Don't be fooled: all 'low' periods hide a spiritual treasure

Summary

In this heartfelt video script, the speaker reflects on the beauty of the recent Orthodox Easter, expressing immense gratitude for the ordination of Father Fen into priesthood, which brings spiritual and practical blessings to their monasteries. The speaker also addresses the post-Easter lull, emphasizing the importance of this period as a deeply intimate time with the resurrected Christ. They encourage viewers to be aware of Christ's presence and to strive for spiritual growth through acts of love and sacrifice, knowing that salvation is a gift but requires personal effort to receive and cherish.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The speaker expresses deep gratitude for the prayers and support received, which contributed to a beautiful and peaceful Easter season at their monastery.
• 🎉 An apology is made for not recording the previous week due to the Holy Week observances in the Orthodox tradition.
• 🌟 The ordination of Father Fen into the priesthood is a significant event, bringing joy and a sense of fulfillment to the community.
• 👨‍🔬 The ordination allows for better organization of services and the potential for the speaker to live longer, healthier, contributing to the spiritual life of the community.
• 📣 The speaker acknowledges the support of the online community, who are vital to the monastery's ongoing operations and are kept informed of important updates.
• 🕊 The period after Easter, known as Bright Week, is described as a time of special intimacy with Christ, who is believed to be present in his resurrected body.
• 🚶‍♂️ The disciples' inability to recognize Christ on the road to Emmaus is used as a metaphor for the spiritual presence of Christ that may be unrecognized in daily life.
• 🛡 The speaker encourages the congregation to be vigilant in their spiritual battles, knowing that Christ is present and watching, even in times of struggle and sin.
• 💖 The importance of love, sacrifice, and acts of kindness is emphasized as a means to open oneself up to receive God's grace and salvation.
• 🙌 The speaker calls for a heightened awareness and presence during the period between Easter and Ascension, as a time when Christ's presence is especially tangible.
• ✝️ Salvation is presented as a pure gift of love from Christ, but one that requires personal effort and contribution to fully receive and cherish.

Q & A

What was the speaker's emotional state during the recent Pascha?

The speaker was filled with joy and felt that it was perhaps one of the most beautiful Paschas they've had in the 15 years of the monastery's existence.

Why did the speaker apologize for not recording the previous week?

The speaker apologized because it was Holy Week for the Orthodox, and they needed to preserve their strength and focus on the services.

What significant event occurred during Holy Week involving Father Fen?

Father Fen was ordained into the holy priesthood by Bishop Athanasius from Rome on Palm Sunday.

What does having two priests at the monasteries mean for the community?

It means they can better organize their services and have more holy services on both Mal and Iona, which is a great blessing for the community.

How does the speaker describe the period between Pascha and the Ascension of Christ?

The speaker describes it as a special, intimate time with Christ, when He is present with them in His resurrected body.

What does the speaker suggest people struggle against during this period?

The speaker encourages people to struggle against their passions, to fight and do battle, especially knowing that Christ is present with them.

What is the significance of the speaker's mention of 'Tabernacles' in the context of salvation?

The speaker uses 'Tabernacles' as a metaphor for the human soul, which must be cleansed and made worthy to receive the presence of God.

How does the speaker view the relationship between Christ's gift of salvation and personal effort?

The speaker believes that although salvation is a gift, personal effort and contribution are necessary to open oneself up to receive and preserve this gift.

What is the speaker's advice for those who feel lost after the height of Pascha and Holy Week?

The speaker advises them to be more present and aware of Christ's hidden but real presence in their lives, and to continue to struggle in their spiritual journey.

How does the speaker describe the importance of being aware of Christ's presence during the period between the resurrection and Ascension?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of being deeply aware of Christ's presence as it provides an opportunity for a more intimate relationship and a time for spiritual growth and battle against sins.

What is the role of the online community in supporting the monastery?

The online community supports the monastery on a monthly basis, both in prayer and materially, which makes the monastery's life possible.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 Reflections on Easter and a New Priest

The speaker expresses profound joy and gratitude following a beautiful Easter celebration at their monastery. They apologize for not recording the previous week due to the Orthodox Holy Week and thank the audience for their prayers, which they believe contributed to the ordination of Father Fen into the priesthood. With two priests now, they foresee better organization of services and a longer, healthier life. The speaker also addresses the feeling of emptiness post-Easter, sharing their personal view that this period is a special, intimate time with the resurrected Christ, who is spiritually present with them.

05:01

🕊 The Presence of Christ in Our Lives

The speaker delves into the significance of Christ's presence in his resurrected body during the period between Easter and Ascension. They emphasize the importance of recognizing and being aware of this spiritual presence, drawing parallels to the disciples' encounter with the unrecognized Christ. The speaker encourages the audience to engage in spiritual battles and acts of love during this time, as Christ is closely observing their struggles and sacrifices. They highlight the message that salvation is a gift from Christ, but it requires personal effort and contribution to receive and maintain it.

10:02

🛐 Embracing Christ's Presence and Spiritual Challenges

The speaker continues to reflect on the tangible yet invisible presence of Christ during the period between his resurrection and Ascension. They stress the importance of being spiritually present and aware of Christ's presence in everyday life, suggesting that he may communicate through unexpected sources. The speaker challenges the audience to demonstrate love, patience, and forgiveness, especially towards those who wrong them. They conclude by reminding the audience that Christ is always present, witnessing their actions, and that their spiritual life is revealed through their deeds of love, not just words.

Keywords

💡Christ

Christ, in the context of the script, refers to Jesus Christ, the central figure of Christianity. The speaker emphasizes Christ as the 'reason' for joy and the focal point of the spiritual journey during the Easter season. The video's theme revolves around the presence and transformative power of Christ, especially during the period between Easter and Ascension.

💡Pascha

Pascha, also known as Easter, is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Christian tradition. The script describes it as a time of peace, grace, and blessing, highlighting the significance of this event in the spiritual life of the Orthodox community and the monastery.

💡Monastery

A monastery is a place where monks live in seclusion, typically as part of a religious order. In the script, the speaker mentions the monastery on Mal and Iona, indicating the setting and the community where the spiritual practices and the events described are taking place.

💡Bishop

A bishop is a high-ranking clergyman in the Christian church, often responsible for overseeing a diocese. The script discusses the role of Bishop Athanasius in ordaining Father Fen into the priesthood, which is a significant event in the monastery's life and its relationship with the church hierarchy.

💡Ordination

Ordination is the process of being made a member of the clergy, typically involving a formal ceremony. The script describes the ordination of Father Fen into the priesthood, which is a pivotal moment that brings joy and a sense of divine favor to the monastery.

💡Prayer

Prayer is a form of communication with God, expressing one's thoughts, feelings, and desires. The speaker thanks the audience for their prayers, which are seen as instrumental in the ordination of Father Fen and as a continuous support for the monastery's spiritual life.

💡Resurrected Christ

The term 'resurrected Christ' refers to Jesus Christ after his crucifixion and resurrection. The script emphasizes the presence of the resurrected Christ with the believers during the period between Easter and Ascension, signifying a time of special intimacy and spiritual significance.

💡Ascension

The Ascension refers to the Christian belief that Jesus Christ ascended to heaven after his resurrection. The script discusses the Ascension as a significant event that marks the end of the period of special spiritual presence of Christ on earth.

💡Spiritual Struggle

Spiritual struggle, in the context of the script, refers to the ongoing battle against one's passions and sins in the pursuit of spiritual growth and closer union with God. The speaker encourages the audience to engage in this struggle, especially during the period between Easter and Ascension, as a way to demonstrate their love for Christ.

💡Salvation

Salvation, in Christian theology, is the deliverance from sin and its consequences through the grace of God. The script emphasizes that salvation is a gift from Christ, but it also requires the believer's active participation and contribution to be receptive to this divine gift.

💡Community

The term 'community' in the script refers to the group of people who support the monastery, both through prayer and material means. The speaker expresses gratitude for this support, which is crucial for the monastery's existence and its ability to maintain its spiritual practices.

Highlights

Christ is the reason for the speaker's joy and the beauty of the recent Easter celebrations.

The monastery on Mal and Iona has experienced one of the most beautiful Easters in its 15 years.

Apology for not recording the previous week due to Holy Week observances.

Gratitude expressed for prayers, particularly concerning the relationship with the Bishop.

Father Fen was ordained into the priesthood, a significant event for the community.

The ordination of Father Fen allows for better organization of services and potential for longer life for the speaker.

The importance of the online community's support for the monastery's ongoing needs.

The spiritual low point or 'lull' after Easter and the challenge of maintaining faith during this period.

The presence of the resurrected Christ with the community during the period between Easter and Ascension.

The need for awareness of Christ's presence and the importance of being present before Him.

The spiritual battle and the importance of striving against one's passions during this period.

Salvation as a gift from Christ, yet the necessity of personal contribution to receive it.

The role of the community in supporting the monastery and the speaker's prayers for them.

The concept of being a 'Tabernacle' for the Holy Spirit and the need to prepare oneself to receive God's presence.

The challenge to be more present and aware of Christ's presence during the period between Easter and Ascension.

The spiritual significance of acts of love and forgiveness as manifestations of faith.

The reminder that Christ is always present, regardless of one's spiritual state, urging for conscious awareness.

Transcripts

Christ is reason my dear ones Christ is

reason I have so much joy in me we've

had such a beautiful pasca everything

was beautiful everything was peaceful

everything was Grace filled and blessed

it has been perhaps one of the most

beautiful if not the most beautiful

pasca we've had on Mal and Iona in the

15 years of existence of our Monastery

here and um I need first to apologize

for not recording last week but it was

Holy Week for us for the Orthodox so I

needed to preserve my strength and my my

attention my focus on the

services and uh secondly I need to thank

you deeply and from the bottom of my

heart for keeping us in your prayers I

had asked you to keep us in your prayers

because I felt something was in the air

concerning our relationship with our

Bishop and I had a secret deep prayer

and hope in my heart that the bishop

would ordain father Fen uh our beloved

father Fen into the holy priesthood and

through your prayers and by the mercy of

God on Palm Sunday so two Sundays ago uh

Bishop athanasius from Rome was sent by

our own Metropolitan Joseph to come to M

he's been with us for 3 days and he

ordained father feeling into the

priesthood which means that now we have

two priests at our monasteries on Mal

and aona and that means that I have a

chance of staying healthier for a bit

longer and maybe living a bit

longer uh in practice it means that we

shall be able to better organize our

services and that there will be more

holy Services both on mall and on Iona

so it is an amazing blessing and I'm

overwhelmed and overflowing with

gratitude for the prayers you've offered

and for Christ who has listened to all

these prayers and has fulfilled this

deep deep prayer of my heart that we

should have a second priest here as it

is appropriate for two

monasteries now uh all of this is news

to you uh except of course if you are a

member of our online community the

community of the people who support our

monasteries on a monthly basis because

I've shared all of this with them

already they they are always with us

they always with us in prayer and

materially as well and I

am always interceding on their behalf

before God because you those who are

members of the community make our lives

here

possible for

today I wanted to address only one thing

and I I think it will be quite brief and

that has to do with this deep in our

spiritual life this kind of low Point

collapse after the you know the the

height of pasca and holy week and the 40

days of land there's this lull like no

man's land after pasca where nothing

seems to happen especially now during

bright week because the services are

very few and very very short

comparatively you know short for us the

Orthodox um and many of you this year

and in the past have written to say that

you feel lost as if there's nothing for

us to do anymore there's nothing no aim

no purpose placed before us and I've

always found this very strange because

for me this time is the most important

special intimate time with Christ even

more so than Holy Week at least for me

personally and that's because between

the resurrection and up to the moment of

his Ascension to the right side of the

father Christ is present here with us in

his spiritual body we have with us no

longer the um Christ before the

resurrection we have with us the

resurrected Christ we have with us

this mixture if you want to put it that

way this meeting place in his person of

of Christ in his body but in his

resurrected body Christ after his now

been crucified and resurrected before

his Ascension he's with us here he's

with us now here on this bench next to

me the fact that my eyes don't perceive

him and the fact that your eyes don't

perceive him has nothing to do with him

it's not about him not being present

it's got everything to do with our

inability with our eyes being closed and

blinded that story of the disciples

traveling towards ous and Christ me

meeting them along the way and them not

being able to recognize him but Christ

being there and walking with them and

hearing them and talking to them and uh

you know he asks them what are you

talking about and they are being a bit

ironic they would never be ironic with

Christ if they knew that it was Christ

speaking to them but it's

this this horrifyingly wonderful reality

of having with us in a way that is

inaccessible for us to see in an

invisible way for us having with us

Christ himself in his resurrected body

during these few days only between the

resurrection and his Ascension of course

we have God With Us throughout the year

of course we have God With Us at every

single moment of Our Lives you know when

we pray that um uh God should be present

in our lives that's a bit of a nonsense

prayer because God is present what we

should be praying for is that we are

present before him that we are aware of

his presence and that we ourselves

become present before him so we can pray

face to face person to

person this is a very special intimate

time when Christ is with us in the body

that will become proper to us as well

after the resurrection this is the

spiritual resurrected body of which we

shall all partake after the general

Resurrection this is our future reality

if we are found worthy to be saved and

there is something about knowing as you

eat that Christ is with you in his body

his resurrected body it's something to

know to keep in mind that as you drive

and as you work as you offer and you

spread love to your brothers and your

sisters or as you fall as you collapse

into your Darkness as you commit the

sins to which every single one of us is

by now addicted or uh they've become

habitual it's no

longer as it is during the rest of the

year but in a special way where Christ

is present in a more personal physical

way in our lives and this time more than

any time of the year I encourage you to

struggle against your passions to fight

to do battle to do violence as the

disciples the evangelist he said in

order to fight for the kingdom because

you've got Christ right here right here

by your side and you want him to see you

doing battle and you want him to see you

struggling even if you if you feel

you've reached the limit of your battle

the LI the limit of what you can offer

push through it my beloved one push

through it during this blessed holy

period between the resurrection and the

Ascension so that he may see you

struggling so that he may see you doing

battle out of love for him out of love

for his kingdom out of love for the

Salvation of all your brothers and all

your sisters every single human being

ever created from Adam and Eve until the

last person ever to be created by his

Blessed Hands now do the battle knowing

that Christ is watching you now put in

the sacrifice now put in everything

you've got and Beyond what you've got so

that he may see it and so that he may

reward you for your love and for your

sacrifice we all are saved through his

grace alone we all are saved and

salvation is nothing but pure gift

salvation is an act of love

101% nothing else but but an act of love

a gift from Christ's part towards us

sinners and yet as you well know from

the disciples the apostles through every

single generation of priests and Bishops

and so on up to us today up up to me The

Sinner up to our own father Fen who's

just been ordained a priest a few days

ago we've been taught that although

salvation is a gift and nothing else we

still need to put in our our nothingness

we still need to contribute to the best

of our ability because it is this battle

this contribution that opens us up to

his gift the fact that Christ wants to

save us doesn't mean that we are able to

receive that salvation the fact that

Christ has something to give us doesn't

mean that we are able to receive that

gift and then to hold it to guard it to

preserve it and to to live into eternity

with

it um the fathers compare us with

Tabernacles for the holy spirit for

Christ for the father for the Holy

Trinity for the love of God and his life

but we it's up to us to clean this

Tabernacle to make it worthy of

receiving the presence of

God I suppose all I want you to say

is be present during this period between

the resurrection and the Ascension be

more present than at any other given

time be more aware of Christ's hidden

spiritually hidden but so real presence

in our lives he may be speaking to you

through the person who annoys you he may

be speaking to you trying to to tempt

you as we say in order to see how much

love do you actually have how much

patience do you actually have how much

forgiveness are you willing to offer to

your brother and your sister who is

harming you or hurting you or sinning

against you how many times are you ready

to forgive are you willing to forgive 70

times seven a day as he teaches us are

you willing to turn the other cheek as

your brother or your sister is slapping

you are you will willing to bless the

one who curses you are you willing to

give to the one who steals from you your

your shirt also your

T-shirt this is the time when Christ

will tempt you in order to

see beyond our

words what is the reality of our

spiritual life because words are cheap

my beloved ones words are wor

earthless it is in these

acts of Love or lack of love for Christ

and our neighbor that our faith is

manifested and during this time between

the resurrection and the Ascension we

have God

himself Christ Our

Savior in his resurrected body present

with us

whatever you do if you fly up high

spiritually in your prayer and your acts

of Love or if you fall down into the

depth of sin and passion whatever you do

be

deeply painfully aware that Christ is

just here no matter how many doors you

might close to be alone Christ is right

here in that body of his that is able to

go through walls that is able to be

presented before you without you or I or

all of us being able to recognize him we

leave and breathe before his eyes we

stand and we fall before his eyes we

love and we hate before his eyes and at

no other given time during our year is

that so

US during these few weeks between his

resurrection and his Ascension into

heaven Christ is

reason my beloved ones and those of you

who are not Orthodox you should respond

he is reason

indeed I carry you here deep deep in my

heart I pray for you always thank you

for your prayers thank you for your

support thank you especially for those

of you who have signed up to our online

community and who are supporting us with

however and whatever you can but you're

doing it on a monthly basis which means

that we we know we can pay our

bills thank you and may God bless every

ouns of your body and of your soul my

beloved ones amen

amen amen