God bless you. Amen,
Thanks, so much! ❤
Yes we need to discern our cross God would give us. The Ignatian spiritual exercises are so useful here to teach us discernment. And whenever we have a vision we should take it to a good spiritual director to determine if it is from an angel of light or darkness. Never rely on our own interpretation
Simply, thank you!
Amazing words like always. They hit so close to me. Much love from Argentina.
Amin!
Thank you! You are a Godsend to many people who are looking for words that come from God... May God bless you and keep you safe! .... 🙏
Thank you Fr. Seraphim. This was a blessing for me to hear. I thank Christ for having you to help us all through this amazing struggle.
Stability. Patience. Endurance. ⚔️ ☦️ ⚔️
Exactly what I needed to hear ... painful as it is ... revealing my fickleness! Thank you Father for pressing on!!
Thanks and amen Father .
Amen! Yes! Definitely! Father, what you have been sharing is like spiritual treasure to me! God has been using you as a wonderful vessel of His to tell the world about His love and the way to salvation and truth! So please continue recording and sharing these insights if God willing and you are able to. Let us fight the good battle together for God! I will keep you all in my prayers! May God bless!
Thank you for making the effort to make these videos. You bless many people!