How to Find a Spiritual Father - Orthodox Talks

[@OrthodoxTalks]

It would be very good to have someone to guide us through life but many holy fathers say that, well, there are no spiritual fathers around... How to find a spiritual father when there are no such fathers is quite a question. Hope the answer is clear enough. Feel free to share your story

[@Calciu_EOC]

Excellent video Father, I've had many obstacles that unfortunately have left me with no spiritual father before and after baptism. Lord willing I will have a spiritual father one day.

[@OrthodoxTalks]

May God help you! Thanks for sharing!

[@edwardkurms4900]

Too many comments. You are getting popular Father. ;-)

[@Deiija]

God bless you 🙏 Thank you for the video. I’m not so close to the church, honestly. But I want to come closer - to God and to other people. I think, a spiritual father is a great help. I don’t have a spiritual father yet. My spiritual sponsor gave me a task - one short video a day from “the professional of God”. So I watch your videos. Hope I can find my spiritual father one day. Till than, thank you for your guidance 🙏 it helps a lot 🙏🙏

[@OrthodoxTalks]

The main thing is to search the path to Christ even if there are doubts and not everything is clear. It is only a matter of time because our Savior reveals Himself to us. Plus, the more we seek Him the more we realize that we need Him. Thank you so much for your encouraging comment! God bless you!

[@katia_x_katia]

I'm blessed beyond belief 🙏 l have my dearest spiritual father🙏

[@mariogagliardi8491]

Excellent! Thank you father, and glory to God!

[@OrthodoxTalks]

Glory be to God forever! Thank you for your comment!

[@lizalia1294]

Necessary, relevant, and very helpful talk and topic, Father Ivan. Thank you so much for all your labors in Christ. You, your loved ones, and enemies remain in my daily prayers always ☦️

[@OrthodoxTalks]

Thank you so much for your prayers and continuous support!

[@paulk8072]

Thank you Father ☦️

[@rebeccaharrishunt1181]

This all makes good sense, except that some of us are not in regions where Orthodox churches or monasteries are plentiful - I live in Montana, and here Orthodoxy is still getting a foot hold. I have been blessed to be in other parts of the country where Orthodoxy is established, but here we still have something of a spiritual desert in that respect.

[@OrthodoxTalks]

Thanks for bringing this up! It is true that many places are in need of spiritual guidance but I think that God shines His grace there same way! Many Holy Fathers started in a desert and look what their love for God has produced! We learn from them a lot!

[@radedjordjevic7808]

Thank you

[@ayonio5723]

Father your blessing, thank you for another very helpful video. Very timely for me. I wonder if you'd have a word on which parish church someone should attend and potential reasons to change parishes? Thank you:)

[@OrthodoxTalks]

Thank you for your question. I have used it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3qqiIeae8yXj7s

[@edwardkurms4900]

Excellent! 👍👍👍🧐🤔 Have you covered the topic about why the Son of God was baptized and the significance of this?

[@OrthodoxTalks]

Thank you. Here is a video about the Baptism of Jesus Christ kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpaZYZZmna2Ehbs

[@markorodokopljev9224]

Over-edited. Too many cuts, which kinda disrupts the flow and the continuity of the talk. That's a critique from a technical aspect of the video, it might not affect the message itself, but it does affect the overall experience of watching the video

[@OrthodoxTalks]

Agree! Trying different things doesn’t always end up right. Thank you for your comment!

[@TwinCitiesOxygen]

So do you ask the person to be your spiritual father , or is it just a silent understanding?

[@OrthodoxTalks]

It is better to ask the person to be your spiritual father. There must be a clear understanding on both sides.

[@strikeoneboxing4384]

I have a question, arent we suppose to follow their advice without question? This is a bit confusing to me. Arent we suppose to be completely obedient to them and not make decisions ourselves? Thank you 🙏☦

[@OrthodoxTalks]

What you describe is the case in monasteries nowadays. Monks and nuns are “given” a spiritual father (in most cases), or they are “assigned” one. It is because they voluntarily give up their will. Nevertheless, Holy Fathers of desert recommended to try a person before asking him for a spiritual advice. Some other saints wrote that is quite a challenge to find a true spiritual father. Of course, it is entirely up to a person which practice to follow.

[@strikeoneboxing4384]

Its so confusing. Im always scared of doing or thinking ideas of my own because they say i will lose grace if i dont follow my spiritual fathers advice

[@inbetweennames4438]

make sure that no matter how much you like him, a spiritual father must confess the TRUE ORTHODOX FAITH and have a bishop who also confesses the TRUE ORTHODOX FAITH and who is not compromised by heterodoxy such as membership in the heretical so-called "World Council of Churches"

[@tlcetc4506]

Fullness of Truth is essential, but your message seems to have red-flags to me as I began my Orthodox inquiring and catechism in a so-called "true" parish and it was extremely detrimental. The priest was actually abusive. It is all a mess with all tge jurisdictions, etc, but what I traded by entering a stable canonical parish FAR outways what the scismatic, and actually cultist, group provided. Just as in scripture and Orthodoxy there's somewhat of a paradox with this topic. This is why I say fullness of truth as opposed to absolute truth, which can be turned into a trap and injurious wreck off of The Royal Path.

[@inbetweennames4438]

@@tlcetc4506 , this is anecdotal. What was the jurisdiction you were in? Remember, not everyone who calls themselves "True Orthodox" are truly Orthodox. Some TOC jurisdictions have a more clear line from the original anti-ecumenist Old Calendar strugglers. It is true that one must be extremely careful in choosing a true spiritual father and true Orthodox bishop. But this distinction of "fullness of truth" vs. the actual truth reminds me of the Vatican II Roman Catholics who use that sort of language. Also, the Royal Path language can be abused into a deception which claims there can be compromise in matters of dogma. Of course there can't be for the Orthodox.

[@tlcetc4506]

@@inbetweennames4438 I did not say "actual" truth- BIG difference!

[@inbetweennames4438]

@@tlcetc4506 , no, you used something much more nonsensical. You used "absolute" truth. You pitted the "fullness" of truth against "absolute" truth, a nonsense distinction. As though one could have the "fullness" of truth without having "absolute" truth! Think of it! Totally bizarre. Definitely not Orthodox. But I expect this type of reasoning from so-called "World" (or should we say "worldly") Orthodoxy.

[@tlcetc4506]

@@inbetweennames4438 I actually agree with you. I merely used it in a manner similar to how some use the term ancestral sin vs original sin for similar reasons- it was in reaction to having an individual who is in a very judgemental and cultish group being so focused on supposed "absolute" truth while under a someone who could be possibly be considered a prelest (I believe is the term). I realize, out of context how it must sound and forgive me, I just really hurt for people sincerely seeking Truth and that desire being misdirected/misused.

[@guimochet]

isn't the priest who baptizes you automatically your spiritual father?

[@OrthodoxTalks]

He very well could be and that would be a blessing. But not necessarily.