Where is God and where is everyone else?

Photo: UOJ

When Judas, leading a band of soldiers, came to the Garden of Gethsemane to betray Jesus, the Apostle Peter rushed to defend Christ. He drew his sword and nearly killed one of the high priest’s servants. At that moment, the Lord said to him: "Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:53). He ordered Peter to put his sword back into its sheath and willingly went with the soldiers to judgment and Golgotha.

We Christians often read this passage of Scripture, we marvel, we are touched, but we seldom apply this situation to ourselves. How often we wish, when confronted with our adversaries, during church seizures, and unjust decisions by officials, that these twelve legions of angels would descend from heaven and save us. How we wish our offenders would immediately suffer their deserved punishment. That some miracle would occur, confirming the truth of our faith and the grace of our Church. How we wish that at least our earthly brethren would support us in some significant way. That a large number of people would gather in our defense, that there would be a massive prayer standing, that a bishop would arrive with a multitude of clergy. So that everyone could see our strength and numbers.

Yes, we very much wish for things to be this way. Sometimes, by the way, it does happen. For example, on April 8, 2023, during the seizure of the church in the village of Lipovets, Kyiv region, one of the attackers ripped the cross from the priest and immediately fell dead. Yes, such cases are sometimes sent by the Lord as a lesson for all: both the persecuted and the persecutors. However, most often, it happens the other way around. Not as we would like, but as it is written in the Gospel. There it says that Christ was abandoned by everyone. The disciples scattered, the most zealous of the apostles, Peter, denied Him three times, those who just days before had shouted "Hosanna!" now cried "Crucify Him!" This feeling of loneliness and abandonment reached such an extent that from the Cross came the dreadful words: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46).

Today, when churches are taken away, when false accusations are poured out, when threats of physical violence and other unpleasantness are made, often the priest and a small handful of parishioners find themselves alone. Or at least they perceive it that way. There were times when many people attended church, and even more visited. The priest was respected, donations were made to the church. But now the church is taken or about to be taken, previously friendly villagers look askance and call them "Moscow priests," children are mocked at school, and so on. Around the priest often remain only the most steadfast and faithful parishioners. Sometimes there are very few of them. Local authorities, who not long ago invited him to bless new administrative buildings, baptized their children, and demonstratively lit candles in the church on major holidays, now at best ignore him, or even humiliate him to distance themselves as much as possible in the eyes of the villagers from the "wrong" priest. Such changes are quite difficult to accept. No matter how you turn it, worldly well-being, the usual order of things – all this is of great importance to a person.

Where is the bishop in the life of a persecuted community?

Another topic is the participation of the bishop in the life of a persecuted community. Some bishops truly take the problems of the community to heart, visiting, comforting, and encouraging them. They may even provide material assistance. But this does not always happen everywhere. Often, communities have to navigate the stormy seas of life on their own. Sometimes, in the most difficult moments, when the community longs to feel the pastoral care and support, they find themselves left to their own devices. And perplexing thoughts arise: how can this be? Why? Where is the fullness of the Church? Does no one care about us anymore? Yes, in such moments it can be very painful, and the lack of understanding as to why this is happening is especially distressing, especially since the lives of the saints show us a very different kind of relationship. But let us not justify or condemn this attitude now, but consider the following.

One of the revelations that Christianity brought to the world is that God loves not everyone, but each person individually. Every human soul is precious before God, for each person the Lord was crucified, with each person Christ builds His relationship, and each is nurtured individually. In the Old Testament, the subject of the relationship with God was the entire people of Israel, but in the New Testament, it is each individual person. This relationship between the people and the individual in relation to God becomes more understandable when comparing parallel passages in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Matthew quotes Christ’s words before His ascension: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…" (Matthew 28:19). Thus, the preaching is directed at the people, at a group of people, but each person in this group individually accepts or rejects the preaching. This is what the Apostle Mark says: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15). This appeal of God to each individual person is traced in many places in the Holy Scripture. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). And the final Judgment will be on each individual person: "And they were judged, each one according to his works" (Revelation 20:13).

And so, the Lord nurtures and tests each person in His own way. Some have their church taken away, while others do not. Some are evicted from the church house, while others have a place to live. In some communities, everyone steadfastly holds together, while in others, some advocate for transferring to the OCU. Some receive frequent calls from their bishop, while others are completely forgotten. Some are even behind bars, while others are free. And it is often tempting to say to oneself: it is easier for them. This is usually followed by complaints about "injustice." Complaints about the people around us, about our brethren, about the church authorities, about the Church, and ultimately about God.

God has placed each of us in the circumstances He deemed necessary.

And each of us must answer the question in these circumstances: am I faithful to Christ or not? We must answer this question first and foremost to ourselves. Regardless of whether those around us support us, whether they help us bear our cross, whether the bishop cares for us, and whether there are even any around us who understand our desire to remain in the Church and not betray it.

We do not know why God gives one thing to one person and something else to another. Often, we cannot comprehend His providence. But we can trust Him. In fact, we have no other choice. In the life of St. Anthony the Great, there is a description of his struggle with demons. This struggle was long and very brutal. Demons tempted him with sinful thoughts and feelings, appeared to him in terrible forms, tried to frighten him, and inflicted severe physical pain. And at one moment, when Anthony lay exhausted from this struggle, a light appeared to him, in which he felt God. And having no spiritual or physical strength left, Anthony turned to Him with words tinged with reproach: “Where were You while I endured these terrible torments? Why did You not appear earlier and save me?” And the Lord answered him that He had always been beside Anthony, watching his struggle and his feat.

The Lord is with us just as He was with St. Anthony. He watches our sorrows, our struggle with temptations, whether we succumb to various thoughts sent by the devil. And yes, God can easily provide us with twelve legions of angels, but then what will be our personal feat? For what will we receive our reward in Heaven? The holy fathers and ascetics often mention another thought: demons especially strongly suggest to us that the trials sent to us are beyond our strength precisely when they are about to end. At the very last moment, they strive to snatch our victory. They want us to fall just before the finish line, not entering the door of the Kingdom of God when it is just within reach.

It's amazing, almost all of our media space is filled with the narrative: "Let us have no problems ever!" Countless articles, videos, speeches, and offers like: how to avoid problems, how to solve all problems, how to get rid of problems, and so on. We involuntarily absorb this narrative and indeed try to avoid problems by all means.

But the holy fathers suggest something completely different: "endure problems". Almost all ascetics wrote about this.

Here, for example, are excerpts from the letters of Abbot Nikon (Vorobiev), who lived not so long ago, endured Soviet persecutions, and fully experienced prison life for Christ. To one of his spiritual daughters, he writes: “Our enemy, the devil, knows this and disturbs you, giving false thoughts, impatience, despair, condemnation of people, life orders, authorities, and so on. You must understand this, know it from experience, and resist the devil.” Let's not forget that this was written during the Soviet regime. "Life orders" – the ruthless and inhuman Soviet system that destroyed faith and the Church. "Authorities" – the Communist Party, which drove everyone into the "bright future" with an iron hand through the GULAGs. Nikon does not justify all this but writes that indignation against all this is from the devil.

In another letter, he speaks about how every Christian goes through trials, and it is in these that love for God is manifested: “Faithfulness to God is tested by patient endurance of all kinds of sorrows and illnesses. Remember the history of all the saints: prophets, apostles, martyrs, venerable men and women – what did they not endure out of love for God!”

And when there is no strength left to bear the cross, when it becomes unbearably hard and you want to give up everything, he recommends the following: “One must more often call upon the name of God, place oneself before the face of God, and ask for patience when it becomes too hard. Like a poisonous snake, one should beware of grumbling. The unwise thief by grumbling and cursing not only intensified his suffering but also perished forever, while the wise thief by acknowledging that he received what he deserved for his deeds, not only eased his suffering but also inherited the Kingdom of God.”

There is a monastic rule: do not ask for obedience, but do not refuse it. We did not ask for persecution, but since it pleased God to send it to us, we should not refuse it. It is better to endure, as all the saints endured, and see what fruits will come from this.

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