Resistance Podcast #270: 2 Lungs of the Church: Hesychasm, Theology & Tradition w/ Fr. Nathan Symeon

About this sermon

In this wide-ranging conversation, Steve sits down with Fr. Nathan from Our Lady of Wisdom in Las Vegas to explore how the Byzantine Catholic tradition and the Latin West enrich one another—the “two lungs” of the one Church. We talk through common confusions (Byzantine Catholic vs Eastern Orthodox), why patristics matter for today’s traditional Catholics, and how the desert fathers, fasting, and hesychasm lead to genuine spiritual renewal. Highlights include: the role of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, why John Cassian, St. Benedict, St. Bruno, and the Carthusians consciously drank from Eastern wells; the simplicity of the Gospel in the monastic tradition; practical asceticism (fasting, watchfulness, the Jesus Prayer); and reclaiming mystical theology alongside scholastic clarity. We also touch Vatican II’s call for Eastern Catholics to return to their roots, and why studying Augustine, the Cappadocians, Evagrius, St. Simeon the New Theologian, and St. Joseph the Hesychast is a lifeline for Catholics seeking depth—not novelty. If you’re trying to navigate confusion, anxiety, and constant news cycles, this episode is a call to fix your eyes on Christ, pray simply, fast wisely, and re-enter the living stream of the Fathers. 00:00 Intro & why this conversation matters 01:06 Byzantine Catholic ≠ Eastern Orthodox—quick clarity 03:30 East & West in the early Church (two halves of Rome) 06:45 The wound of division & why both lungs are needed 08:35 Tradition beyond the Middle Ages: Desert Fathers to Carthusians 10:45 Fasting, ascesis, and the stages: praxis → illumination → union 12:35 Simplicity of the Gospel & monastic wisdom 16:10 St. Francis, Bonaventure, and the “primitive Gospel” 17:20 Vatican II & the Eastern call to return to roots 21:30 Holy Week, ancient liturgy, and living continuity 22:55 How Byzantine liturgy matured (Constantinople & St. Sabbas) 24:50 Saints from both lungs—one tradition 26:35 Meeting Eastern saints: Moses the Black, Mary of Egypt, holy fools 28:55 Read the Fathers! Augustine + the Greek Fathers together 31:15 Broadening your sources to heal confusion 36:10 What the podcast is about: honest searching for God 41:05 Fr. Nathan’s “Top 4” influences (Evagrius, St. Simeon, St. Joseph, Augustine) 43:55 Hesychasm & the Jesus Prayer—also in the West 45:10 Reclaiming mystical theology (Carthusian insights) 46:05 Why AI will expose what real theology is (prayer!) 48:05 Head and heart—both/and, not either/or 55:20 Sports, discipline, and ascetic practice 56:30 Staying focused on Christ amid chaos 58:50 Final blessing https://www.youtube.com/@UCOWSTYHkkrM5bZOvbvy0Taw https://www.youtube.com/@UClAHIB7J3HIiHO9ghqRGI-Q 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶️ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶️ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.us for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶️ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/vid....eos/sensus-fidelium- 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 BrandNewTube - https://brandnewtube.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 GabTV - https://tv.gab.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium ▶️ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 Please "Like" our videos so that Youtube shares it to others by clicking the "Like" thumbs-up under the video = 👍🏻 ▶️ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶️ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium ▶️ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/....podcast/sensus-fidel #ByzantineCatholic #EasternCatholic #Patristics #DesertFathers #Hesychasm #JesusPrayer #MysticalTheology #CatholicPodcast #Tradition #DivineLiturgy #Theosis #EasternSpirituality #Carthusians #JohnCassian #StBenedict #StSimeonTheNewTheologian #StJosephTheHesychast #VaticanII #Unity #TwoLungs

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