I subscribed to this channel a while ago but haven’t really paid attention to it until today. I decided I’m going to listen today and so glad I did. I ate a piece of cake while watching it and decided it was okay because it was Sunday. I knew I could’ve and should’ve thrown it away. It just so happened to be the last piece and since I’m planning a change tomorrow, I justified it. I’ve been working from home since last August and tomorrow I start back at the office. I’m happy to go back because I’ve picked up some bad habits. I’m fatter and lazier than I was before working from home. I feel like I’m now addicted to my phone and RUclips. I’ve noticed I’ve been commenting a lot lately and not always good things. I’m looking forward to getting back to the office, eating better and less, walking more. Please pray I get back to church, the Eucharist, and the rosary. Thank you for your video!
Bless you, thank you for sharing your testimony ❤ stay strong, surround yourself with people who care, go to daily mass if possible, and return to confession upon any setbacks. Praying for you
Hello Friend, I hope you're doing well and always know that Jesus has your back when you're in doubt. Your situation is unique to yourself but I went through something similar during lockdown. Do not despair, you will be able to find the drive deep inside if you want it hard enough. I, you and every other human is capable of absolutely anything(within human capacity of course 🤣) because God gave us free will. My first steps were RUclips workouts(I recommend JordanYeohFitness, he does lots of beginner friendly videos), cutting out sugar and also alcohol. In a few years time you'll be thinking of that piece of cake in a completely different way. God bless ✝️
I'm recovering from binge eating disorder, and what I learned from it is this - pay attention to what sins you already rejected. Like when I was binging, I hated it, I wanted to be free so badly and I couldn't understand why I couldn't stop. So when I was looking at my sins, I couldn't see past the gluttony where I was eating too much food. But I wanted to be free from that sin and I was asking God to help me. Turns out there was more sin that I HADN'T rejected yet. I had the other kind of gluttony, where you want only the best food, because I was trying to make every bite count so I could like save up willpower or something, because I believed I didn't deserve food, because I felt so guilty about the binging. I had a lot of self hatred and was actually unknowingly restricting my food in an unhealthy self-harm type way whenever I was between binges. I had this pride like I had to get myself under control before God could love me. Those sins of like self hatred, self harm, pride and the other type of gluttony, those were like the one twig where you pull it out of the birds nest and it all falls apart. Once I actually could reject those other sins, my binge eating disorder evaporated, because I already hated that sin and rejected it, and the other bad habits that fed it were getting destroyed. When you restrict food, sometimes it causes you to eat uncontrollably later, and the net result is a huge amount of overeating. So eating the right amount early in the day fixed it. But I had to eat everyday food, not the food I would binge on, and I had to eat it at times where I had tons of self control, where I actually was capable of restricting, at a time where I was desperate to lose weight. It was hard, but healing. I stopped getting uncontrollably hungry, and started getting the normal kind of hungry before meals and tolerating it. I ate lame food and it was actually enough because it wasn't taking the place of feeling loved and loveable lol. All the guilt I felt over my eating disorder I believe was just one big distraction from the devil, trying to take my attention away from where the real sins were. My binging was a sin but a venial sin that was not under my control, the other sins were on purpose and way more important to root out. I highly recommend therapy for out of control eating, it helped me understand what I needed to do to recover.
@@adinadumitrescu9784 The youtube channel "the binge eating therapist" really helped me! God wants you to be healthy, but He loves and accepts your body right now because He knows allowing you to struggle with food right now is the only way to be gentle enough to bring the real you into His love. You're like the little seedling where God is tilling the soil all around you and protecting you so that when it is time to grow, you won't be on rocky ground, you'll have food and water and soil and everything you could ever need. I truly believe you have the body God wants you to have right now, and God cares very much about the huge cross of being over weight and still being desparately hungry. He has so much compassion for you even in the midst of the worst bingeing. I have a little relic of St Teresa of Calcutta on my fridge and I touch it whenever I go to eat, and there is a picture of her smiling with it, and she fed starving people in her life, and it reminds me that even though I'm fat in a first world country, she is still smiling when God uses her to feed me in body and soul. She knows that I have a different kind of hunger and she wants me to be completely filled emotionally and physically. I think she must have been interceding a lot to help me overcome my eating disorder. When I touch her relic I eat joyfully, and I eat healthy food and delicious food and food that calms my senses when they're screaming, and it's no big deal, and then it stops being extreme, and then God establishes temperance in my life without me having to control anything, because I usually can't control things to the extent that I believe I need. God is the one who has control.
Eating normal food, only when physically (not just mentally) hungry. A small plate. Chew each bit with gratitude and sip between. Eat as slowly as possible. Stop when just full-not stuffed. No dieting. Just listen to God given signals of hunger and fullness in my stomach. When emotional or mental desire appears that is not actual stomach hunger - I turn to God instead. Chew on the Word. Sobriety. Temperance. Total honesty. Surrender. God makes it possible.
It is interesting that you coupled both gluttony and lust in this talk. I am definitely plagued by both of these vices, and it is apropos that they are treated together because, at least from my own self-reflection, I believe they share a common culprit. At least in my life, both sins are driven by the void that is left as a result of a lack of meaningful connection with others. This is the impetus for my excess consumption of many things, food being one of them,, and my frequent engagement in sexual sin. Your words on this topic, Mthr. Natalia, are like a healing balm on an open wound. God bless you.
I’ve always been thin and have eaten healthy for most of my adult life but I felt very convicted about gluttony when I converted this year. I did something food related which was very difficult for lent and I failed multiple times and that was very eye opening for me, someone nobody would look at and think I have a problem with gluttony. Thank you for posting this as I seem to have let that thought slip from my mind once I got pregnant- I’ve been very food driven and seem to have *forgotten* that God has given us a spirit of self control even when we are pregnant :)
Mother Natalia, your point on seeing people as people, Gods children, not about how they make you feel is a powerful message. It is a powerful message for us men. Thank you for this message there is nothing to me like feminine wisdom like this it’s important we hear from our sisters/ mothers to zero in on what us as men need to fix in our spiritual life. We NEED these truths. Beautiful message
Mother, you brought up a very interesting aspect of Lust. This disintegrated and disordered view of others is something that I know I have struggled with. Whether it is treating friends and even family in a mercinary manner, or thinking the worst of a panhandler and of course the ease of responding in an uncharitable manner online. I would love to say that I see Christ in others, that divine spark that dwells within us all. I seem to be able to do so in hindsight to my great shame. I hope and pray that we may all truly see, one day soon. May we see and love each other as Christ sees and loves us. 🙏
I could watch this video every day for the rest of my life. You are a gift to the world, to mankind, and most of all to the faith. A blessing sent from God to better us all. I beg you, never stop learning, never stop teaching.
About how technology is affecting how we treat people. I have seen this quote that summarizes exactly what you are trying to say. Although maybe not the best for a religious setting perhaps, it still gets the point across. Technology today has made people too comfortable with saying things to people and not getting punched in the mouth
I think the main reason why Lust is so common in our society is that loneliness is on the rise. Social media exists solely to remove that barrier (loneliness) between people so they can at least pretend to socialize. One common problem I'm constantly seeing is that people don't want to hear or do what doesn't benefit them some way or another which is basically the same thing Natalia said. It's kind of like the "every man for himself" mentality but it enables social cliques seeking the same "goals" which in time gives origin to loneliness because it's essentially competition.
Mother, thank you for your words. Thank you for your blessings, Mother of mine, I love you very much, your words are very wise, and kind, true love comes from you. Thank you❤
Lust is a difficult one to deal with because, the modern culture endorses it. It is inescapable, in movies, online, everywhere. Today's youth have a higher grade to climb because, they have media in their hands. In my era, we had to obtain magazines, or obtain movies, to watch nudity.
i was afflicted by lack of hunger and could go without eating for a while. went to confession confessed glutonny , hunger came back like i was really really hungry and my taste for beer came back!!
I’ll be honest i have hard time hearing Catholic speakers talk about things related to lust. It’s refreshing to hear from what the Fathers say about it rather than the same old BS of “pray more rosaries! Fast more! Man up! Get covenant eyes!” I’ve tried all those things and they will not cure of the vast majority of people of lust addictions. We need to get to the core of what are problems are, which I think Mother Natalia really understands.
I love your videos Mother Natalia! Could you please do a video or several videos on "fasting and feasting", particularly how this was traditionally done in the ancient Catholic church (East vs West would be cool too)? I want very much to observe the cycles of fasting and feasting throughout the year, but I can't seem to find a good resource on it or anyone who can teach it in a way that makes sense.
Thank you very much for this video. Gluttony and lust are so easy for us all to fall into. And you touched on something in lust that made me curious about these two that I wonder if I could get clarity on for the sake of understanding. I ask humbly as I am also concerned that I am in a wrong state of thinking of these vices. As of ten years ago I had come to develop (or perhaps stumble upon in ignorance of the awareness of similar conclusions from those smarter than myself) a wider definition of gluttony and lust (as well as the other vices but as these are the two discussed they are the ones I will address). I saw gluttony as the misuse of anything and lust as the misuse (or in this case use) of people, both for one’s own satisfaction or ambition. I had always associated gluttony with food and lust with sex, but that seems to have pigeonholed the sins where we rarely hear of things like the gym-going glutton or the compassionate deviant. I especially think of addictions as a form of gluttony as while not food are the misuse of things that can sometimes be used responsibly for good means and ends. And further from this I think of porn addiction as a manifestation and representation of how close gluttony and lust are in that they are both the misuse of what is real and good. Even if someone who is addicted to porn has never had intercourse with someone else they are still in a sinful state of lust. What I mean to ask then is: is my view of gluttony and lust misidentification of other sins or misguided? With my thinking be so broad compared to the thinking of church fathers I wonder if I’m being too broad? Over-scrupulous? Please pray for me as I intend to do the same. As excellent work like this should get people thinking, and it certainly has. Well done.
Taking care of our urges, fasting, and abstinence. I had issues with doing too much, so I was fasting in love with each other. Is it trouble to pray for another and fast for others is a way to take custody of your urges. Small steps in all things. Love God with your whole heart and your neighbor as yourself.
Timely video!!! 😊 I just finished a fast, and I’ve been slowly breaking it with bone broth. I’ll be more careful about how and when I eat . Being overweight is due to my gluttony.
Hey! Some helpful feedback here! I'm hearing the noise gate a little hard on the signal chain. If it's a template signal chain then the gain on the mic preamp isn't high enough. At the beginning the gate seems to be cutting off portions of her words. God bless ❤️
I've just started to implement some of those mini fasts that you bring up, and it's been immensely helpful, both physically and spiritually. I've struggled since I was a kids with weight and my prayers to lose weight seem to go unanswered. but simple things such as not buying a snack to eat in the car on the way home from the grocery, not snacking in general, but not only that but to offer it up for reparations. And I always do that when they bring the wrong food! after I saw my aunt do it. She waited tables most of her life, so when they messed up an order for our huge party, she looked at the plate the confused waitress had and said "what is that? that looks good, I'll just have that!". So I always do that, I always tell them I'll just take that, but make sure its not meant to go to another table, so it doesn't cause a snowball effect.
I think it's because the average person doesn't have much options besides overeating and looking at a screen. Half of the world population is overweight or obese so it isn't just a problem in some countries.
@@n4ughty_knight but I think most people with time to watch screens are also the majority of porn addicts too, but we see so much about the sin of lust. Agreed… that we have poor options, but I think that is where the fasting can come in.
In a way you answered your own question. All the churches are afraid to push back on such topics because so many people are affected that they will loose half their congregation! It will make too many people feel too bad and if they talked about that stuff all the time then people wouldn't show up anymore.
I wouldn't believe it for a long time, but water slows appetite and helps wt loss (if that's needed). It also helps my blurred vision caused by dry eyes.
The 5 senses are gateways to experiences they are what makes us human and can influence our thoughts. We should guard them always. Sight: control what you see. Hearing: move away from gossip etc. Speech: control your words Taste: can lead to gluttony Touch : should be kept Holy.
I would love to see a dialogue that divorces desire from lust. For example, the body desires a baby-that’s what it was designed to do. I’m denying it because God is denying it to me. Lust is almost undetectable in this equation. It’s more akin to giving an obnoxious child at a wake an extra piece of cake so they will leave you alone for a few minutes. It’s a weak attempt to starve off the body’s monthly grief from not getting what it wants… I want to know how to handle sin that’s entangled with an anatomical, hormonal, and biological God-given urge. The desert fathers know nothing of ovulation aches, but a nun might!
as a woman I can understand. everyone says practice chastity which I already know as single woman. but at least for those married, there is a healthy non sinful outlet or output because they are supposed to have sex. as a single practicing chaste Catholic, we do not have that outlet for our perfectly normal sexual desires except to channel it in our other ways, like mental prayer, good friendships and relationships, study, learning new things, hobbies, travel, entertainment, work, doing good for others - and that in itself is a heavy cross. i have asked God to remove my desire for marriage, family, and sex if they are not for me, but still He hasn't
@@user-lu6mq3zc6z It is a heavy cross. And it’s rarely discussed. Or if it is, it’s the same old stuff without fresh insight. Meanwhile, I’m trapped in a meat suit with reproductive organs equivalent to Verruca Salt. And I get it. Not everyone can speak to that. But I refuse to believe I’m alone in this. And you’re proof of that. Thank you 🙏
I've avoided this video because I thought it might force me to view my habitual sins from the view of one of my favorite internet people. It's so hard to continue to exist when these sins and all my faults seem so impossible to overcome. I often wonder why I would even try to go to confession or mass when the promise to "Sin no more" is an obvious Lie.
You mean you don't really want to quit the sin? You're right, then, you shouldn't go to confession yet, but you sound miserable, so I think the desire to be free is there. You are just in despair believing that either God won't help, or you don't have the willpower. I hope you'll talk to a priest about this. I'm praying it's a good priest and he will have the words to comfort you and give you hope.
Nothing is impossible with God. You’re turning to this because you realize that you cant do it yourself but with the help of the Lord and that this somehow is a inspiring thought. At the end of the day you know God still loves you and that its worth it just because of that to overcome the flesh.
Totally agreed and touched by the gluttony part. Help me God! But about the sexual sins, not too convincing. These days there's no concept of hurting or looking at the soul of a person because both men and women do the impure acts out of their free will. So, appealing to that part of people will not touch a chord. I can't say what will, but it didn't touch mine.
Some food cravings are caused by chemical misbalance. You might be drawn to salty foods because your body NEEDS salt. I think with food issues, you ought to talk to a God fearing doctor along with a spiritual director.
I would say the external is always a manifestation of the internals ("from the fountain of the heart the mouth speaks", after all). I believe when Paul speaks of "do not let your adornment be merely outward", among other things, he speaks that we can change the outward and fail to address the inward. We can be whitewashed tombs - dressed in fine garments and looking sharp, and have nothing of solidity or holiness filling our innermost being. We can take the Islamic or Jewish approach to righteousness and manage our outward deeds, without a transformative power and repentance and death and resurrection. Our adornment is to be inward first. That verse does not condemn excellence in dress or the wearing of a nice clothing or jewelry at all, though it is often twisted as though it does. Elsewhere, Jesus Himself exhorts believers to dress in a joyful manner when fasting - which would have meant putting specific effort toward one's appearance for the sake of looking nice, as opposed to sack cloth or ashes, which would draw attention to our sacrifice. In that expression, outward adornment was actually equated with the same spirit that prayed in secret places. Outward adornment was actually humility in this moment, and kept our small sacrifice a secret between us and God, sanctifying it and inviting His glory in the place of man's recognition. What a fascinating thought. There can be great beauty and glory in fashion submitted to the Lord. It speaks to where out treasure is, and could be applied just as much to exercising and the development of physique as to our dress and fashion, as the same motive can drive both of those - for better or for worse. What drives the adornments we choose? What drives the exercise or development we seek? Who do we worship with those acts and the fruit they sow to? That, to me, is a powerful question to entertain regularly - not with surrendered reverence. Let your adornment be inward first and foremost, and let your outward reflect that submission - be it humble and unremarkable in one season, or excellent and colorful in the next - holy in both forms. If I have learned anything, it is that I am to be submitted and adorned with glory and holiness inwardly, and that my outward expression will be lead by my Lord. I will not for a moment say that I am good at that, but I am learning, and He is both faithful and good at His job, and strong in my weakness.
Dear Mother Miriam, I wonder why you don’t ask for the intercession of Roman Catholic saints beside the Orthodox saints. They’re all saints, right? I’ve heard stories of people including me (an Armenian Orthodox) having visions and dreams of saints other than their denomination. 🤔
With enough knowledge of someone, a person would easily be able to intuit how an Internet comment or action would effect their target. It's more widespread in its net however, being so public. I'd say the effect is there but it could be minimized for the victim as well given the state of the Internet.
Its hard for me to figure out this gluttony thing because im training for a triathlon so my body needs to eat like 4000 calories a day and i cant tell sometimes if im being gluttonous but i just need that food to do my triathlon successfully
Aside from obviously overeating or not showing temperance at the plate, how is gluttony gravely sinful? I realize that controlling one's sexuality is tied to the intake of food and mortifying one's appetite. Can someone help explain this to me?
I wonder what your thoughts on when and how to assert yourself in a non gluttonous manner in situations like that in the restaurant. I know you don't want humans to be personally degraded, and you don't humans to be gluttonous. What are markers to help guide our decisions?
Our culture doesn't talk sin, or mention gluttony. We are in search of proteiens,carbs,etc. Right formula is food paradise. 1000 books later we are sicker and more enslaved. Acknowledged sin, trust God's mercy and receive freedom.
Gluttony itself is what it is, which is over eating and over drinking. It has nothing to do with preference. Now if I ordered food and got back the wrong order, of course I'm going to correct them, simply because it was not what i paid for and also I could be buying for someone else, for example a loved one. That is my feelings on the matter, but of course, we are all sinners, and God has ever lasting love for all his children. 😊
I agree seems like a stretch to try and not have food preferences. I don’t see why God would want us to only enjoy him for ever . In that event we can’t do anything but pray and fast .
I'm not Catholic, per say, but I find it interesting to call her Mother. She is not old enough to be, for most of us at LEAST, to be our Mother. What about sister?
@@michaelshelbysuberlak Thank you for your response, I appreciate it!! Reminded me of when Jesus Christ said in Matthew 12:48 "for whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and my sister and my mother."
I subscribed to this channel a while ago but haven’t really paid attention to it until today. I decided I’m going to listen today and so glad I did. I ate a piece of cake while watching it and decided it was okay because it was Sunday. I knew I could’ve and should’ve thrown it away. It just so happened to be the last piece and since I’m planning a change tomorrow, I justified it. I’ve been working from home since last August and tomorrow I start back at the office. I’m happy to go back because I’ve picked up some bad habits. I’m fatter and lazier than I was before working from home. I feel like I’m now addicted to my phone and RUclips. I’ve noticed I’ve been commenting a lot lately and not always good things. I’m looking forward to getting back to the office, eating better and less, walking more. Please pray I get back to church, the Eucharist, and the rosary. Thank you for your video!
Bless you, thank you for sharing your testimony ❤ stay strong, surround yourself with people who care, go to daily mass if possible, and return to confession upon any setbacks. Praying for you
🙏🙏🙏
God bless you❤️❤️❤️ praying rn!
Hello Friend, I hope you're doing well and always know that Jesus has your back when you're in doubt.
Your situation is unique to yourself but I went through something similar during lockdown. Do not despair, you will be able to find the drive deep inside if you want it hard enough. I, you and every other human is capable of absolutely anything(within human capacity of course 🤣) because God gave us free will.
My first steps were RUclips workouts(I recommend JordanYeohFitness, he does lots of beginner friendly videos), cutting out sugar and also alcohol.
In a few years time you'll be thinking of that piece of cake in a completely different way.
God bless ✝️
Such an honest testimony ,you speak for so many by putting it out there in words ,may your journey be Blessed always .
I'm recovering from binge eating disorder, and what I learned from it is this - pay attention to what sins you already rejected. Like when I was binging, I hated it, I wanted to be free so badly and I couldn't understand why I couldn't stop. So when I was looking at my sins, I couldn't see past the gluttony where I was eating too much food. But I wanted to be free from that sin and I was asking God to help me. Turns out there was more sin that I HADN'T rejected yet. I had the other kind of gluttony, where you want only the best food, because I was trying to make every bite count so I could like save up willpower or something, because I believed I didn't deserve food, because I felt so guilty about the binging. I had a lot of self hatred and was actually unknowingly restricting my food in an unhealthy self-harm type way whenever I was between binges. I had this pride like I had to get myself under control before God could love me. Those sins of like self hatred, self harm, pride and the other type of gluttony, those were like the one twig where you pull it out of the birds nest and it all falls apart. Once I actually could reject those other sins, my binge eating disorder evaporated, because I already hated that sin and rejected it, and the other bad habits that fed it were getting destroyed. When you restrict food, sometimes it causes you to eat uncontrollably later, and the net result is a huge amount of overeating. So eating the right amount early in the day fixed it. But I had to eat everyday food, not the food I would binge on, and I had to eat it at times where I had tons of self control, where I actually was capable of restricting, at a time where I was desperate to lose weight. It was hard, but healing. I stopped getting uncontrollably hungry, and started getting the normal kind of hungry before meals and tolerating it. I ate lame food and it was actually enough because it wasn't taking the place of feeling loved and loveable lol. All the guilt I felt over my eating disorder I believe was just one big distraction from the devil, trying to take my attention away from where the real sins were. My binging was a sin but a venial sin that was not under my control, the other sins were on purpose and way more important to root out. I highly recommend therapy for out of control eating, it helped me understand what I needed to do to recover.
Im a fellow binge eater here. Haven't made any progress yet but your story gives me hope to analyse myself more.
@@adinadumitrescu9784 The youtube channel "the binge eating therapist" really helped me! God wants you to be healthy, but He loves and accepts your body right now because He knows allowing you to struggle with food right now is the only way to be gentle enough to bring the real you into His love. You're like the little seedling where God is tilling the soil all around you and protecting you so that when it is time to grow, you won't be on rocky ground, you'll have food and water and soil and everything you could ever need. I truly believe you have the body God wants you to have right now, and God cares very much about the huge cross of being over weight and still being desparately hungry. He has so much compassion for you even in the midst of the worst bingeing. I have a little relic of St Teresa of Calcutta on my fridge and I touch it whenever I go to eat, and there is a picture of her smiling with it, and she fed starving people in her life, and it reminds me that even though I'm fat in a first world country, she is still smiling when God uses her to feed me in body and soul. She knows that I have a different kind of hunger and she wants me to be completely filled emotionally and physically. I think she must have been interceding a lot to help me overcome my eating disorder. When I touch her relic I eat joyfully, and I eat healthy food and delicious food and food that calms my senses when they're screaming, and it's no big deal, and then it stops being extreme, and then God establishes temperance in my life without me having to control anything, because I usually can't control things to the extent that I believe I need. God is the one who has control.
Thank you. Great thoughts.
Thanks for sharing ❤
UR COMMENT IS SENT BY GOD TO ME..... THANK U SO MUCH ❤ BLESSINGS ALL THE WAY FROM MONTERREY MÉXICO ✝️
Eating normal food, only when physically (not just mentally) hungry. A small plate. Chew each bit with gratitude and sip between. Eat as slowly as possible. Stop when just full-not stuffed. No dieting. Just listen to God given signals of hunger and fullness in my stomach. When emotional or mental desire appears that is not actual stomach hunger - I turn to God instead. Chew on the Word. Sobriety. Temperance. Total honesty. Surrender. God makes it possible.
Amen ❤🙏
Also drink water...this is just a practical one but i fully agree with your comment
The Japanese have something called Hara Bun Me, where they eat till they feel about 80% full, then stop. It’s tough to do but clearly works for them.
It is interesting that you coupled both gluttony and lust in this talk. I am definitely plagued by both of these vices, and it is apropos that they are treated together because, at least from my own self-reflection, I believe they share a common culprit. At least in my life, both sins are driven by the void that is left as a result of a lack of meaningful connection with others. This is the impetus for my excess consumption of many things, food being one of them,, and my frequent engagement in sexual sin. Your words on this topic, Mthr. Natalia, are like a healing balm on an open wound. God bless you.
I think #1 thing to begin doing before eating is taking a moment to thank God for it. Just get in that habit for everything that enters your body.
I went to confession yesterday and confessed gluttony and lust. Crazy timing with this video. 👍🏻
Turn phone off when in confession box.
The book that is mentioned "the therapy of spiritual illnesses" is available on RUclips as an audiobook and on Spotify
I’ve always been thin and have eaten healthy for most of my adult life but I felt very convicted about gluttony when I converted this year. I did something food related which was very difficult for lent and I failed multiple times and that was very eye opening for me, someone nobody would look at and think I have a problem with gluttony.
Thank you for posting this as I seem to have let that thought slip from my mind once I got pregnant- I’ve been very food driven and seem to have *forgotten* that God has given us a spirit of self control even when we are pregnant :)
I needed this! I'm on a weight loss journey and have fallen off the wagon. This has given me the motivation to get back at it. Thank you!!!
God bless you on your journey!
She makes great videos. Refreshing content; educated, contemplative, highly thoughtful, serious and great insights.
Mother Natalia, your point on seeing people as people, Gods children, not about how they make you feel is a powerful message. It is a powerful message for us men. Thank you for this message there is nothing to me like feminine wisdom like this it’s important we hear from our sisters/ mothers to zero in on what us as men need to fix in our spiritual life. We NEED these truths. Beautiful message
This was beautiful. Thank you, Mother. The part of seeing another person as person was so convicting ❤
Mother, you brought up a very interesting aspect of Lust. This disintegrated and disordered view of others is something that I know I have struggled with. Whether it is treating friends and even family in a mercinary manner, or thinking the worst of a panhandler and of course the ease of responding in an uncharitable manner online.
I would love to say that I see Christ in others, that divine spark that dwells within us all. I seem to be able to do so in hindsight to my great shame. I hope and pray that we may all truly see, one day soon. May we see and love each other as Christ sees and loves us. 🙏
I could watch this video every day for the rest of my life. You are a gift to the world, to mankind, and most of all to the faith. A blessing sent from God to better us all. I beg you, never stop learning, never stop teaching.
I love this video, the nun is really good at explaining and emits such a light that I just want to listen.
Thank you, Mother Natalia. This was very thought-provoking. Thank you for your prayer at the end!
Thank you dear mother. We love you and thank you for your kind and thoughtful encouragement
About how technology is affecting how we treat people. I have seen this quote that summarizes exactly what you are trying to say. Although maybe not the best for a religious setting perhaps, it still gets the point across. Technology today has made people too comfortable with saying things to people and not getting punched in the mouth
I think the main reason why Lust is so common in our society is that loneliness is on the rise. Social media exists solely to remove that barrier (loneliness) between people so they can at least pretend to socialize. One common problem I'm constantly seeing is that people don't want to hear or do what doesn't benefit them some way or another which is basically the same thing Natalia said. It's kind of like the "every man for himself" mentality but it enables social cliques seeking the same "goals" which in time gives origin to loneliness because it's essentially competition.
Mother, thank you for your words. Thank you for your blessings, Mother of mine, I love you very much, your words are very wise, and kind, true love comes from you. Thank you❤
Gracias hermana por recordarnos la misericordia de Dios que el nos da el mejor manjar y nuestro señor Jesus es nuestro mejor manjar
God bless you for the work you put In with your channel! May God bless you many times
Lust is a difficult one to deal with because, the modern culture endorses it. It is inescapable, in movies, online, everywhere. Today's youth have a higher grade to climb because, they have media in their hands. In my era, we had to obtain magazines, or obtain movies, to watch nudity.
i was afflicted by lack of hunger and could go without eating for a while. went to confession confessed glutonny , hunger came back like i was really really hungry and my taste for beer came back!!
Thank you Mother! I greatly needed to hear this. God bless you all!
I’ll be honest i have hard time hearing Catholic speakers talk about things related to lust. It’s refreshing to hear from what the Fathers say about it rather than the same old BS of “pray more rosaries! Fast more! Man up! Get covenant eyes!” I’ve tried all those things and they will not cure of the vast majority of people of lust addictions. We need to get to the core of what are problems are, which I think Mother Natalia really understands.
Amen! As a woman with similar (if not the same addictions) I 100% agree with you 😊
Wait... you didn't know glutony and lust come together? Fasting, like... truly fasting, planing your day is most effective.
It’s her eastern tradition speaking…
I love your videos Mother Natalia! Could you please do a video or several videos on "fasting and feasting", particularly how this was traditionally done in the ancient Catholic church (East vs West would be cool too)? I want very much to observe the cycles of fasting and feasting throughout the year, but I can't seem to find a good resource on it or anyone who can teach it in a way that makes sense.
Wow! You've really opened my eyes to many things I've never thought about. Thank you!
Excellent Video! 🙏
Thank you very much for this video. Gluttony and lust are so easy for us all to fall into. And you touched on something in lust that made me curious about these two that I wonder if I could get clarity on for the sake of understanding. I ask humbly as I am also concerned that I am in a wrong state of thinking of these vices.
As of ten years ago I had come to develop (or perhaps stumble upon in ignorance of the awareness of similar conclusions from those smarter than myself) a wider definition of gluttony and lust (as well as the other vices but as these are the two discussed they are the ones I will address). I saw gluttony as the misuse of anything and lust as the misuse (or in this case use) of people, both for one’s own satisfaction or ambition. I had always associated gluttony with food and lust with sex, but that seems to have pigeonholed the sins where we rarely hear of things like the gym-going glutton or the compassionate deviant. I especially think of addictions as a form of gluttony as while not food are the misuse of things that can sometimes be used responsibly for good means and ends. And further from this I think of porn addiction as a manifestation and representation of how close gluttony and lust are in that they are both the misuse of what is real and good. Even if someone who is addicted to porn has never had intercourse with someone else they are still in a sinful state of lust.
What I mean to ask then is: is my view of gluttony and lust misidentification of other sins or misguided? With my thinking be so broad compared to the thinking of church fathers I wonder if I’m being too broad? Over-scrupulous? Please pray for me as I intend to do the same. As excellent work like this should get people thinking, and it certainly has. Well done.
Dr Pitre has a great talk on 'pornea'. Dr Brant does a great job explaining it. Gio him a listen to.
Thank you, Mother, for sharing your spiritual wisdom with us. This video really helped to humanize nuns for me.
Thank you Mother
Taking care of our urges, fasting, and abstinence. I had issues with doing too much, so I was fasting in love with each other. Is it trouble to pray for another and fast for others is a way to take custody of your urges. Small steps in all things. Love God with your whole heart and your neighbor as yourself.
The Bright Week issues may be caused by an increase of sugar in the sister's bodies!
Thank you for the beautiful message, I greatly appreciate you're thoughtfulness.
Thank you God for Mother Natalia ✨🫶✨
Timely video!!! 😊 I just finished a fast, and I’ve been slowly breaking it with bone broth. I’ll be more careful about how and when I eat . Being overweight is due to my gluttony.
She's right about "seeing people". I feel that's a huge factor in why we're a dysfunctional society, as well as God not being at the center.
Hey! Some helpful feedback here!
I'm hearing the noise gate a little hard on the signal chain. If it's a template signal chain then the gain on the mic preamp isn't high enough. At the beginning the gate seems to be cutting off portions of her words. God bless ❤️
Thank you, Mother
I've just started to implement some of those mini fasts that you bring up, and it's been immensely helpful, both physically and spiritually. I've struggled since I was a kids with weight and my prayers to lose weight seem to go unanswered. but simple things such as not buying a snack to eat in the car on the way home from the grocery, not snacking in general, but not only that but to offer it up for reparations.
And I always do that when they bring the wrong food! after I saw my aunt do it. She waited tables most of her life, so when they messed up an order for our huge party, she looked at the plate the confused waitress had and said "what is that? that looks good, I'll just have that!".
So I always do that, I always tell them I'll just take that, but make sure its not meant to go to another table, so it doesn't cause a snowball effect.
with almost 50% of the population obese or overweight I always wonder why gluttony isn't talked about more.
I think it's because the average person doesn't have much options besides overeating and looking at a screen. Half of the world population is overweight or obese so it isn't just a problem in some countries.
@@n4ughty_knight but I think most people with time to watch screens are also the majority of porn addicts too, but we see so much about the sin of lust. Agreed… that we have poor options, but I think that is where the fasting can come in.
@@youtubeKathy That's true but usually people don't want to fast because it's boring and doesn't let them engage in their favorite hobby: eating.
In a way you answered your own question. All the churches are afraid to push back on such topics because so many people are affected that they will loose half their congregation! It will make too many people feel too bad and if they talked about that stuff all the time then people wouldn't show up anymore.
@@NotAffiliated I don't think so. they've already lost over half to the pandemic.
Drink a big water after Vespers Mother, you are likely dehydrated and if you drink the water you can put off the snack, God bless you.
I wouldn't believe it for a long time, but water slows appetite and helps wt loss (if that's needed). It also helps my blurred vision caused by dry eyes.
The 5 senses are gateways to experiences they are what makes us human and can influence our thoughts. We should guard them always.
Sight: control what you see.
Hearing: move away from gossip etc.
Speech: control your words
Taste: can lead to gluttony
Touch : should be kept Holy.
"see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" basically
Very good, thank you Mother Natalia! Eye-opening
Thank you. God bless you 🙏
I would add that the processed stuff we eat these days that is hyper-palatable is not food.
The book Ultra Processed People is amazing…
Awesome way to put that. It’s so true. Making us addicted to food.
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Thank you 🙏🏽 simply amazing 🙏🏽 thank you 🙏🏽
I would love to see a dialogue that divorces desire from lust. For example, the body desires a baby-that’s what it was designed to do. I’m denying it because God is denying it to me. Lust is almost undetectable in this equation. It’s more akin to giving an obnoxious child at a wake an extra piece of cake so they will leave you alone for a few minutes. It’s a weak attempt to starve off the body’s monthly grief from not getting what it wants… I want to know how to handle sin that’s entangled with an anatomical, hormonal, and biological God-given urge. The desert fathers know nothing of ovulation aches, but a nun might!
Provide service for the children who needs help 🙏
I have, as an educator, for years. Recently the desire started skewing dangerously close to envy and God made me leave. Now I work with the elderly.
as a woman I can understand. everyone says practice chastity which I already know as single woman. but at least for those married, there is a healthy non sinful outlet or output because they are supposed to have sex. as a single practicing chaste Catholic, we do not have that outlet for our perfectly normal sexual desires except to channel it in our other ways, like mental prayer, good friendships and relationships, study, learning new things, hobbies, travel, entertainment, work, doing good for others - and that in itself is a heavy cross. i have asked God to remove my desire for marriage, family, and sex if they are not for me, but still He hasn't
@@user-lu6mq3zc6z It is a heavy cross. And it’s rarely discussed. Or if it is, it’s the same old stuff without fresh insight. Meanwhile, I’m trapped in a meat suit with reproductive organs equivalent to Verruca Salt. And I get it. Not everyone can speak to that. But I refuse to believe I’m alone in this. And you’re proof of that. Thank you 🙏
Mother, thank you for your direction
Bravo! Keep it going sister! ❤
Thankyou for your beautiful work, and Hello from Australia ❤
Thank you, this was needed.
I've avoided this video because I thought it might force me to view my habitual sins from the view of one of my favorite internet people.
It's so hard to continue to exist when these sins and all my faults seem so impossible to overcome. I often wonder why I would even try to go to confession or mass when the promise to "Sin no more" is an obvious Lie.
You mean you don't really want to quit the sin? You're right, then, you shouldn't go to confession yet, but you sound miserable, so I think the desire to be free is there. You are just in despair believing that either God won't help, or you don't have the willpower. I hope you'll talk to a priest about this. I'm praying it's a good priest and he will have the words to comfort you and give you hope.
The misery comes from having competing desires. Nurture the good one and starve the bad one; it will take time, but things will slowly change
@@BitsyBeeIt’s an addiction..
Nothing is impossible with God. You’re turning to this because you realize that you cant do it yourself but with the help of the Lord and that this somehow is a inspiring thought.
At the end of the day you know God still loves you and that its worth it just because of that to overcome the flesh.
I love this woman 🤍
Well, that are the rough basic elements they are using against Dr. Anders, for example, right?
How does one go about finding a spiritual advisor? My priest is aloof and I am kind of lost and alone
Maybe dial up your local archdiocese about finding a spiritual advisor?
Totally agreed and touched by the gluttony part. Help me God!
But about the sexual sins, not too convincing. These days there's no concept of hurting or looking at the soul of a person because both men and women do the impure acts out of their free will.
So, appealing to that part of people will not touch a chord. I can't say what will, but it didn't touch mine.
With love, I think the popper-stopper on your mic might be clipping some of your consonants.
Great news. An hilarious response to our human condition
Pints(with Aquinas) of liquor is also gluttony and usually leads to drunkenness
Thank you Mother Natalia, very good video and I always appreciate your thoughts. God bless you and everyone here.
Some food cravings are caused by chemical misbalance. You might be drawn to salty foods because your body NEEDS salt. I think with food issues, you ought to talk to a God fearing doctor along with a spiritual director.
Good job and thank you.
Great video.
I would say the external is always a manifestation of the internals ("from the fountain of the heart the mouth speaks", after all). I believe when Paul speaks of "do not let your adornment be merely outward", among other things, he speaks that we can change the outward and fail to address the inward. We can be whitewashed tombs - dressed in fine garments and looking sharp, and have nothing of solidity or holiness filling our innermost being. We can take the Islamic or Jewish approach to righteousness and manage our outward deeds, without a transformative power and repentance and death and resurrection.
Our adornment is to be inward first. That verse does not condemn excellence in dress or the wearing of a nice clothing or jewelry at all, though it is often twisted as though it does. Elsewhere, Jesus Himself exhorts believers to dress in a joyful manner when fasting - which would have meant putting specific effort toward one's appearance for the sake of looking nice, as opposed to sack cloth or ashes, which would draw attention to our sacrifice. In that expression, outward adornment was actually equated with the same spirit that prayed in secret places. Outward adornment was actually humility in this moment, and kept our small sacrifice a secret between us and God, sanctifying it and inviting His glory in the place of man's recognition. What a fascinating thought.
There can be great beauty and glory in fashion submitted to the Lord. It speaks to where out treasure is, and could be applied just as much to exercising and the development of physique as to our dress and fashion, as the same motive can drive both of those - for better or for worse. What drives the adornments we choose? What drives the exercise or development we seek? Who do we worship with those acts and the fruit they sow to? That, to me, is a powerful question to entertain regularly - not with surrendered reverence. Let your adornment be inward first and foremost, and let your outward reflect that submission - be it humble and unremarkable in one season, or excellent and colorful in the next - holy in both forms.
If I have learned anything, it is that I am to be submitted and adorned with glory and holiness inwardly, and that my outward expression will be lead by my Lord. I will not for a moment say that I am good at that, but I am learning, and He is both faithful and good at His job, and strong in my weakness.
Dear Mother Miriam, I wonder why you don’t ask for the intercession of Roman Catholic saints beside the Orthodox saints. They’re all saints, right? I’ve heard stories of people including me (an Armenian Orthodox) having visions and dreams of saints other than their denomination. 🤔
She just might not be as familiar with RC saints the way I don't know but a couple of Orthodox saints.
How do you know those so called saints are in heaven at all?
Thank you so much for sharing. 🙏
With enough knowledge of someone, a person would easily be able to intuit how an Internet comment or action would effect their target. It's more widespread in its net however, being so public. I'd say the effect is there but it could be minimized for the victim as well given the state of the Internet.
i love Mthr Natalia
Thank you 🙏
Its hard for me to figure out this gluttony thing because im training for a triathlon so my body needs to eat like 4000 calories a day and i cant tell sometimes if im being gluttonous but i just need that food to do my triathlon successfully
Aside from obviously overeating or not showing temperance at the plate, how is gluttony gravely sinful? I realize that controlling one's sexuality is tied to the intake of food and mortifying one's appetite. Can someone help explain this to me?
Your abusing your body and being “greedy” through overconsumption
Thank you for this vlog..
The world started at Anno Mundi, as far as we mortals are concerned.
You can, and that's one way to practice... :)
4:05 G-d acts on the world using "covenants." That's the Noahide covenant Genesis 6:2
I LOVED THAT!!!(EMOTIONALLY ALLERGIC TO: raw onion...)...HAHAHAAAA. .😂❤...Im definitely adopting that saying...
I wonder what your thoughts on when and how to assert yourself in a non gluttonous manner in situations like that in the restaurant. I know you don't want humans to be personally degraded, and you don't humans to be gluttonous. What are markers to help guide our decisions?
Eat to live>live to eat.
Would this apply when breastfeeding or pregnant
Prayer to Saint Michael.
Our culture doesn't talk sin, or mention gluttony. We are in search of proteiens,carbs,etc. Right formula is food paradise. 1000 books later we are sicker and more enslaved.
Acknowledged sin, trust God's mercy and receive freedom.
Amen
I think the obsession with healthy eating is gluttony too.
🙏
Nuns are awesome
I think you need to give more context of the desert tradition. You are assuming a general audience knows what you know. They never heard of Evagrius
AMENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Mother Natalia, you have a bot on your channel - 35 messages all at the same time 👆🏼
❤
My two biggest sins
Gluttony itself is what it is, which is over eating and over drinking. It has nothing to do with preference. Now if I ordered food and got back the wrong order, of course I'm going to correct them, simply because it was not what i paid for and also I could be buying for someone else, for example a loved one. That is my feelings on the matter, but of course, we are all sinners, and God has ever lasting love for all his children. 😊
I agree seems like a stretch to try and not have food preferences. I don’t see why God would want us to only enjoy him for ever . In that event we can’t do anything but pray and fast .
Gluttony opens the door to other passions. Thank you. ❤❤❤
Gluttony and Lust, yeah this video is targeting me.
I'm not Catholic, per say, but I find it interesting to call her Mother. She is not old enough to be, for most of us at LEAST, to be our Mother. What about sister?
It’s her title within her religious community. Has nothing to do with age-nor is it actually about you! 😊
@@michaelshelbysuberlak Thank you for your response, I appreciate it!! Reminded me of when Jesus Christ said in Matthew 12:48 "for whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and my sister and my mother."
Alright. I didn't want to say this, but I will say it. Blame it on me :)
Che occhi e che sguardo
Those guys perceive you ladies as "unusually" and "disproportionately" mean. I don't think that is the case, but that's all I know.