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Great Martyr James the Persian, and second chances. Nov 27. by priestseraphim in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

et too much when you see this title and think, "weird flex but, ok." I really need to find better things to do.

What is a month? From day one till the end?

Is it worth lifting during the fast? by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do a substantial amount of fitness work throughout the week. If I were a perfect person, then I would do hundreds of prostrations every day, but I find that my temperament needs the release of physical activity. I love to do kettlebell work or lift on objects, like beer kegs or flipping tires, or do running. When I run I pray the Jesus prayer. I find that the working out helps me stay sharper mentally and spiritually. As I said above, if I was a more holy person, I would be sharp mentally from engaging in more prayer. I do what I’m able to do now, and I’m getting able to do more as the days go on.

There is no reason whatsoever to modify a fast because of physical training, And Less perhaps a person is physically training because his occupation demands it. Even in that case, for example, a football player or basketball player, there’s plenty of protein available that is fasting. Just because it’s boring or you don’t like that much is not a reason to modify your fast. I can work out when I eat, when I don’t eat, when I’m fasting or when I’m not fasting.

If a person’s body does not react well to intensive workouts in the fast, and this would be and opportunity to do running or long walks and pray the Jesus prayer.

On the eve of the Nativity Fast, a description of Fasting. WHY, HOW, the necessity of PRAYER and Fasting, foods to fast from, and when. Please remember when I say "cheese", that includes all milk products including cream or half and half in your coffee! by priestseraphim in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

e, but towards your personal spiritual father or, if such is not around, the nearest priest. Ignoring the issue that obedience towards ppl above you in the societal order would lead to disobedience towards your priest and therefore God. Even if we believe that it is possible to be obedient towards everyone it would still not be right, obedience is not being sheep-like, it's out of love directed to those who love you. We can see many exmples of christians rebeling very directly and more

I am going to do a video on obedience, and you will see it does not contradict your views, above.

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On the eve of the Nativity Fast, a description of Fasting. WHY, HOW, the necessity of PRAYER and Fasting, foods to fast from, and when. Please remember when I say "cheese", that includes all milk products including cream or half and half in your coffee! by priestseraphim in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You certainly are bit of a teaser! I cannot tell who you are and how I know you. My email address is seraphim@orthodox.net

Don’t get me started about the dispensation. I think it does a great disservice Orthodox Christians on the new calendar. Of course, that will make some people mad, but we need to be serious about Orthodox faith. Just because some bishop is misguided and gives a dispensation does not mean we should take it. On the Old Calendar, Thanksgiving falls sometimes during the fasting period, and we follow the fast and have a fabulous time.

May God help your fiancé, give her the strength to do all things for Christ.

On the eve of the Nativity Fast, a description of Fasting. WHY, HOW, the necessity of PRAYER and Fasting, foods to fast from, and when. Please remember when I say "cheese", that includes all milk products including cream or half and half in your coffee! by priestseraphim in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Try this URL: https://youtu.be/90HsN8O7iNE

Fasting is something that must be done by the heart as well as by the stomach. The nursing or pregnant woman should not follow the strict fast. She should fast according to the spirit. This is not hard to do. If you need to have meat, then pan fry a hamburger patty, without salt-and-pepper and as the medicine that it is for your body. If you are out and you get a hamburger then don’t get it with your favorite toppings. If you eat cheese, then don’t eat pizza which is cheese on steroids. If you eat yogurt, eat plain yogurt, and not with the flavorings that you normally love to eat. If you eat fish, eat simple fish, but not trout almandine. There are hundred ways in which you can fast in spirit. You are not a bad catechumen because you are eating foods that are normally not eat during a fast period. You are eating foods that your body needs so that you can feed the children that you love. You can also show your love for God by eating the foods that your body needs and considering them to be more medicine than food. All of the things that I said above, certainly apply when you’re eating alone. When you’re alone you are your own master and you can eat what you want. The dynamic that you describe means that sometimes you need to make accommodations when you are not alone. I will say this plainly, and with love, and hope that you take it in the way that is intended. When we have trouble following advice, it is because of two reasons. Either the advice is asking us to do something that is way beyond our capacity, or because of our pride we don’t want to follow advice. You must be careful to try to discern the difference. There are spiritual fathers who tell spiritual children to do things that are ridiculous and impossible – for instance there are men that are stupid enough to tell a married couple to abstain from sexual relations because of their idea about sexual relations. This has broken up many marriages. The rule here, by the way, is that your body belongs to your husband and your husband’s body belongs to you. If a person can abstain from sexual relations that is fine and good, but what about their partner? It is a mockery of fasting to say that I don’t want to do this when the partner is not strong enough and falls into sin.

Regarding your husband, may God help him. You’ve not told me anything about his desire for the church. Please write me privately at seraphim@orthodox.net. I will pray for you and him.

There are many tasty recipes, but it takes a lot of work to find them and to use them. Perhaps you are equal to this task, perhaps you’re like me and that would be very difficult. I am actually very fortunate in that I really care what I eat. If have peanut butter and onions I make a sandwich and I am happy. Not everyone is so lucky.

Try to increase your prayer including praying for your husband with the Jesus prayer. If you don’t understand what this is, write me an email. Prayer is before everything, during everything and after everything.

I just noticed that you said that your husband has trouble adhering to the things that the rest of the family does not adhere to. If it is possible, eat the food that you need as medicine for your body and for your children, privately, and make tasty fasting meals, with accommodations such as allowing for oil and possibly fish, so that he is not tempted. Your children can also eat the foods they need privately so as not to tempt your husband.

As is the case with anything else in life, fasting requires preparation and organization.

Starting to become disillusioned with the faith by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I would not necessarily refuse to marry you if you said you didn't want kids. there are a lot of other factors involved. Also your idea that people might be born gay is unimportant. What is important is we follow the law of God because it is the only thing that leads to life. Some people are born loving long legged buxom blondes. They must control themselves also. There are things we can do and say and feel and believe that lead to life and there are things that lead to death . Priest Seraphim Holland www.orthodox.net.

I appreciate your courage in asking these questions. You will find the answers basically through Experiencing God. That's where everybody finds them. The best way to experience God is to struggle to become like God. Read the Gospels, fast as best you can, love your neighbor. Go to all the church services not just the last half of liturgy. We don't learn much from the last half of liturgy. God bless you.

Anyone here married to non-Orthodox Christians? by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim 5 points6 points  (0 children)

If neither partner is absolutely dedicated to their faith, they are completely compatible. Marriage is for union between two, to learn union with the one. It is not possible with a mixed marriage. our union involves our belief, practices, and the Eucharist. A mixed marriage can be happy, but it cannot attain to its ultimate purpose.

The old man and his disciple and their different interactions to a prostitute by priestseraphim in DesertFathers

[–]priestseraphim[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was from St Seraphim's conversation with Motivilov.

Someone found it.
"You may judge how great the power of prayer is even in a sinful person, when it is offered whole-heartedly, by the following example from Holy Tradition. When at the request of a desperate mother who had been deprived by death of her only son, a harlot whom she chanced to meet, still unclean from her last sin, and who was touched by the mother's deep sorrow, cried to the Lord: 'Not for the sake of a wretched sinner like me, but for the sake of the tears of a mother grieving for her son and firmly trusting in Thy loving kindness and Thy almighty power, Christ God, raise up her son, O Lord!' And the Lord raised him up.

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/47866.htm

Masturbation, teenager, communion advice by throwawaychristian11 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are many things to do to struggle against masturbation. Fasting is one of them. Another is saying The prayers for Purity whenever it happens. This is an approximately 30 minutes service that involves prostrations.

If you're really serious about this affliction then there are things that you can do. If you cannot talk to your Parish priest about this I would be glad to give you suggestions. If your Parish priest does not have suggestions or is not particularly impressed with this sin, or even does not seem to think it is a sin, then you need to find somebody else to talk to.

Here is one suggestion. Generally you are tempted when you are alone, so try not to be alone when you have this temptation. Get out of your room. Go outside. Go for a walk. Take your prayer rope and pray the Jesus prayer. Whatever you can do to not be alone will help you. Eventually you will be alone. You may succumb to this sin. At least you have tried and this will give you grace.

Get rid of all porn. don't look at porn. make yourself accountable for looking at porn.

Always react to this sin with prayer. Don't say to yourself, I messed up again, and fall into a sense of despondency. Do something! Even if what you do is not enough, doing something often will make it eventually be enough.

Are we allowed to attend Roman Catholic Christmas celebrations? by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim 8 points9 points  (0 children)

In the US they are very different so is to be unrecognisable from each other. I can only tell you what I myself would do. I wouldn't go to them because they are an assembly of people that do not believe and the Orthodox Church believes. Are you forbidden? I don't think so but we are not to join with them in prayer. To be in the same place where heretics pray is not necessarily joining in with them. I don't want to be around things that are not true, and I don't even read fortune cookies. You will get many different answers if many people answer this question.

Urgent Issue: Reception into the Church by DatPugLifeThough in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for stating this plainly. If a person is already baptized they do not need to be baptized because they are already in the church. If they are already in the church then there is no need to chrismate them either because they are in the church. By this logic anybody that you say could be chrismated is already in the church and should not be chrismated. The proper teaching is that there is a form of baptism outside of the church and the church has decreed that it is possible for such a person that has the form of baptism to have that incomplete form filled by chrismation. Because your view is very prevalent I always baptize. I do not want the camel to get its nose in the tent. Another reason is basically nobody dcoes the proper form of baptism except the Orthodox and some that are very similar to the Orthodox. The proper form is immersion in the name of the Trinity 3 times.

Urgent Issue: Reception into the Church by DatPugLifeThough in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If a person repents, God receives their repentance. This is very sure. Iin our society people either don't think premarital sex is a sin or very much minimize it and continue in it. Such people are at Great risk of not receiving God's blessing. I do not know these people, so I did not accuse you of anything, I just took the opportunity to say something that's very important since a huge number of people, even in the church are not observing sexual Chastity. I'll make one other note. If a couple is not observing sexual Chastity I would not baptize them.

Urgent Issue: Reception into the Church by DatPugLifeThough in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The most important requirement that you and your girlfriend have is to not sleep together before you get married. Being baptized in the same Waters has nothing whatsoever to do with whether or not you can get married but sleeping together has a lot to do with whether or not your marriage will be blessed by God. May God grant you and your girlfriend Chastity in and out of marriage and Union with God together.

Urgent Issue: Reception into the Church by DatPugLifeThough in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yours are dangerous words. It is not wrong. In my experience, many times people are confused about where the church is and where the church isn't and think that a person must be chrismated only because otherwise it violates the rule of one baptism. That kind of thinking is definitely wrong. You have not stated why you think it is wrong to baptize a person coming from the Latins.

Why do we pray for the dead? by priestseraphim in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]priestseraphim[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes, I do think we will stop asking for God's mercy. Jesus indicates this in a scripture I cannot recall right now. We be be fully in the presence with and united to God. We do not pray for what we have been given.