Thinking about Self: the Great Hindrance in the Way of Perfection - Marian Friars Minor 

Osuna, The Third Spiritual Alphabet is what Father is referring to?

I’m old and I don’t worry because the Lord has taken care of me my whole life through some very hard circumstances. Yes, He often comes through at the 11th hour, but that just builds my faith waiting on His timing. And I don’t worry about things I have no control over. These things are hard won certainties about God’s care brought about through my many years of trusting Him and through my knowledge of the Bible. “Cast your cares on the Lord because He cares for you.” And, “do not worry about tomorrow because it doesn’t add one inch to your stature and today has enough problems of its own.” We are all works in progress. Learn the promises laid out in God’s Word, take them to heart, act on them, and you will become wise and your trust in God will increase. And never cease praying, and recite the Serenity prayer often.🙏✝️🙏

This talk was so fantastic, like a get yourself together slap in the face. I’m going to listen to it again.

I am working on mortifying my thoughts that seem to take over whenever I am at mass. I’ve caught myself thinking about self too much too so I started praying the humility prayer daily. When I think bad thoughts about someone, I pray for that person immediately. The Blessed Mother Mary will help us in our spiritual life.

Anxiety is the death of peace. Pray, hope and don't worry. Beautiful lecture

I needed this so much. I must confess I’ve been in a horrible period of negative thoughts and bitterness. Usually I’m focusing on everyone else (aside from my time with God) and allowed a series of constant deep hurts from family members to spiral me to bitterness. It’s a horrible place to be and difficult to climb out of. Thank you for this raw truth and setting me straight again. The Holy Spirit has spoken through you directly to me. God bless you and everyone here 🙏

I pray some day that I get a chance to hug you, my brother in Christ. I have let the last 3 years of the craziness of the world destroy me inside. The bitterness and resentment from my own inner dialog and focus on self. My wife and I do not agree on certain topics. I have also been doing the what-if regarding the Latin Mass, etc. I have been praying to God to help me figure out what He wants me to do. And you just addressed all my stresses, and made me realize that I am holding myself back from getting closer to God, due to my ego. Thank you so much for helping me clear my head, so I can focus on God, by controlling what I do, not what others are doing. I have been in such anguish regarding my past sins as well, but I have to realize I have confessed them, and need to move on. But it is difficult. Thank you again- your talk has truly inspired me.

Thank you Father for your wisdom! I was getting pulled toward this kind of narrative-driven tribulation. Nope. God and only God. I just want to try and love God. I want to stop self-pity and trying to be all knowing. Rubbish! so important to read scripture. God bless you and very timely.

Sometimes I caught myself talking about myself while maybe someone needs a listening ear. Thanks for the reminder ❤

This is a super timely talk...and so needed during this present time! I can't love this enough. You spoke directly to my heart. The Holy Spirit is speaking through you. May God bless you and protect you. Please continue to speak the truth! Praised be Jesus!

This has been one of the most powerful talks I have heard in a long time. It hit me very hard made me really introspect. May God bless your work, especially the speaker❤

Friar Anthony’s talks hurt to listen to but are so well needed for the soul. Thank you.

Philippians 3,13 & 14 apply here, too, I recollect. My experience of 'hey, lighten up' is to legitimately unload a burden all men must carry - your own self glory. The more you add onto it the heavier to bear. C.S. Lewis wrote an essay about it, 'The Weight of Glory'. 🤷 myself, I'm very low maintenance, but stay vigilant lest I be mischievous. The following is very helpful in my own battles, from a very young St Teresa of Avila: "Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you; All things are passing; God never changes. Patience obtains all things to those who possess God; God alone suffices."

I'm bipolar1. The worst part is the abject selfishness of this illness. I pray to serve others & unite my suffering to His so it WILL bear fruit for the Kingdom especially others in this life and the next. Lord, lead me into the path of righteousness have mercy on mental illness & lead me into Your righteous & serving YOU. And others!

Thank you so much Friar! And thank you for mentioning Marian Consecration at the end. She is our life, our sweetness, and our hope! She is our treasure house and our advocate!!! With Her, we are safe and sound. DE MARÍA NUNQUAM SATIS

Will play this a second time and listen in again, and another time (saved on regular playlist)…..

Thank you Father. Strangely enough I finally realised that I needed to stop the worry about everything and accept God’s will and justice in every minute aspect of life and focus and trust in Him. It’s no coincidence I’ve come across this just at the right time ❤️

PERFECT! Wow! I stopped watching the news a long time ago to preserve my inner peace, but this really explains all that anxiety I felt then. What if!?! My goodness! How we torture ourselves because of our lack of Faith.

Wow!This is for me.🙏😃🙏🌹🌹🌹Deo Gratias!Ave Maria!🙏🌹🌹🌹

We have to remember too that vanity is not just the looks. It includes, pride, greed, selfishness, etc

Jesus I trust in you!

This was great thank you , just finished my 33 day consecration to Mary 🙏🏻💙

Abandonment to Divine Providence, man's life's work. Jean Pierre Causede's holy treatise.

This information about where thinking of oneself leads is so spot on!

We need more of these talks.... learned more in this hour than other readings ❤

Thank you! I am saving this to watch many times because I need it! Jesus, I trust in you!

I needed to hear this. God's grace is so amazing. Thank you for uploading this ❤

Wow. I've been worrying so much about a woman and if im gonna marry her its definitely been an impediment to my spiritual life. This talk is amazing.. learning to abandon myself to God's will as St. Joseph. Its been liberating. To be like Mary. Let it be accoridng to thy will. Pray for me.

Boom 💥 Praying for spiritual direction and find this which confirms my suspicions about myself. God reward this friar and this channel!

The straight path - The pilgrim walks full-blast towards a destination which he doesn’t even know where it is, but with absolute certain intention towards his goal.❤️‍🔥

We should care about struggles others are going through during these times. I don’t care attitude is not right. What you should say is yes things that we don’t like are happening it time to pray and put all of our trust in God. Surrender Novena is awesome.

Struggling with me me me syndrome for many years. Things flip when it’s God God God. Great talk

Thank you, friar for the wake up call.

So much packed in! Thank you Sensus Fidelium so also putting these talks into smaller segments too.

Well in my community of the Latin mass we don’t worry WE PRAY and thanks GOD for have another MASS in LATIN , FIAT VIVA CRISTO REY

God bless you Father. This wasn't simple for me but it makes me see me in the light of truth..it doesn't feel good but it's truth.

This is a great teaching. The psychological advice is always to focus on ourselves but that always leads us to more bitterness and takes our mind to defensive victim mindset. If we focus on God we let ourselves become whom he desires.

This an awesome talk Fr ,everyone should hear this !! It's a good kick in the pants for Lent but really any time . May the Holy Spirit give you all you need for more of this eye opening type of talks . ! May God bless you always 🙏🙏🙏❤️

Will definitely be saving this talk so I can listen to it again and again. Thank you 🙏🏻

I've witnessed modern day "Down Trodden" humbleness in the form of migrant worker who we donated clothing to & their response was one of great appreciation. It was our Hispanic grounds keeper.

I’m not even half way into this video (as I need to pause until tomorrow it’s late) but it absolutely hits the nail on the head. It is what I needed to hear and brings great relief that I will be able to positively deal with the chaos of balancing life’s responsibilities vs faith. Thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️

Actually the last part of about Mary brought me to tears. Thank you for such a straightforward talk. So true, humiliation really helps to dissolve the smaller self.

This is EPIC

We need to walk the fine line between naïveté/quietism and fatalism/despair. Place your worries in His hands. He hungers for your love and trust. Jesus, have mercy. Jesus, I trust in you. 🙏

Phenomenal talk. Thank you Fr. 🙏🏻🤍

Amazing talk

Sometimes we can do something and we should do something. Other times there's nothing we can do other than pray course which is something. It is wisdom to know which time or situation we are in. One of the things that we definitely can do is to see the signs of the time and be prepared and whatever way we need to be prepared. Both physically emotionally and spiritually

Thank you for these words of wisdom.

Talk about keeping it real !!!!❤ it. Thank you

Thanks father for this talk that many of us needed so badly. I have realized that even when I want to think of doing charity work for others I end up thinking about myself and then l find myself repenting and it's a vicious cycle that I keep repeating and seem not to be able to break, however thanks for reminding me that I need to focus in God and not me over and over again

We need to hear the most what we don't want to hear & do what's hard...it takes giving up everything to get everlasting things. So simple yet extremely difficult to attain. Total surrender is required. I'm working on it, but man, is it hard to reprogram in this realm of good & evil.

This is wonderful spiritual advice.

Dense! A very dense, thick, jammed, packed full of content for spiritual growth!

This talk comes to me at an interesting time, as I have been praying about too much self talk and self focus.... even admonition from my husband. God is so good to send us these sorts of messages. This one is in answer to prayer. Thank you and God bless you.

Love this Friar !!!

Excellent tough love from Friar Anthony. Thank you.

I honestly truly needed this today….. particularly today…… it just played after the one I selected finished…..🙏🏻🙏🏻❤❤

Thanks Steve for posting this

When you don't want to be thinking about something, don't try to not think about it. It will get worse. I have been given the advice to the think about something else. And it works! Another thing that works well is say the Rosary or St Michael prayer. This has been difficult for me because I have bipolar disorder but I've been able, most of the time, to conquer this. When you can't offer it to God. He will receive it from you and apply it to souls.

really appreciated this talk it was very helpful and relatable and indeed a slippery slope. thank you. im keeping it in my playlist.

Wonderful talk and wonderful priest.

Thanks Father! God bless

The whole of protestant theology is based on personal salvation. "How I am saved" Self, self, self.

9:44 "Violence necessary for Holiness" I've never heard it put like that

Father you are so funny but the TRUTH is what it is.😅😊

It’s been several months since I’ve listened to this. I think I need to hear this talk at least every month. This will be the 4th or 5th time, and each emphasizes something different for me to apply. Such a great message. Thank you, Father (or Friar?) and Steve for posting this.

Thank you Father I need all of the help and guidance I can get. I really thank you..

Refreshing to hear a narrative that is based on real truths. Best talk I've heard in ages. Thank you. 👍

Thank you.

What a wonderful insight and very straight forward. You have helped me immensely. I will need to listen to this talk several more times until I get it all into my head. Thank you so much for this.

Just heard … beautiful thank you so much from Barcelona

I have never EVER been so awakened..

Obstacle in the spiritual life: thinking about yourself - destroys vocations - makes you suspicious about people - it’s a poison 2:04 Thoughts of self - thinking of yourself and self examination “What if” doesn’t mean anything. There’s nothing I can do about it. 3:48 9:00 we have needs and knows we have them. 9:15 seek the kingdom of God first I can’t with the what if’s because it doesn’t matter. Can’t do anything about it. If God wills it may His Holy Name be blessed. - Be present. Right now.

So, right on. Thank you for the reminder.

Jesus said the First Mass in Aramaic. Let us return to the original! Bring to GOD in humility LOVE and FAITH. REMEMBER WHAT IS HAPPENING BEFORE US, that at present only HEAVEN CAN SEE THE “LOVE” of Jesus for the FATHER AND US🙏❤️✝️❤️🙏

But men do not always love the will of God If we did we would turn earth into heaven If He sends afflictions, they become treasures. ~Francois Fenelon~ Think on Him who is the one thing necessary and whatever is lovely, pure and true Growing in love with Him, will make pleasing Him our only ambition. May the Lord bless us with a burning love that only desires to please Him. It’s the only way to not only lose the fear of suffering but even learning to enjoy it becouse it is the will of Him whom we love.

I appreciate this.

so helpful! I've listened to this at least three times now.

Misericordia Fra.misericordia!

I heard the same introduction in Spanish regarding living in the divine will. The constant thinking of self is hindering to Jesus action within one because it’s a form of attachment to the self vs to detachment to self mastered through suffering in those areas we are weak. Ultimately, it’s vanity that increases and manifests pride in a a variety of different covert unseen behaviors. As this increases we become blind, indifferent or judgmental and cold to others. I guess I can break it down into one becoming neurotic. If the barrage of thoughts are not stopped and conquered the neurosis evolves into psychosis which will manifest into anything from that point. I was having the same problem and then I became so sick and tired of my own inner whining that I let go. Every now and again it starts again…and then, I get tired of me again. I tell myself off in Spanish because it’s more dramatic only to laugh at myself. I then bumped into the Spanish lesson on the whining of oneself as mentioned above. God works in those silent inside not the inner chatterbox. I was blessed with self annoyance getting tired of my own whining, crying, behaviors, thoughts about others…I end up not standing my own self. Of course, I don’t verbalize these things to anyone not even my husband. I also don’t discuss out loud. It’s within…all this inner whining and negativity makes me feel enslaved and becomes too heavy for my soul, which I feel on my body. Then I end up laughing at myself and thankful for the gift of getting tired of my own self and able to self deprecate in a joking matter. Find something good out of your own mess up because we really are messing up. If we continue downing ourselves we are actually downing God who made us as children of God. I say, say sorry God. I’ll move on but please prompt me when I do this again and freely “LET IT GO!” Am I right, father? If I am off track, then we can all laugh at the moment and learn something new….LET IT GO…don’t enslave yourself. Be free and trust God and you will see much fun it is to let go to Him. It’s a different adventure, learning, etc. even in the moments of an unexpected problem. It’s for your edification, world reparation, or whatever His reason especially for you priests! Many times it will be 2-4 different unexpected huge persecutions all at once. I asked “how does this happen to me?” My husband’s response was “tag your it and that’s all there is to it. Face it, push and work it. Don’t whine just push…” I realized later, I didn’t ask God for His power in the cards He gave me. It’s ok to have human moments and God understands. I mean He did make you. We don’t even know the depths of our souls but He does; and it’s better that way. Shake it off and say, “whatever the reason God has, I know it’s for a great reason…right Father??” He won’t answer! Stop worrying about something you have no control of. God is allowing all this for a reason. It’s like a house of 7 siblings. Things are not running smooth because 2-3 of siblings are in a lot of trouble on felony charges. Dad is in an uproar and mom doesn’t know what to do or say; while family is undergoing deep economic hardship about to lose their house and all the other problems that mount in a given moment. The other kids, younger and spiritual, are just waiting on the sidelines knowing there isn’t much they can do but accept and pray for the family and patiently wait on the sidelines until that chaotic God-given moment, composed of many years, begins to subsides. While it’s really bad the challenge is to see the one glimpse of light in the blackness and depravity. We are waiting on the sidelines as God handles the other 3-billion children especially the bigger kids who are leaders in His household. It must get far worse before it gets better. Suffer these moments silently and give thank you are not the Bishop of Nicaragua (look into the Bishop’s case in tyrannical Nicaragua…the bishop chose jail vs exile to stay with flock in maximum security prison and no doubt tortured.) Appreciate and deal with the little sufferings to offer and unite with Jesus because the rest of clergy in world are getting the scourges at genocide levels. Hope this helps because it helps me stay grounded. Cheers y bendiciones. From a woman who could be your mother I send virtual motherly hugs and blessings for all of you from a lady who did not believe and now is your biggest cheerleader and has a motherly heart for all priests…well…majority of clergy. Anyway, I appreciate that God took me to the “mass of always;” skittles! I’m thankful we Americans can find a mass somewhere and we are able to consume Eucharist and bring Jesus happiness (assuming one is in grace and believes in His presence in that white piece of manna). There are many who don’t have a church or mass because tyrannical dictatorship is at its height and worse than Castro when he took over. For the past two years I have gone to each “always mass” as my last one and so immensely grateful that I never thought of anything for the 2-hours in Heaven. I can’t help but to be grateful and in awe at His love. It’s a gift He gives. Do I need it? Yes! But I also know that if it’s fully gone after another draconian push, then so it be. He will take care of me in some other surprising way. So, don’t take God for granted and learn from this experience we are all going through. I go to new mass too for Eucharist. I can’t leave Him or Blessed Mother alone. They suffer then I suffer next to them and tell them I adore them though I’m just one. I also go to the new mass to ensure I haven’t been hit with spiritual pride. I try hard to avoid it even in thought. Look forward and stay focused. Think of those priests tortured imprisoned in the worst dictatorship so your focus is aligned on charity and on praying for them more so for their persecutors like our blessed mother and Jesus did on the cross. Unite your prayers with the Nicaraguan Bishop’s who chose to stay behind imprisoned in exchange for the release of 222 priests and exiled in Costa Rica and US last month. But be careful with that sense of “survivor guilt,” that’s the other side of vanity. It’s ok to have the feeling for a few minutes but shake it off because you fall prey to covert narcissistic behaviors. God didn’t give you those cards in this moment. Sorry I was all over the place. I didn’t want to forget to express these thoughts…and I can’t see too well, and I am trying to wash clothes, cook, and pick up after my husband

Thank you. This is wha u needed to hear.

That was amazing. Thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this!

Amazing !!!

This is very valuable. Thank you

Great talk I needed to hear! Thankyou!!

What matters in our lives is to be absolutely submitted to the complete control of the perfect will of God the Father. That's how Jesus won our salvation. We must fully trust God in faith.

Amen❤

So helpful!!! God bless us all!

So timing. Its straight forward and humbling.

Needed to hear this. Thank you and may God bless you!

You are brilliant, 🙏

Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say rejoice! 🎶🎶

Thank you Father

Thankyou Friar. Excellent.

Amazing! PRAISE BE TO GOD!🙏🕊

🕊️"What you just shared here, is appreciated🕊️".

This is so essential. Thank you for this. God bless you! 🙏🏻

Really top notch

Thank you. Great Meditation🙏