Against pride and hypocrisy. How to do things FOR GOD, not for people to see you?

Keep yourself grounded in humility, so that you may fight pride and hypocrisy, and prevent them from staining your spiritual struggle before the Lord. When you are at the beginning of your spiritual life, you need to prioritise your ascetical works, because they will eventually help you open up to receive God's Grace.
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The video 'How to do things FOR GOD, not for people to see you? How to fight pride and hypocrisy?' was recorded by Fr Seraphim (Aldea) at Mull Monastery (The Orthodox Monastery of All Celtic Saints), on the Isle of Mull.

[@mullmonastery]

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[@Anthony.Mathai]

Please do not stop this channel, I beg you. I need advice like this, it’s rare to see it nowadays, especially from a monastic like you.

[@mullmonastery]

My dear Anthony, God speaks to us in the most unexpected ways. At times, nothing is louder or more clear than the trees around Kilninian or the mist covering everything. God teaches us constantly, through everything and everyone. I pray you will learn to hear His Voice all around you, dear one.

[@orthocatsr.8723]

Best priest I've ever seen. Tho I come from Protestantism evidently

[@Blue-kf6ju]

This one truly stuck a cord...I am a recent convert and I usually preach, debate and antagonize atheists and people of other religions, not to insult them, but to try to convert them. Your words have made it so painfully obvious, Its not my place to preach, is pridefull of me to pretend I got it all figured out now, and therefore can speak in the name of God or the Church, or even worst, that I can understand God better than the church. I want to thank you Father, because this video has humbled me and has given me a new perspective on how to continue living my faith from now on. From this day and for five more years, I wont preach, I wont debate, and I wont reprimend. Instead I will pray, fast, work and study until Im ready to serve God in any other way. God bless you Father, and thanks again

[@user-jl9cg2im5q]

Dear father Seraphim, you are the closest I had to a spiritual father! I find so much wisdom and love in your words! Thank you for your word and God bless!

[@mullmonastery]

May God bless you and guide, you, dear Daniel. Please keep me and the Monastery in your prayers, and may this common prayer keep us strong in our spiritual life.

[@user-jl9cg2im5q]

@@mullmonastery thank you Father, I will!

[@emilymatienzo5922]

Dear Fr. Seraphim, I am a Roman Catholic, Oblate of the Order of Saint Benedict, from the United States, and I have been enjoying your videos since 2020. After six minutes and thirty-four seconds of this video, I was moved to make an appointment with my regular Confessor. Thank you for your wise promptings. Know of my prayers for you. May God bless you. In the name of Jesus, may the schism be healed. 🕊

[@mullmonastery]

Thank God for always knocking at our hearts, dear Emily. And thank you for your prayers. May we all be blessed.

[@robynmarler1951]

I totally relate to this. Also I can't do any good thing without thinking "oh I'm so good", and then I think "I'm disgusting, I only do good so that I can think highly of myself", and then, "aren't I holy for thinking that". And so on... God bless you Father Seraphim and all here🌹

[@user-yr2jo7xj3j]

Thak you Father for yuors advices and teachings.God bless yo

[@soulfulplaya5508]

Bless yu Father we never stop learning in our spiritual life and our every day lifes...God bless world family...

[@American-Jello]

To whomever wrote this email: I COMPLETELY understand what you are feeling, as I too often struggle with this. You writing this letter and Father answering has helped me very much, so thank you for taking the time to write it. It just goes to show that we are all connected to each other, even if we don't realize it all the time. Blessings to you.

[@mullmonastery]

That is so beautiful, dear one. This unity which is revealed even in our weaknesses, I learn so much from looking at how common our battles are - primarily, I learn why the experience of the Church is essential for our salvation. Instead of falling in all possible mistakes, we can avoid at least part of them if we learn from the experience of those who lived before us. We can also learn how to do spiritual battle without having to be defeated each possible way. May we all be blessed, dear one

[@Music-Visually]

Dear Father Seraphim, I am so moved by your honesty and directness in this video. May God bless you and Mull and Iona Monasteries. 🙏🙏🙏

[@smashingtwoscoops4999]

Wow, I was wondering about this. Thanks for clearing so much up for me. It's my practice to be the best emanation of GOD that I can be. Rather than try to explain GOD to people. 🙂🙏❤️

[@annawray2220]

I am amazed by this video, I have been conflicted for months about this issue. I am to be Christmated tomorrow so a very new Orthodox Christian convert, I have felt intuitively that I just cannot talk about my faith to others, knowing people will just argue with me and dismiss me, i am completely surrounded by atheist friends and family. I felt like I was being a coward perhaps but just did need that cacoon to develop my faith without external pressure. This has helped me so much!

[@kadmii]

"am I doing this in order to tell someone I did it" has been a thought I have often struggled with

[@liliastaroselska8779]

I am among those 99% of preaching converts, even in the church I always hear Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! And this is told to everyone. Thank you for your discernment and wisdom, blessed be God !

[@yennguyen-uj3ri]

I’m Catholic and I love learning and listening to father seraphim.

[@Willandpetesmom]

Please know the good these videos do. Your wisdom and insight show through in all you do. Please don’t stop.

[@christinahartgraves]

I appreciate your obedience and the writer of this question.

[@Giorgio8006]

I get it. You describe my falls. Thank you.

[@FinalProgram]

11:05 "I have nothing to offer" I beg to differ. Your videos are brilliant.

[@aknotz]

The evil in this world wants to tempt us into not doing good works. The Father is 100% correct. Do good works, learn yourself and grow in your spirituality. You know what you’re thinking, contemplate/correct your motivations. But like the father said, do good works anyway.

[@PhialoDesign]

This video was sent to me by God. I was asking myself exactly this thing for a long time and especially these last weeks. Thank you again Father Seraphim, from the bottom of my heart. Maria

[@mullmonastery]

Glory be to God, dear Maria. It obviously has been on the minds of many people, including my own. May we all be blessed.

[@almasakic1148]

I feel the same, it's like it came at the perfect moment!

[@stopwithitnowthx]

Hide it first until you don't care just give it to the Lord, humbly, in my opinion.

[@IOwnedCamo]

This is so hard for me. I grew up evangelical and am still in an evangelical church. It seems like the very next day after accepting Christ you are pushed to go and share. And I definitely feel like the person who wrote this email sometimes. I need prayers that God changes me.

[@stingra8]

Thank you Father, I needed to hear this.

[@miguelbinha]

Yes, Father it has blessed me as well. God bless you.

[@evistavrinides3994]

Dear father please may I ask that you pray for my son Andrea's Stavrinides who is having a brain tumour operation this morning on 6th March 2023. He is 27 years of age. Thank you for all your talks

[@edwicelrard3396]

Thank you very much father. This video has pointed me in the right direction as to what I must do. Thank you, and God Bless you.

[@mullmonastery]

May we all be blessed, dear Edwic.

[@anitkithra]

I **needed** to hear everything in this video. - seriously Fr. thank you.

[@atomicsnowflake]

I think your words are helping so many people fr Seraphim 🙏☦️🕊️

[@kimetari3369]

Thank you jesus for him

[@amirasaad630]

I love how you personalize faith father Seraphim. The heart is so deceiving indeed but thank you for the reminder to just do the works! God is so merciful to us and uses our imperfect works to change our hearts. Thank you for the message 🙏

[@mullmonastery]

Dear Amira, it is always a danger to aim too high too soon. This is why focusing on the works of faith, while knowing that only Christ can pour true Life in our faith, is the only safe way forward. It has been tried and tested by millions before us, during the two millennia of experience of the Church. May we all be blessed, dear one.

[@has25252]

Thank you for these words Father Seraphim - I needed to hear this.

[@birukhailu7113]

Thank you father

[@annasnipes4306]

I was chrismated five years ago but I would call myself a beginner in spirituality, and this advice is just what I needed to hear. Thank you and God bless you.

[@kmg2480]

I've gained such valuable insight and discernment from watching your recent videos, Father. You and your fellow monastics on Mull will always have a place in my prayers. God willing, I hope to visit Kilninian when I'm afforded the time to do so!

[@mullmonastery]

May God give us the joy to meet you in person, dar one. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers, especially now, as we approach the beginning of Lent. May we all be blessed.

[@crfogal67]

Glory to God for all things. Amen. 🙏🕯☦️❤️😊

[@LevPicaresco]

That was very helpful, thank you Father.

[@Michel-ov1sv]

Dear Father Seraphim, God is working through you and inspires you to say these words that we are thirsty of. Thank you

[@olivka9142]

I've never commented before, but I've been watching your videos for the past months. This video gave me the exact insight I needed. I was grappling with a long time with prayer, if I was doing it right, and if I should go through with observing Lent. I was initially worried I'd only be doing it for myself - for my appearances, superiority over others, etc etc. I was also worried I'd break it out of doubt. I was worried that my prayer was insincere or somehow wrong. Now I think I understand better, and will keep actively TRYING works, even if they are imperfect. To prioritize them as well to build a stronger foundation. Thank you very much, it means so much to me and many others that you create content on how to take responsibility and build faith even in a digital sea of others making excuses for their lives. God bless you!

[@mullmonastery]

That is exactly what we see in the experience of the Church, dear one. When we start, light and darkness are mixed up in our spiritual life, but - if we are aware of it and we actively struggle against it and ask Christ to cleanse our prayer - slowly, slowly, that very tension will become our cross, and that cross will take away all darkness. May all of us be blessed, dear one.

[@Aleksandr-Herman]

Very true words about converts. I'm a convert, and I have this temptation to preach and teach quite often. Thank you for the advise, and for giving the direction for the spiritual growth

[@PaulB1111]

Some really good advice there, i for one needed to hear that. 🙏☦️

[@mritchie85]

Hello Fr Seraphim, good to join you all again, as always you are all in my prayers and I hope all are well.

[@mullmonastery]

By the grace of God, we are all well and looking forward to the beginning of Lent, dear Mark. May God bless and protect us all.

[@Cata-Holic_Doode]

11:02 - Father You're medicine from God Sir.

[@kevinmckay6815]

Friday with Fr Seraphim is my favorite day of the week, you are a light in this world filled with darkness. Your sense of duty to the Monastery and the Lord have blessed our lives through your videos. Thank yoy Father.

[@amybastock8370]

Thank you, Father Seraphim for always being a source of wisdom and love. You are appreciated more than you know. God bless you! ❤️☦️

[@kenkola3208]

Grest content☦️

[@viviancampbell2106]

Thank You Father for this lesson!!! I'm not Orthodox but have incorporated your lessons, the Orthodox Study Bible and the sayings of the Dessert Fathers into my daily studies for the past 6 months. I've been truly BLESSED. 🙏

[@mullmonastery]

That is so beautiful, dear Vivian. There is nothing better than the Sayings of the Desert Fathers to prevent us from reducing our spiritual life to mere piety of religiousness. They were all Spirit and that power of the Spirit gives life to this day. Please keep me and the Monastery in your prayers.

[@legolord5114]

Thank you this was really helpful for me.

[@michaelharvey8902]

As a recent convert to the Orthodox Way This video is perhaps the best advice I have had . Michael Harvey

[@user-ho2kg1pc1e]

Thank you father.

[@kiriaioulia]

Thank you "Seraphima" for this letter! Thank you Fr. Seraphim, for this answer! God bless you both!

[@mullmonastery]

May we all be blessed, dear Julie. Please pray for us.

[@almasakic1148]

Dear Father Seraphim, I am a Catholic and at the beginning of my spiritual journey toward Christ and this sister who asked this question has asked a question I have had for months. I am just now learning to pray the rosary, and have been more open to others about my spiritual identity, but have felt guilty thinking I am being ostentatious. But my atheist and agnostic or Buddhist friends seem to feel comfortable and don't disrespect me so I suppose I am not preaching too much about it., but I also feel very aware that I could be attacked easily. So I am trying to stay 'private' about it for the time being. Thank you for this

[@normadaly7506]

Thank you very much father

[@ioneladaniela3553]

Thank you Father for the beautiful words for our souls ! 🙏

[@lynnemakrinaomara8502]

You are family to me and this sustains me. I am 61 and lonely

[@some1faraway26]

Thank you for your advice Fr. Seraphim! I am currently struggling with this problem as well and this video helped me to understand the issue more. God Bless!

[@matamoros6525]

another incredible video. I will pray that your videos will reach more and more people. The ones who haven't seen your channel need it the most.

[@mullmonastery]

God knocks and we open (or not) in freedom, dear one. Thank you for your kindness and for your prayers.

[@geaaleixo]

I'm converting to Catholicism and those advices were perfect to me in this moment. God bless you!

[@saint5203]

thank you Father Seraphim. thank you for all of your videos. I'm currently being tested. God recently put it on my heart to start my own business and it was a very scary proposition. my business was doing well and I feel like God was showing me his favor. Things have slowed down drastically and I feel a roller coaster of emotions. Fear, anxiety, confusion and much more. I do know what I should be doing. Praying, fasting, almsgiving. Perhaps God is strengthening me but im scared. I want to rest in his peace but i cant find it. I can feel my faith slowly slipping away. God help me and have mercy on me. Subdeacon Christopher.

[@stylist62]

Thank you 😭🥵🙏you are helping me so much, please pray for me trauma chronic stress too losses, growing so painful

[@anothercat1300]

Thank you for clearing this up. One of my temptations is to preach. I'm going to avoid that at all costs and focus on my prayer rule. I need to let myself grow like you said. It's just difficult because I'm full of passions that take me in different directions. But this makes things clear.

[@lindacole9674]

Years ago I wanted to go to mass everyday during Lent. I managed to stick to it even when I was away because of work. Then one day as I was getting ready for the evening service, my mom called. My dad was away and she was having a tough day and asked me to come over. If I did, it would 'ruin' my record for Lent. Kind of silly to think that I even hesitated a moment before doing the right thing.

[@grindversity_]

Spread love because God is love♥️♥️♥️

[@mullmonastery]

Amen, dear one.

[@NBCorina]

Very usefull perspective! Thank you Seraphima for the question! Thank you father Serafim for your answer!

[@nate4z]

Father Seraphim, and all brothers and sisters in Christ who read this, please pray for me, by the help of God, to overcome spiritual laziness. To overcome the sins of the flesh. Sins such as: lust, laziness, anger, pride, arrogance, perversion, inclination to the world, wrath, and all these evil things. I am aware that it is not easy, and so I pray to Lord Jesus Christ to help me, father seraphim, and all brothers and sisters, children of Christ, to continue to bear our crosses, and get up when we fall, by His help. I pray for all of you, and the monastery. May the Holy Mother of God pray for us, and all the angels intercede for us, Amen. 🙏🏾

[@mullmonastery]

May God help and strength you and all of us, dear one. May we all grow by the His grace.

[@gheel]

Thank you for this message Father, and I appreciate your perspective on the 'why' behind what you do in support of the monastery. It really struck me that I haven't heard many ministries be so honest, and so humble about their "contribution" to the kingdom of God.

[@influencija]

I thank God that I have opportunity to listen to your words father!

[@radamanthus]

Bless you for this, Father. I’ll be been brooding on this for the last few weeks.

[@kathleenglumpe8554]

God Bless you , thank you 🙏

[@elvenkind6072]

God bless you so much for this channel from Mull Monastery, I'm so happy I found it. Thank you for all your humble and honest topics, that leave you vulnerable, but help other gain strength.

[@mullmonastery]

I've always grown from those around me who found the love to teach me by making themselves vulnerable. To some degree, I pray that I am able to return the love I was given, which I know came directly from Christ, not from a human being. May we all be blessed, dear one.

[@youniahawel8608]

Amen

[@peteh2603]

I generally don’t comment, however to your writer of this lesson. For the most part In Orthodoxy, we pray in private, we fast in private and we do works in private. There’s no need to worry or think about the outside world, friends or anything else. Thank you Father ☦️ Bless please 🙏🏻

[@anastasiam1797]

Thank you Father for the advice 🙏

[@re_medy]

Thank you!

[@adelinacod5683]

Doamne Iisuse Hristoase, Fiul lui Dumnezeu,miluieste-ne pe noi pacatosii! Amin 🙏

[@Ryuma222]

I never usually say this but that was great advice

[@esmeraldaserna4962]

Thank you.

[@nektariamichos1637]

Thank you Fr Seraphim, I can relate to the person who sent this email and your wisdom has truly helped me, God bless you!

[@markojovanovic8856]

You are listening in Serbia, dear Father. Give me a Blessing, Father.

[@mullmonastery]

May God bless you and embrace you, dear Marko. I just had the blessing to venerate the relics of St Sebastian, the Serbian (in Jackson, California) - may his prayers intercede for all of us.

[@lilacs_last]

Thank you, father Seraphim! This beautiful video comes at a time when I needed it most. You and the monastery are in my prayers!

[@mullmonastery]

Glory be to God and thank you for your prayers - we all need to be supported in prayer.

[@andreasperjons4707]

Thank you for this video father Seraphim, I really needed it.

[@pupgm4005]

I love you Brother!

[@user-sarasara]

You say toward the end that you hope this makes sense and helps. While I am not the "Seraphima" you are responding to, I do want to say yes, emphatically, this makes a great deal of sense to me and answers some things I've wondered about over the past 8 years since I was welcomed into the Orthodox Church. Thank you so much!

[@mariami2670]

Dear Father Seraphim your videos are necessary for me. ❤❤❤❤🇬🇪

[@cslewis1404]

Phillipians 2 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. -Trust that God is working in you to bear good fruit.

[@kellylogue72]

I needed that

[@eduardoreategui]

Thank you Father, what a blessed video and guidance, I needed this one so much.

[@charlestonscnative9083]

So many insights; thank you.

[@mullmonastery]

Thank God for all good things, dear one. It gives me hope to know that anything we do has been of help for someone. Please keep the Monastery in your prayers.

[@damijanapipan8668]

Thank you for all of your words 💓. I'm waiting every frieday for them. This topic is so mine 🤨. Once I heard the story: The young novice come to the old father and say "fr. I wish to saw seeds but there is so much weed in betwen the seeds. I don't know if it will be good" The old man sey: "do the sawing anyway." Agein big thank you. And God bless you

[@andrewmclellan1623]

Thank you Father. Please keep up these videos. Please also pray for my sister who is sick. In Christ.

[@nateg6525]

So convicting. Thank you Father! This is a life changing message. May the Lord bless you in this ministry

[@MatejXOXO]

I feel like this advice was directed at me. Thank you.

[@anitar150]

Surely, you must realize how much you help us out here in this challenging world I thank God for these videos!

[@lesliehatun2044]

🙏

[@LG-ch9ms]

🙏🙏🙏

[@vince3292]

Watch over me Father,so that everything I do may be with the intention of pleasing Jesus. Saint Bernadette 💫 🙏🙏🙏

[@patredman3733]

Perfect sense thank you again. May God bless you for your obedience and humility, may He continue to keep you all walking in His will.

[@annasen5651]

So clear and helpful Father Seraphim! Thank you , thank you .

[@mullmonastery]

May God bless all of us, dear Anna.

[@shadeofmirkwood]

Blessed lent Father. Thank you.

[@lonnagraves7937]

Fr. I've been following a little while but have never commented. I've gone back and watched several of your old videos; they mean so much. The scenery is so pretty there, as I am in the wilds of Texas on a farm. Thank you for your wisdom and sharing it with us. May God Bless you

[@kevinzalac8945]

I struggle with this. I work two extremely labor intensive jobs. One has unpredictable hours and times of extreme adrenaline and work activity. I worry about fasting myself weak. And then I worry that I’m making excuses not to fast through out Lent. Then i feel ashamed to ask to be excused from a fast. So I sort of fast. And then sort of don’t. I pray and read every day. But my fasting is poor.