Suffering With The Suffering Church

Morality, these days, sadly no longer depends upon a historical understanding of morality but rather upon whatever we want and decide it to be for ourselves. Salvation, these days, sadly no longer depends upon a historical understanding of what the Scriptures say about it but upon what we want and decide to believe about it for ourselves.

I recently came across the following quote from a letter written seven years before the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. I find the quote especially timely considering the World War II documentary we are watching and the historical material we are reading. The author of the quote, Seraphim Chichagov (Born in 1856 - Martyred in 1937), was a Metropolitan bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church who was executed by firing squad, and was one of the first to be canonized by the Orthodox Church in the 1990s as a New Martyr.

He was so old and sick that he could not walk but they shot him anyway.

I find the quote even more especially timely considering where I am in my presentation of the Beatitudes where Jesus said “blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake” and “blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake”.[1]

Written by a martyr for the Christian faith 110 years ago in Russia, I cannot help but to see the parallels that are now so evidently setting themselves in place in this modern age … developing parallels that have no respect for national or linguistic boundaries … developing parallels that should surprise none of us considering the Scriptures and our Catechism[2] speak of the turbulent times preceding the Second Coming of Christ. Only the ignorant should be surprised.

“Everything has fallen apart. Educated society has lost all understanding of what Christianity is. Every day I can see before my eyes the ongoing corruption of our clergy. There is no hope at all that they will come to reason or understand their condition. Everywhere is drunkenness, debauchery, simony, extortion, and secular interests. The last remaining believers are trembling with repugnance over the condition of their clergy. And there is no one to finally realize just what brink of destruction the Church is standing on, or what is happening.

The opportune time was missed. A disease of the spirit has taken over the entire state organism. The moment of recovery cannot recur, and the clergy is rushing headlong into an abyss, having no strength or desire to stop the process. Just one more year, just a little while, and there won’t even be simple folk left around us. They will all rise up and reject such insane and repulsive leaders. And what will happen to the state? It will perish along with us. It no longer makes any difference who is in the Synod, who is the procurator, what seminaries and academies there are—our agony and death are near.”[3]

Where have we discovered ourselves at this point in the 21st Century? Are we watching history repeats itself, only this time the unfolding is here on this continent?

I think it would be delusional to think that what happened in Russia with the Bolsheviks could never happen here. I also think it would be delusional to think that what happened in solidly Christian countries in the East with the rise of Mohammedanism could never happen here. To think that we have an immunity because of our history as the land of the free and home of the brave is delusional thinking.

What we want with our human emotions is a life devoid of suffering. Our human emotions want a comfortable life where emotional and physical pain are not allowed to enter. Our human emotions want an easy life where we are protected from the harsh realities and difficult challenges that come along to threaten the ideals and false securities that we engineer into the world that we create for ourselves.

What we want for is easily tainted by inordinate affections. People want and do whatever it takes to get what they want while insisting that fulfilling their want is the will of God. People want and do whatever it takes to get what they want without considering the shock waves and ripple effects of their actions on others.

I must remind myself continuously that my will is not necessarily God’s will and resist making my will into an aberration while insisting all along that it is God’s will. I must remind myself continuously that the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life[4] are deceptive and insidious spiritual enemies that beguile, trap, then sever our union with God.

Hardships and persecutions really do not fit into our emotional patterns as Christians living in these United States. We, as Christians in America, have had an extremely easy go of it in comparison to great numbers of Christ’s followers around the world. Perhaps, despite the wants and preferences of our spoiled natures, we Christians in America are headed into a season of harsh trials that will winnow and prove us … a season that will bring us experientially into alignment with the members of the Suffering Church on earth that are truly suffering because of their faith in Christ … a season that will tear down the idols of self-centered ideals and the false securities that we so easily erect and venerate.

God, and God alone, be praised.

[1] Matthew 5:10-11 [2] Catechism of the Catholic Church para. 675-677. [3] New Hieromartyr Seraphim (Chichagov) of Petrograd, in a prophetic letter written in 1910, seven years before the Bolshevik Revolution. [4] 1 John 2:16