A Time of Sifting
by Hieromonk Tikhon
“And then many shall be made to stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another… And because lawlessness shall have been multiplied, the love of the multitude shall grow cold. But the one who endureth to the end, this one shall be saved… Whenever ye therefore see the abomination of the desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place—the one who readeth, let him understand—then let those in Judæa flee to the mountains. The one on the housetop, let him not come down to take away anything out of his house. And the one in the field, let him not return back to take up his clothes. And woe to those who are with child and to those who give suck in those days.” (St. Matthew 24:10-19)
Does anyone else relate to this passage, and feel it is describing recent months in world history? And does anyone else feel that this passage relates to your own personal experiences in life in recent months? I feel like we are going through a mysterious time, and things relating to this passage are playing out around us. Maybe I’m wrong, though.
Scriptural prophecies are cyclical. They have played out in many ways throughout the centuries, and will continue to play out until they are finally realised. I think we are living in a time where a cycle of this prophecy is playing out, and we’re all experiencing a time of testing: where we are being sifted like wheat and choosing where we stand.
The Abomination in the Holy Place
For me, the recent joint prayer and ceremony in Nicaea between the Pope, the “Patriarch” of Constantinople, and many other heretics on the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, on the very grounds of that universe-saving, Holy Council was an apocalyptic event: one such cyclical realisation of the prophecy of “the abomination of the desolation.”
I also feel like many, and perhaps all of us, are experiencing things in our personal lives which are related to this apocalyptic event.
In particular, I’ve experienced personal temptations to yoke myself with unbelievers in dead works this year, and have experienced my own falls from doing this. I also feel like I’ve seen others going through the same temptations—some falling, and others, to the glory of God, rising. Again, I think there is a line being drawn in the sand, and each of us is finding our place—either with the Church, Her hierarchy, and good works—or with the spiritually dead (i.e., unbelievers) doing dead works.
“And then many shall be made to stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another… And because lawlessness shall have been multiplied, the love of the multitude shall grow cold.”
I’ve seen Orthodox Christians refuse to help other Orthodox Christians in need. I’ve seen stumbles driven by a lack of love, and Orthodox Christians working to deliver each other up. I’m wondering if this is a time where our works are coming to light. If so, and you’re a sinner like me, remember that even at the Final Judgment, the Mother of God will be interceding for sinful mankind. Let’s flee to Her while we can, and ask Her help to do good and please God while we are still on this earth. There’s no time like right now to start good works. She will help us if we ask Her.
“Flee to the Mountains”
The Lord commands: “Then let those in Judæa flee to the mountains.”
In our times at least, fleeing to the mountains means fleeing to the hidden Church, and to Her hierarchs. Salvation won’t be found in heretical churches. Our bishops are good, simple, holy men, chosen by God to shepherd all of us, and our salvation lies with us aligning ourselves with them – nobody else. The Gates of Hades will never prevail against the Church. She is still here, and is still the remedy to every single one of our ills, if only we flee to Her.
I also think that fleeing to the mountains means fleeing to a more spiritual way of life, leaving our unclean works behind (I am first among sinners!). It means repenting of self-willed spiritual works and of making major choices in life without a blessing. It means working with and for the Church on works that God has chosen, and not on self-willed works that feed the ego and passions. It means to live a life of simple faith and obedience to the Church. It means to strive for what is higher: God, prayer, virtue, and all things good, leaving the things of the earth behind. It means centering our lives around the Church’s Mysteries.
“Let Him Not Come Down”
The Lord says: “The one on the housetop, let him not come down to take away anything out of his house.”
In this time, to me, this is an instruction for people in apostate churches to make that final, irreversible step, and finally sever your heretical ties. You may think you’re high up on the housetop of your apostate church, but when the flood comes, you’ll see your house get swept away, along with everything else unholy. So, flee the housetop of your “church”, and never return to take anything else from it. It has nothing to give you but death. You’ve once again seen who your church leaders pray with. Never return to receive their sacraments. Never return because you like your priest. Never return because you think your kids need somewhere to go on Sundays (and believe that you will give an answer for the poison you have already made them ingest from that poisonous cup). Do what you should have done from the beginning. Tell yourself:
“I’m not in the Church. My works are dead. I’m not saving myself, nor my family, nor anyone else. None of my machinations in life pan out because all of my works are self-willed and not pleasing to God. I’m not a saviour (how could I be outside of the Church?), and I must stop calling people to me so that I can try to save them. People coming to me for spiritual help will only fall. I need the True Church just like everyone else. I need Her Mysteries. I need a True Orthodox pastor to guide me and bless my footsteps in life. I need to make myself, with God’s help, into what He wants me to be, and not to trick myself into thinking that God is fine with who and where I am. God is not fine with where I am. I have been given finite time in this life, and so far I have failed to use that time to do man’s main purpose – to find and become a member of the True Orthodox Church! I know what I will do: I will run to my Father, and He will see me coming in the way, and run out to embrace me. So, today, I will contact the True Orthodox Church and confess myself as being outside of the Church. I will confess that I need True Orthodoxy. I will confess that I need God more than anything else. I know that I have nothing to fear: This is what God wants for me. It’s what He has always wanted for me. In the Church I will find mercy, forgiveness, love, and every other good thing. I will find God, the Mother of God, and all the saints. And then all will really be well. Then I won’t be alone. Then I will finally have both peace and truth.”
“Let Him Not Return Back”
“And the one in the field, let him not return back to take up his clothes.”
I think this is an instruction for us who have begun our good works in the Church to really turn away from our dead works, to not return to those old clothes, i.e. our old man. Those passions and idols from our old lives—now is the time, with a blessing, to repent of them for good, and sever our ties to them. Now is a time for new works, for new spiritual heights. Who knows how blessed our future could be if we do this?
“Woe to Those With Child”
“And woe to those who are with child and to those who give suck in those days.”
Woe to those who have impious and unbelieving children in our times. Woe to those who sacrifice their own blessings under the pretense of “helping” (i.e. idolising) their adult children.
For those who have adult children and grandchildren with no discernible spiritual life, and have even apostatised from Christ—do not sacrifice your own spiritual opportunities to receive grace at the altars of your children. They have free will—they have made their choices, despite all of your thoughts, pleas, and everything else. They’ve already shown you how much respect they have for you, our beliefs, your thoughts, and your concerns. It’s better to not relearn the same painful lessons over and over with them.
Your adult children who have given up on any sort of spiritual life (and their unbelieving children who they keep from the True Orthodox Church) are in the camp of those that you should be careful with. Don’t trick yourself into thinking that they are something that they aren’t. Never sacrifice your own spiritual goods to please them, no matter how close you might think they are to you. Don’t expect them to think or act like you do when critical decisions need to be made, and virtue needs to be shown, and don’t expect them to respect or care for your wishes when you are too old or infirm to look after yourself. How many people have failed to learn this lesson and lost so many spiritual blessings in their old age and at the final hurdle!
If you’re a suffering parent with this cross, first know that there are so many other True Orthodox parents like you. Seek pastoral guidance on how to deal with your family, and don’t try to save them yourself, because the simple truth is that you can’t. It might be that there is nothing you can do but pray for your family members. And that’s OK. Praying for them with a blessing will help them, and will also keep you safe from being sucked down with them if that is their decision in life. If thy right eye cause thee to stumble, remove it and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into Gehenna (Matthew 5:29).
Choosing Our Place
If this is a time of being sifted like wheat, let’s use this time, especially this fast, to redouble our spiritual efforts. Let’s flee to the mountains of piety and obedience to the Church and her archpastors. Let’s do what our bishops tell us to do. Let’s confess, commune, and attend church as often as our pastors want us to. Let’s renew our efforts to pray and read holy works. Let’s start doing everything with a blessing and turn away from self-willed works. Let’s work for the Church, instead of for ourselves and for the world. If we do these things, we can expect nothing but God’s mercy and protection, and for Him to help us firmly choose the good place on His side, where there is peace, truth, love, and every virtue and good thing. To God, Who helps us in all things, and is everything to us, be glory, honour, worship, and glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.
