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Farmer's Storehouse Newsletter Video
Two videos on the FarmersStorehouse website. Watch these two videos while you can. I can't figure out how to preserve them. This url does not work in Safari. Try a different browser. Firefox works.
https://farmersstorehouse.com/so/95PpOZsKd
https://farmersstorehouse.com/so/95PpOZsKd
I make prosphora using this flour that they are talking about.
True Story:
It was summer of 2024. My neighbors have a hay field behind my house. They are God-fearing Baptists living a Christian life as best they know how. The whole neighborhood is quiet on Sundays — you never hear a lawn mower, tractor, or chainsaw. They honor the Sabbath. Only in the late afternoons there might be sounds of dirt bikes or target practice...if the weather is agreeable...
One Saturday the neighbor behind me worked all day cutting hay, with help from another neighbor,. They did not quite finish before sundown, the tractors were left in the field to wait until Monday...
Then, Sunday, around noon, an unexpected dark cloud came from the south... I guess here in middle Tennessee we should never say a rain cloud is unexpected... When these clouds come, they never just pass by. They always let loose with full rain and sometimes an unfriendly wind.
I saw my neighbor's hay laying on the field to dry. I prayed, "Lord, please don't let it rain on their hay. And amazing it was — the cloud seemed to just blow over with no rain!
The next day my neighbor told me he had been anxiously watching the radar on his computer. He saw on the radar screen that the big dark cloud was headed right for us, but about a quarter mile south it started to split. Heavy rain was on either side of us, but my neighbor's hay field stayed dry. Praise God for the miracle! But my neighbor said, "yes" and "no"... He was glad his hay was saved, but he was sad because we have other neighbors who desperately needed the rain... Typical of my neighbor to think of the needs of others.
The hay field goes back from behind the old pear tree (in flower) to the fence line of cedar trees.
One Saturday the neighbor behind me worked all day cutting hay, with help from another neighbor,. They did not quite finish before sundown, the tractors were left in the field to wait until Monday...
Then, Sunday, around noon, an unexpected dark cloud came from the south... I guess here in middle Tennessee we should never say a rain cloud is unexpected... When these clouds come, they never just pass by. They always let loose with full rain and sometimes an unfriendly wind.
I saw my neighbor's hay laying on the field to dry. I prayed, "Lord, please don't let it rain on their hay. And amazing it was — the cloud seemed to just blow over with no rain!
The next day my neighbor told me he had been anxiously watching the radar on his computer. He saw on the radar screen that the big dark cloud was headed right for us, but about a quarter mile south it started to split. Heavy rain was on either side of us, but my neighbor's hay field stayed dry. Praise God for the miracle! But my neighbor said, "yes" and "no"... He was glad his hay was saved, but he was sad because we have other neighbors who desperately needed the rain... Typical of my neighbor to think of the needs of others.
The hay field goes back from behind the old pear tree (in flower) to the fence line of cedar trees.
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Good movie: Run the Wild Fields
True Story. Setting is rural North Carolina during the mid-1940s. The old-fashioned values are refreshing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpjyzmCsQ60
link not activated on purpose
The main character is a 10 year-old girl who, as an adult, tells the story using voice over. It was a book before it was a movie, "And the Home of the Brave."
This movie is titled, "Run The Wild Fields." The reason the YT uploader has left out that information is to make it harder to find, because surely YT will take it down when they find it.
I sent an email to my daughter and my grandson asking them to watch this movie. I downloaded it years ago and have it saved on a USB stick. But here it is ready to watch, no downloading or uploading, no transferring.
I want my daughter and grandson to understand and appreciate my father, their grandfather and great-grandfather. The character, Tom, in the movie exhibits the ideals that my father valued. The part where Tom reveals that for him, fighting the war was like a religion.... My father was like that exactly. To him fighting against Communism (which is Godless and God-hating) is like fighting for God, Truth, Freedom (the American way was the Christian way). In those days there were no women serving in combat — only as office workers or manufacturing or usually a nurse — nobody every heard of male nurses... — the males were the doctors.
Back then America was clearly still a Christian country. "...one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Sometime between then and now, the idea of freedom OF religion somehow became freedom FROM religion. This is the world progressing towards the advent of Antichrist, who will establish one world religion and one world government. Even atheists will be included in the one world religion, even if they deny they are included. Communism is a precursor-template of the one world government.
My Dad was 18 years old, an orphan, when he joined the Air Force. He was so proud to be accepted, because of his perfect 20/20 vision. An idealistic youth, he was eager to serve his country. And to contribute to the defeat of the evil that his father fought against during WWI. The same evil.
Today, in the Orthodox Church, we are taught not to try to fight the evil that is taking over the world. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov teaches us:
This movie is titled, "Run The Wild Fields." The reason the YT uploader has left out that information is to make it harder to find, because surely YT will take it down when they find it.
I sent an email to my daughter and my grandson asking them to watch this movie. I downloaded it years ago and have it saved on a USB stick. But here it is ready to watch, no downloading or uploading, no transferring.
I want my daughter and grandson to understand and appreciate my father, their grandfather and great-grandfather. The character, Tom, in the movie exhibits the ideals that my father valued. The part where Tom reveals that for him, fighting the war was like a religion.... My father was like that exactly. To him fighting against Communism (which is Godless and God-hating) is like fighting for God, Truth, Freedom (the American way was the Christian way). In those days there were no women serving in combat — only as office workers or manufacturing or usually a nurse — nobody every heard of male nurses... — the males were the doctors.
Back then America was clearly still a Christian country. "...one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Sometime between then and now, the idea of freedom OF religion somehow became freedom FROM religion. This is the world progressing towards the advent of Antichrist, who will establish one world religion and one world government. Even atheists will be included in the one world religion, even if they deny they are included. Communism is a precursor-template of the one world government.
My Dad was 18 years old, an orphan, when he joined the Air Force. He was so proud to be accepted, because of his perfect 20/20 vision. An idealistic youth, he was eager to serve his country. And to contribute to the defeat of the evil that his father fought against during WWI. The same evil.
Today, in the Orthodox Church, we are taught not to try to fight the evil that is taking over the world. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov teaches us:
The WAVE OF EVIL ROARING OUT OF A DARK SEA UPON MANKIND IS BEYOND HUMAN POWER TO STOP.
The best a Christian can hope for is avoidance
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO STOP IT WITH YOUR WEAK HAND
Avoid it,
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM IT, AND THAT IS ENOUGH FOR YOU
Get to know the spirit of the times
STUDY IT SO THAT YOU CAN AVOID ITS INFLUENCE WHENEVER POSSIBLE
~ Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov
The best a Christian can hope for is avoidance
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO STOP IT WITH YOUR WEAK HAND
Avoid it,
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM IT, AND THAT IS ENOUGH FOR YOU
Get to know the spirit of the times
STUDY IT SO THAT YOU CAN AVOID ITS INFLUENCE WHENEVER POSSIBLE
~ Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov
Orthodox Christians of these present times are forgetting this teaching. Remember the vision of St. John of Kronstadt. He saw all the world's people as a river of people rushing towards a cliff, some going fast, others going slowly, but all obliviously headed towards the cliff. People are just not paying attention, it is like we are living in a fog.
An important command left to us by Christ is "WATCH!"
"Behold, the Bridegroom Comes at midnight, and blessed in the man whom He shall find watching..."
At the drop-off of the cliff St. John saw angels snatching up selected people here and there just as they reached the edge. A few were saved by angels, not by their own efforts — but by angels. Only a few, because most of them all fell down into the abyss.
If you compare the "spirit" of the times in 1945 shown in the movie, with the "spirit" of the times today, you see how rapidly mankind is coming into the apocalyptic times.
We can't hope to save the world anymore, like my father hoped, and like my grandfather hoped. We can only hope to save ourselves, that the angels find us worthy to be one who is plucked out of the river of people falling over the cliff in St. John's vision.
The vision is told here
without background music
(Yippie!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-8l6Ijq9ZI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-8l6Ijq9ZI
link not activated on purpose
10 minutes
10 minutes
The narrator pronounces the word "starets" with a long a. But it is an "a" (ah) like in the word star. I wonder if the narrator is a machine.... he/it pronounces Sabaoth strangely like a machine also: Sah-BAY-oth.
Caveat:
This YT channel does not discern that Fr. Ephraim Moraitis and Fr. Paisios Eznepides are false elders.
Otherwise, there are some good uploads.
The Lenten Prayer
.This is a repost from RRb
.
.
_____________________
repost
Sermon by Father Macarius [Foster] († 3Aug2014)
Of all the lenten hymns and prayers, one short prayer could be termed the Lenten Prayer. It is traditional, and probably one of the great teachers of spiritual life is Saint Ephraim the Syrian. Here is the text:
“O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, faint heartedness, and lust for power and idle talk.
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.
Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; for Thou art blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.”
This prayer is read twice at the end of each Lenten service Monday through Friday, not on Saturdays and Sundays because on these days on Sundays we celebrate the Resurrection and Saturdays the Sabbath and the fast is restricted. At first reading of this, a prostration follows each petition and at the end we bow also 12 times and say, “O God, cleanse me a sinner.” And the entire prayer is repeated with one final prostration at the end.
And why does this short prayer occupy such an important position in the entire Lenten worship? Because it enumerates, in a unique way, all the negative and positive elements of repentance and constitutes, so to say, a checklist for the individual Lenten effort. This effort is aimed first at our liberation from such fundamental spiritual diseases which shape our life and make it virtually impossible for us to even to start turning ourselves to God.
Getting back to the word prostration, in the Greek, metania, means to change one’s mind. So by passing from an erect position to one bowing you are changing your mind also with your body. The basic disease of speaking of √sloth which is a strange combination of laziness and passivity and our entire being which always pushes us down rather than up which constantly convinces us no change is possible, and therefore desirable. It is a fact that deeply-rooted cynicism which to every spiritual challenge responds, “What for?” and makes our lives difficult at its very source. The result of sloth is √faint-heartedness – this is a state of despondency which all spiritual fathers consider the greatest danger for the soul.
Despondency is the impossibility for man to see anything good or positive. It is a reduction of everything to negativism and pessimism. It is truly a demonic power in us because the devil is fundamentally a liar. He lies to man about God and about the world. He fills life with darkness and negation. Despondency is a suicide of the soul because when man is possessed by it, he is unable to see the light or desire it. Also it matches his √lust for power. Strange as it may seem, it is precisely sloth and despondency that fill our life with lust for power by vitiating the entire attitude to our life and making it meaningless and empty, they force us to seek compensation and a radically wrong attitude towards other persons.
If my life is not oriented to God nor aimed at eternal values, it will inevitably become selfish, self-centered and this means that all things become means of my own self-satisfaction. If God is not the Lord and Master of my life, then I become my own lord and master, the absolute center of my own world and I begin to evaluate everything in terms of my needs, my ideas, my desires and my judgment. The lust for power is thus a fundamental depravity in my relationship to other beings, a search for their subordination to me. It does not necessarily express the actual urge to co-manage others and may result as well in indifference, contempt, lack of interest and respect. It is indeed sloth and despondency directed this time at others that it completes spiritual suicide with spiritual murder.
Finally √idle talk - of all created beings, man alone has been endowed with the gift of speech. All the Fathers see it as the very seal of the divine image in man because God himself has revealed his Word as in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. But being the supreme gift, it is by the same token the supreme danger being the very expression of man. The means of his fulfillment is for this very reason the means of his fall and self-destruction of a trail of sins - the word saves and the word kills, the word inspires and the word poisons, the Word is the means of Truth and is the means of demonic lie. Having ultimate positive power is, therefore, tremendous negative power. It creates negatively when it deviates from its divine origin and purpose. The word becomes idle and forces sloth and despondency, and lust for power, and transforms life into the very power of sin. These four are thus the negative objects of repentance; they are the obstacles to be removed but God alone can remove them.
Hence the first part of the Lenten prayer described from the bottom of human helplessness, then the prayer moves to the positive aims of repentance which also are four.
√Chastity - if one does not reduce this term as often and as erroneously done only to sexual connotation, it is understood as the positive counterpart of sloth. Exact and full translations of the Greek sofrosini and the Russian tselomoodrie ought to be whole-mindedness. Sloth is the first of all dissipation, the brokenness of our vision and energy, the inability to see the whole its opposite then, is precisely wholeness. If we use to mean by chastity the virtue opposed to sexual depravities, it is because the broken character of our existence is nowhere better manifested than in sexual lust, the alienation of the body from the light that controls the spirit.
Christ restores wholeness in us and He does so by restoring to us the true scale of values by leading us back to God. The first and wonderful fruit of this wholeness or chastity is √humility. We already spoke of it - it is above everything else the victory of truth in us, the elimination of all lies in which we usually live. Humility alone is capable of truth, of seeing and accepting things as they are and therefore seeing God’s majesty and goodness in love and everything. That’s why we are told that God gives grace to the humble and resists the proud.
Chastity and humility are naturally followed by √patience. The natural or fallen man is impatient for being blind to himself, he is quick to judge and condemn others. Having but a broken, incomplete and distorted knowledge of everything, he measures all things by his tastes and ideas, being indifferent to everyone except himself, he wants life to be successful right here and now. Patience, however, is a truly divine virtue. God is patient not because he is indulgent, but because he sees the depth of all that exists and the inner reality of things which in our blindness we do not see, is open to Him. The closer we come to God, the more patient we grow and the more we reflect that infinite respect for all beings which is a proper quality of God.
Finally, the crown of all virtues, all of growth and effort is √Love. That love, as we have already said, can be given by God alone - the gift which is the goal of all spiritual preparation and practice. All this is summarized and brought together to the concluding petition of the Lenten prayer in which we ask to see our own errors and not to judge my brother.
But, ultimately, there is but one danger – pride. Pride is the source of evil and all evil is pride. It is not enough for me to see my own errors, for even this apparent virtue can be turned into pride. Spiritual writings are full of warnings against the subtle forms of pseudo piety which, in reality, are the cover of humility and self-accusation and can lead to a truly demonic pride. When we see our own errors and do not judge our brothers, when in other terms chastity, humility, patience and love are but one in us, then and only then the ultimate enemy pride will be destroyed in us.
After each petition, we make a prostration. As I said, prostrations are not limited to the prayer of Saint Ephraim, but can consequently be the distinctive characteristic of the entire length of worship. Here, however, their meaning is disclosed best of all. In the long and difficult effort of spiritual recovery, the Church does not separate the soul from the body. The whole man has fallen away from God, the whole man is to be restored, the whole man is to return. The catastrophe of sin lies precisely in the victory of the flesh, the animal, the irrational, the lust in us, of the spiritual and the divine. But the body is glorious, the body is holy. So holy that God himself became flesh. Salvation and repentance then are not contempt for the body or neglect of it, but restoration of the body to its real function as an expression and light of spirit. As a temple, the price is the human soul. To be a Christian, in a sense, is a fight not against but for the body. For this reason the whole man, soul and body repents. The body participates in the prayer of the soul just as the soul prays through and in the body. Prostration is a sign of repentance and humility, of adoration and obedience are thus a lenten rite of par excellence. And in the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy a hymn reads: “Let us abstain from sin as we abstain from food.” Amen.
1. Wednesday of Cheesefare week first day Lenten Prayer is said
2. then next on Friday of Cheesefare week.
3. then at Forgiveness Vespers Sunday evening just before the dismissal, led by the priest
4. After that it is said all weekdays during lent
5. last day the prayer is said is Wednesday of Holy Week.
3. then at Forgiveness Vespers Sunday evening just before the dismissal, led by the priest
4. After that it is said all weekdays during lent
5. last day the prayer is said is Wednesday of Holy Week.
_____________________
repost
Sermon by Father Macarius [Foster] († 3Aug2014)
Of all the lenten hymns and prayers, one short prayer could be termed the Lenten Prayer. It is traditional, and probably one of the great teachers of spiritual life is Saint Ephraim the Syrian. Here is the text:
“O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, faint heartedness, and lust for power and idle talk.
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.
Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; for Thou art blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.”
This prayer is read twice at the end of each Lenten service Monday through Friday, not on Saturdays and Sundays because on these days on Sundays we celebrate the Resurrection and Saturdays the Sabbath and the fast is restricted. At first reading of this, a prostration follows each petition and at the end we bow also 12 times and say, “O God, cleanse me a sinner.” And the entire prayer is repeated with one final prostration at the end.
And why does this short prayer occupy such an important position in the entire Lenten worship? Because it enumerates, in a unique way, all the negative and positive elements of repentance and constitutes, so to say, a checklist for the individual Lenten effort. This effort is aimed first at our liberation from such fundamental spiritual diseases which shape our life and make it virtually impossible for us to even to start turning ourselves to God.
Getting back to the word prostration, in the Greek, metania, means to change one’s mind. So by passing from an erect position to one bowing you are changing your mind also with your body. The basic disease of speaking of √sloth which is a strange combination of laziness and passivity and our entire being which always pushes us down rather than up which constantly convinces us no change is possible, and therefore desirable. It is a fact that deeply-rooted cynicism which to every spiritual challenge responds, “What for?” and makes our lives difficult at its very source. The result of sloth is √faint-heartedness – this is a state of despondency which all spiritual fathers consider the greatest danger for the soul.
Despondency is the impossibility for man to see anything good or positive. It is a reduction of everything to negativism and pessimism. It is truly a demonic power in us because the devil is fundamentally a liar. He lies to man about God and about the world. He fills life with darkness and negation. Despondency is a suicide of the soul because when man is possessed by it, he is unable to see the light or desire it. Also it matches his √lust for power. Strange as it may seem, it is precisely sloth and despondency that fill our life with lust for power by vitiating the entire attitude to our life and making it meaningless and empty, they force us to seek compensation and a radically wrong attitude towards other persons.
If my life is not oriented to God nor aimed at eternal values, it will inevitably become selfish, self-centered and this means that all things become means of my own self-satisfaction. If God is not the Lord and Master of my life, then I become my own lord and master, the absolute center of my own world and I begin to evaluate everything in terms of my needs, my ideas, my desires and my judgment. The lust for power is thus a fundamental depravity in my relationship to other beings, a search for their subordination to me. It does not necessarily express the actual urge to co-manage others and may result as well in indifference, contempt, lack of interest and respect. It is indeed sloth and despondency directed this time at others that it completes spiritual suicide with spiritual murder.
Finally √idle talk - of all created beings, man alone has been endowed with the gift of speech. All the Fathers see it as the very seal of the divine image in man because God himself has revealed his Word as in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. But being the supreme gift, it is by the same token the supreme danger being the very expression of man. The means of his fulfillment is for this very reason the means of his fall and self-destruction of a trail of sins - the word saves and the word kills, the word inspires and the word poisons, the Word is the means of Truth and is the means of demonic lie. Having ultimate positive power is, therefore, tremendous negative power. It creates negatively when it deviates from its divine origin and purpose. The word becomes idle and forces sloth and despondency, and lust for power, and transforms life into the very power of sin. These four are thus the negative objects of repentance; they are the obstacles to be removed but God alone can remove them.
Hence the first part of the Lenten prayer described from the bottom of human helplessness, then the prayer moves to the positive aims of repentance which also are four.
√Chastity - if one does not reduce this term as often and as erroneously done only to sexual connotation, it is understood as the positive counterpart of sloth. Exact and full translations of the Greek sofrosini and the Russian tselomoodrie ought to be whole-mindedness. Sloth is the first of all dissipation, the brokenness of our vision and energy, the inability to see the whole its opposite then, is precisely wholeness. If we use to mean by chastity the virtue opposed to sexual depravities, it is because the broken character of our existence is nowhere better manifested than in sexual lust, the alienation of the body from the light that controls the spirit.
Christ restores wholeness in us and He does so by restoring to us the true scale of values by leading us back to God. The first and wonderful fruit of this wholeness or chastity is √humility. We already spoke of it - it is above everything else the victory of truth in us, the elimination of all lies in which we usually live. Humility alone is capable of truth, of seeing and accepting things as they are and therefore seeing God’s majesty and goodness in love and everything. That’s why we are told that God gives grace to the humble and resists the proud.
Chastity and humility are naturally followed by √patience. The natural or fallen man is impatient for being blind to himself, he is quick to judge and condemn others. Having but a broken, incomplete and distorted knowledge of everything, he measures all things by his tastes and ideas, being indifferent to everyone except himself, he wants life to be successful right here and now. Patience, however, is a truly divine virtue. God is patient not because he is indulgent, but because he sees the depth of all that exists and the inner reality of things which in our blindness we do not see, is open to Him. The closer we come to God, the more patient we grow and the more we reflect that infinite respect for all beings which is a proper quality of God.
Finally, the crown of all virtues, all of growth and effort is √Love. That love, as we have already said, can be given by God alone - the gift which is the goal of all spiritual preparation and practice. All this is summarized and brought together to the concluding petition of the Lenten prayer in which we ask to see our own errors and not to judge my brother.
But, ultimately, there is but one danger – pride. Pride is the source of evil and all evil is pride. It is not enough for me to see my own errors, for even this apparent virtue can be turned into pride. Spiritual writings are full of warnings against the subtle forms of pseudo piety which, in reality, are the cover of humility and self-accusation and can lead to a truly demonic pride. When we see our own errors and do not judge our brothers, when in other terms chastity, humility, patience and love are but one in us, then and only then the ultimate enemy pride will be destroyed in us.
After each petition, we make a prostration. As I said, prostrations are not limited to the prayer of Saint Ephraim, but can consequently be the distinctive characteristic of the entire length of worship. Here, however, their meaning is disclosed best of all. In the long and difficult effort of spiritual recovery, the Church does not separate the soul from the body. The whole man has fallen away from God, the whole man is to be restored, the whole man is to return. The catastrophe of sin lies precisely in the victory of the flesh, the animal, the irrational, the lust in us, of the spiritual and the divine. But the body is glorious, the body is holy. So holy that God himself became flesh. Salvation and repentance then are not contempt for the body or neglect of it, but restoration of the body to its real function as an expression and light of spirit. As a temple, the price is the human soul. To be a Christian, in a sense, is a fight not against but for the body. For this reason the whole man, soul and body repents. The body participates in the prayer of the soul just as the soul prays through and in the body. Prostration is a sign of repentance and humility, of adoration and obedience are thus a lenten rite of par excellence. And in the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy a hymn reads: “Let us abstain from sin as we abstain from food.” Amen.
What is Forgiveness? #3
.Real Life example where false forgiveness did not occur
This (what I'm calling) "false forgiveness" apparently runs very deep in all modern Christians, just as much in us as in the heterodox. I wonder if it has something to do with the modern philosophy that says unconditional love is the most perfect love.
True Story told to me by Reader Daniel Everiss (†Sept 23, 2023 — Rdr Daniel was a victim of Fr. Herman sex predator. What Daniel told me can be supported/verified by other witnesses:
— Fr. Herman was accused of being a homo-pervert-predator around the time of Fr. Seraphim's death. I guess I'll tell this story chronologically . . .
1. I don't know exactly when Fr. Seraphim found out about Fr. Herman's sex crime escapades, whether it was before or after he was taken to the hospital. But it was very close to or at that time. It seems Fr. Seraphim may not have had a chance to confront Fr. Herman before he went to the hospital. As I recall from NOTW, 1st edition, Fr. Seraphim had kept to his cell for a day or more before he was found in a medical crisis. Maybe he knew about Fr. Herman before he retreated to his cell to deal with his pain, but maybe he did not find out until he was being taken to the hospital or just after his operation. Whatever, it is clear he knew it when he was in the hospital recovery room.
2. While Fr. Seraphim was on his death bed in the hospital, Fr. Herman was desperately begging Fr. Seraphim to forgive him. Fr. Herman kept repeatedly coming into his room each time tearfully begging, in a state of panic. Different people at different times had gathered in Fr. Seraphim's room, at first still hoping for his full recovery — these people observed Fr. Herman and were witnesses. Fr. Seraphim denied each of Fr. Herman's pleas one after another in front of whoever was there at the time over the course of the 2 days before he died.
One time Fr. Herman begged, Fr. Seraphim responded as best he could, since he could hardly speak: "I'm through with you." Fr. Herman would go away wailing and then return again later to try again.
This (what I'm calling) "false forgiveness" apparently runs very deep in all modern Christians, just as much in us as in the heterodox. I wonder if it has something to do with the modern philosophy that says unconditional love is the most perfect love.
True Story told to me by Reader Daniel Everiss (†Sept 23, 2023 — Rdr Daniel was a victim of Fr. Herman sex predator. What Daniel told me can be supported/verified by other witnesses:
— Fr. Herman was accused of being a homo-pervert-predator around the time of Fr. Seraphim's death. I guess I'll tell this story chronologically . . .
1. I don't know exactly when Fr. Seraphim found out about Fr. Herman's sex crime escapades, whether it was before or after he was taken to the hospital. But it was very close to or at that time. It seems Fr. Seraphim may not have had a chance to confront Fr. Herman before he went to the hospital. As I recall from NOTW, 1st edition, Fr. Seraphim had kept to his cell for a day or more before he was found in a medical crisis. Maybe he knew about Fr. Herman before he retreated to his cell to deal with his pain, but maybe he did not find out until he was being taken to the hospital or just after his operation. Whatever, it is clear he knew it when he was in the hospital recovery room.
2. While Fr. Seraphim was on his death bed in the hospital, Fr. Herman was desperately begging Fr. Seraphim to forgive him. Fr. Herman kept repeatedly coming into his room each time tearfully begging, in a state of panic. Different people at different times had gathered in Fr. Seraphim's room, at first still hoping for his full recovery — these people observed Fr. Herman and were witnesses. Fr. Seraphim denied each of Fr. Herman's pleas one after another in front of whoever was there at the time over the course of the 2 days before he died.
One time Fr. Herman begged, Fr. Seraphim responded as best he could, since he could hardly speak: "I'm through with you." Fr. Herman would go away wailing and then return again later to try again.
Another time Fr. Seraphim responded, with eyes closed, barely able to speak: "I hate you. I hate you. I hate you."
3. Then very soon after Fr. Seraphim died, I imagine maybe days or a week, Bp. Anthony (Medvedev) did an investigation into the accusations against Fr. Herman for his sex crimes. Several of Fr. Herman's victims and witnesses were gathered to testify. Among those summoned was Rdr. Daniel Everiss, a victim, and it is from him only that I have any knowledge of what took place.
As of today, 2026, I know of one victim still alive for sure, in the GOC. And another victim, who, if he is still alive, I think he would welcome being questioned. There is a witness who is maybe still alive in the ROCOR-MP. Bp. Anthony charged everyone to never say anything to anyone about what was said during this investigation. I would reveal the names I know to Vladyka Agafangel only, because he could undo the gag order of a ROCOR bishop.
At that investigation, Bp. Anthony did not want to believe the accusations. He said it was not possible for an archimandrite to do such things. But the testimony was indisputable. To help support the accusations, one who had been present at Fr. Seraphim's death bed testified that Fr. Seraphim knew Fr. Herman was guilty. And Fr. Herman all but admitted it by begging Fr. Seraphim to forgive him...
Bp. Anthony hearing that, then changed the subject, and asked, "Did Fr. Seraphim forgive him?"
At that investigation, Bp. Anthony did not want to believe the accusations. He said it was not possible for an archimandrite to do such things. But the testimony was indisputable. To help support the accusations, one who had been present at Fr. Seraphim's death bed testified that Fr. Seraphim knew Fr. Herman was guilty. And Fr. Herman all but admitted it by begging Fr. Seraphim to forgive him...
Bp. Anthony hearing that, then changed the subject, and asked, "Did Fr. Seraphim forgive him?"
The witness answered, "No."
Then Bp. Anthony said, as a comment on the side, "Well, then, he can't be a saint."
[This shows that very soon after Fr. Seraphim's death even the bishops already were wondering if Fr. Seraphim is a saint.]
But, the bishop was wrong. Fr. Seraphim is a saint.
God chose to take Fr. Seraphim from us at that time. And God also arranged that Fr. Seraphim be separated from Fr. Herman before his departure from earthly life. We know Fr. Seraphim was a hard core lover of truth, and he loved the desert fathers as well. If any of us think that Fr. Seraphim should have "forgiven" Fr. Herman, we should think again. It would have been a false forgiveness. It would have been a betrayal of truth. This was not a matter of forgiveness. This was a matter of separating the blessed man from the ungodly man.
Matt 24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left . . .
What is Forgiveness? #2
Real Life example where false forgiveness did not occur
Letter from St. Philaret NY to Bp. Gregory Grabbe
August 17/30, 1976
Letter from St. Philaret NY to Bp. Gregory Grabbe
August 17/30, 1976
Dear Father George,
You probably already know that Fr. George Larin sent a "sorrowful message" to all the bishops stating that Fr. Nikita, after receiving an order form him to make a cross out of pure gold and receiving money for it, presented him with a cross that, according to a jeweler's analysis, turned out not to be gold at all but copper, perhaps with the addition of a cheap alloy... I received this news recently, Fr. G. includes documents clearly exposing Fr. Nikita's fraud.
I am afraid that this disgraceful and vile act by Fr. Nikita has put an end to his "church career" — if not forever, then at least for a long time. Now, there can no longer be any question of him remaining with me or at Synod.
But this is not all. You know that the majority of bishops is opposed to him. The canons require defrocking in cases where a cleric is convicted of theft. And here — not only theft but disgraceful deception and fraud. If the bishops demand that he be defrocked, I will have no arguments to defend my cell attendant.
As I have already written, Fr. N. must leave me and Synod. But I still wish to save him from the ultimate disgrace — defrocking. Therefore, I plan to immediately — before the Synod meeting — forbid him to serve and send him to Fr. Panteleimon's monastery for repentance (Jordanvile is not an option; they do not like him there and would persecute and mock him). Therefore, please call Fr. Panteleimon immediately upon receiving this letter and inform him of my decision — I hope he will not object. Fr. N. must remain in complete submission and obedience to him in his monastery. In six months, we will see what Fr. Panteleimon's assessment of him is. However, even in the case of a favorable review, Fr. N. will not return to Synod or to serving me.
Now comes the question of my new cell attendant. Could Fr. Adrian take on this role, what do you think? First, this would give him a chance to redeem his unfortunate past through good service at Synod and with me. Second, he could fully replace Fr. Nikita as a permanent deacon — he serves wonderfully, has a good voice, and knows the order of the services. But it is important for me to know your opinion; you know Fr. Adrian better than I do. Of course, Fr. Nikita was valuable to me as an excellent driver and someone knowledgeable in medicine; I do not know if Fr. Adrian can drive or if he has any medical knowledge. But of course, one cannot expect a person to be perfect in everything.
One more thought regarding saving Fr. Nikta from the disgrace of defrocking — I hope that when the bishops learn that I removed him from serving me and the Synod, suspended him from priestly ministry, and sent him to a monastery, they will relent and not insist on "the highest measure of punishment."
How many times did I warn Fr. Nikita! I kept telling him: abandon your "planetary ambitions" and focus on your basic duties — intoning [as deacon] "Again and again..." and paying attention to driving. I told him that he was balancing on a tightrope over an abyss and sooner or later would fall... Alas — he did not listen. And he fell.
Of course, I myself feel very uncomfortable. This nasty affair casts a bad shadow on me as well and gives enemies and slanderers the broadest opportunities. But I realize that, to some extent, I deserve this trial and unpleasantness — I should have been stricter and not "advised" but categorically ordered. But now it is too late...
You probably already know that Fr. George Larin sent a "sorrowful message" to all the bishops stating that Fr. Nikita, after receiving an order form him to make a cross out of pure gold and receiving money for it, presented him with a cross that, according to a jeweler's analysis, turned out not to be gold at all but copper, perhaps with the addition of a cheap alloy... I received this news recently, Fr. G. includes documents clearly exposing Fr. Nikita's fraud.
I am afraid that this disgraceful and vile act by Fr. Nikita has put an end to his "church career" — if not forever, then at least for a long time. Now, there can no longer be any question of him remaining with me or at Synod.
But this is not all. You know that the majority of bishops is opposed to him. The canons require defrocking in cases where a cleric is convicted of theft. And here — not only theft but disgraceful deception and fraud. If the bishops demand that he be defrocked, I will have no arguments to defend my cell attendant.
As I have already written, Fr. N. must leave me and Synod. But I still wish to save him from the ultimate disgrace — defrocking. Therefore, I plan to immediately — before the Synod meeting — forbid him to serve and send him to Fr. Panteleimon's monastery for repentance (Jordanvile is not an option; they do not like him there and would persecute and mock him). Therefore, please call Fr. Panteleimon immediately upon receiving this letter and inform him of my decision — I hope he will not object. Fr. N. must remain in complete submission and obedience to him in his monastery. In six months, we will see what Fr. Panteleimon's assessment of him is. However, even in the case of a favorable review, Fr. N. will not return to Synod or to serving me.
Now comes the question of my new cell attendant. Could Fr. Adrian take on this role, what do you think? First, this would give him a chance to redeem his unfortunate past through good service at Synod and with me. Second, he could fully replace Fr. Nikita as a permanent deacon — he serves wonderfully, has a good voice, and knows the order of the services. But it is important for me to know your opinion; you know Fr. Adrian better than I do. Of course, Fr. Nikita was valuable to me as an excellent driver and someone knowledgeable in medicine; I do not know if Fr. Adrian can drive or if he has any medical knowledge. But of course, one cannot expect a person to be perfect in everything.
One more thought regarding saving Fr. Nikta from the disgrace of defrocking — I hope that when the bishops learn that I removed him from serving me and the Synod, suspended him from priestly ministry, and sent him to a monastery, they will relent and not insist on "the highest measure of punishment."
How many times did I warn Fr. Nikita! I kept telling him: abandon your "planetary ambitions" and focus on your basic duties — intoning [as deacon] "Again and again..." and paying attention to driving. I told him that he was balancing on a tightrope over an abyss and sooner or later would fall... Alas — he did not listen. And he fell.
Of course, I myself feel very uncomfortable. This nasty affair casts a bad shadow on me as well and gives enemies and slanderers the broadest opportunities. But I realize that, to some extent, I deserve this trial and unpleasantness — I should have been stricter and not "advised" but categorically ordered. But now it is too late...
_____________________
from the book: In Their Own Words — The Private Letters of St. Philaret of New York & Bishop Gregory Grabbe, Orthodox Traditionalist Publications, ISBN: 979-829-448-2275 1st edition, pp 216–217
https://sjmshop.org/products/in-their-own-words
Folks, there are a number of valuable things to note in this example — practical applications of "desert" spirituality: things worth pondering, helpful insights into how we can mold our own thinking so that we, too, may think like the saints.
There is a happy ending to this story. In the book it is revealed a few pages later that Fr. Nikita was not so guilty as it seemed. But for the purpose of studying "forgiveness," let us not jump ahead so fast that we miss this valuable lesson. ~jh
from the book: In Their Own Words — The Private Letters of St. Philaret of New York & Bishop Gregory Grabbe, Orthodox Traditionalist Publications, ISBN: 979-829-448-2275 1st edition, pp 216–217
https://sjmshop.org/products/in-their-own-words
Folks, there are a number of valuable things to note in this example — practical applications of "desert" spirituality: things worth pondering, helpful insights into how we can mold our own thinking so that we, too, may think like the saints.
There is a happy ending to this story. In the book it is revealed a few pages later that Fr. Nikita was not so guilty as it seemed. But for the purpose of studying "forgiveness," let us not jump ahead so fast that we miss this valuable lesson. ~jh
What is Forgiveness? #1
.from Joanna's notepad
What is Forgiveness?
Orthodox people ask this question.
St. Philaret of NY says that only God's forgiveness is so complete that He does not remember.* We can strive towards that ideal, but I'm not sure how hard we should try in every case -- God endowed us with reason and memory for a purpose. To understand what forgiveness is, we can consider what it is not. And forgetting is not necessarily a component.
I did a Google search: | Bible "forgive and forget" |
here is what AI says:
I like that — "not literal amnesia." It makes sense. How can it be good for us to pretend something never happened? Isn't pretending something akin to lying? You certainly want to remember that the hot stove will burn you, and you certainly don't want to pretend it won't burn you again.
Looking at the idea of forgetting from another angle, — the example Christ gives of the lender forgiving a debt. Here the debt is forgotten, as if the money were never borrowed. Nothing is owed. The "record" of the loan is erased.
But I can imagine a case where, a borrower might come a second time and ask to borrow money again. I imagine the lender using his reason and his memory saying,
What is Forgiveness?
Orthodox people ask this question.
St. Philaret of NY says that only God's forgiveness is so complete that He does not remember.* We can strive towards that ideal, but I'm not sure how hard we should try in every case -- God endowed us with reason and memory for a purpose. To understand what forgiveness is, we can consider what it is not. And forgetting is not necessarily a component.
I did a Google search: | Bible "forgive and forget" |
here is what AI says:
"Forgive and forget" is not a direct biblical phrase, though the Bible commands complete forgiveness, often modeled on God's, who chooses to "remember sins no more" (Hebrews 8:12). While God "blots out" transgressions (Isaiah 43:25), for humans, this means releasing bitterness and not holding wrongs against someone, rather than experiencing literal amnesia.
I like that — "not literal amnesia." It makes sense. How can it be good for us to pretend something never happened? Isn't pretending something akin to lying? You certainly want to remember that the hot stove will burn you, and you certainly don't want to pretend it won't burn you again.
Looking at the idea of forgetting from another angle, — the example Christ gives of the lender forgiving a debt. Here the debt is forgotten, as if the money were never borrowed. Nothing is owed. The "record" of the loan is erased.
But I can imagine a case where, a borrower might come a second time and ask to borrow money again. I imagine the lender using his reason and his memory saying,
"I remember you at one time had trouble re-paying a loan. I don't want to lend to you because it is reasonable to consider you are a high risk. Not only could I lose my money, it could hurt our friendship if you fail to repay me in a timely manner. But, I should be able to give you some alms, at least for part of the sum you are asking. Let me go home and look over my budget and I willl get back to you."
A word that seems to be tied up with forgiveness is "offenses." Today on Forgiveness Sunday we ask each other to forgive us our offenses, in case in any way we might have offended one another.
A true story: the day that Fr. Seraphim died (Sept. 2, 1982) he appeared to Helen Kontsevich in a dream, to say good-bye. He left her with his stern warning never to take offense at anyone. This is worthy to ponder. It was not clear if he meant intended or unintended offenses, or both. This seems like a good podvig for all of us to consider and follow.
The remedy for being offended or for offending is forgiveness. But how much greater it is to instead forestall any ill-feelings simply by not taking or accepting the offense in the first place. There is no need for forgiveness if an offense has not occurred. But after the offense has occurred, then our recourse is forgiveness.
How to do this effectively... each case will be different, but right away we can see the more successful the forgiveness, the lesser will be the damage, the quicker will be the recovery, and the less likely it is that additional related offenses will follow. I think it is most important, to do forgiveness right, there has to be no lies involved, no pretending.
An example would be the husband who cheats on his wife. It would be wrong to pretend that it never happened. The consequences need to be faced with courage by both husband and wife. Something has been lost, destroyed, that can never be reclaimed. For the sake of the children, they might decide to continue keeping the household together even though the marriage is ruined. Or they may decide to dismantle the household. Either way, they must honestly face the consequences, not try to pretend it did not happen, or that it can eventually be undone. Whatever solution is decided, forgiveness is necessary -- whether there is a divorce or not. It would be wrong for the husband to demand the wife prove her forgiveness by pretending to still have a marriage. (Or, worse, by pretending they could have a marriage again if she would forget, — effectively shifting the fault to her...) It is very important for a successful forgiveness that there be no lies, no pretending included with the forgiveness.
Even before this element of no lies and no pretending, there is something even more important to determine before trying to use forgiveness to remedy an offense. Ask, what is it that is being forgiven? I think people get confused about this. Is it something that can actually be forgiven? Does it qualify as an "offense" that can be wiped off the slate? Go back a few paragraphs where I wrote:
A word that seems to be tied up with forgiveness is "offenses." Today on Forgiveness Sunday we ask each other to forgive us our offenses, in case in any way we might have offended one another.
An example of calling it an offense when it is not an offense:
Remember back in 2007 when we in ROCOR were told to forgive the MP? Yes, MP committed many crimes against the ROCOR before the fall of Communism. And MP continued to commit crimes against ROCOR after the fall of Communism, as well. But, we were told to "let bygones be bygones." Look again here. We can surely forgive the crimes MP committed against us, but that forgiveness does not change what MP is. MP is a fake Church. Forgiveness is not going to turn MP into a real Church. It is unfair to ask us to prove our forgiveness by joining the MP. We can forgive the MP of its offenses against us without joining it.
We've heard of such a thing as "false humility." I suggest there is also such a thing as "false forgiveness." In all cases of false forgiveness there is that red flag of some kind of lie or pretense being added in. In the example of the MP, to join the MP we would be pretending MP is something that it is not. Believing a lie, that there is hope MP will change AFTER we join it, (or even because we join it!) This is a blatant lie, a blatant ignoring the facts before your eyes as things are now right in front of us. Wherever you find a lie — know that God is not there. Run the other way. Don't participate in a lie. Even if everyone thinks you are wrong. Better to be alone now than separated from Truth in eternity.
May we all have successful at forgivings during this Great Lent.
Dear Readers,
Please forgive me. Even if I have not offended you personally, I have offended and harmed the Body of Christ with my laziness and wasteful habits.
Joanna
*see St. Philaret's sermon on "Blaspheme Against the Holy Spirit" in the book: St. Philaret of New York – His Collected Works, © 2024 Sbn. Nektarios Harrison, M.A. ISBN: 979-833-571-5430, p. 343
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