A PROPHESY OF THE FUTURE LAWLESSNESS
From a letter of the Optina Elder (and New Martyr) St.
Anatoly the Younger (+1922).
From that heresies will spread everywhere and deceive
many people. The enemy of the human race will act with cunning in order to draw
into heresy, if possible, even the elect.
He will not begin by crudely rejecting the dogmas of
the Holy Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the virtue of the
The-otokos, but he will begin imperceptibly to distort the teachings and
statutes of the Church and their very spirit, handed down to us by the Holy
Fathers through the Holy Spirit.
Few will notice these wiles of the enemy, only those
more experienced in the spiritual life. Heretics will seize power over the
Church and will place their servants everywhere; the pious will be regarded
with contempt. He (the Ford) said, by their fruits ye shall know them, and so,
by their fruits, as well as by the actions of the heretics, strive to
distinguish them from the true pastors.
These are spiritual thieves, plundering the spiritual
flock, and they will enter the sheepfold (the Church), climbing up some other
way, using force and trampling upon the divine statutes. The Ford calls them
robbers Indeed, their first task will be the persecution of the true pastors,
their imprisonment and exile, for without this it will be impossible for them
to plunder the sheep.
Therefore, my son, when you see the violation of
patristic tradition and the divine order in the Church, the order established
by God, know that the heretics have already appeared, although for the time
being they may conceal their impiety, or they will distort the Divine Faith
imperceptibly, in order to succeed better in seducing and enticing the
inexperienced into the net.
The persecution will be directed against not only
pastors but against all servants of God, for all those ruled by heresy will not
endure piety. Recognize these wolves in sheep’s clothing by their proud
dispositions and love of power. They will be slanderers, traitors, everywhere
sowing enmity and malice; therefore the Lord said that by their fruits you will
know them. True servants of God are humble, love their neighbor and are
obedient to the Church.
Monastics will be greatly oppressed by the heretics
and mo-nastic life will be scorned. Monasteries will become scarce, the number
of monastics will decline, and those who remain will endure violence. These
haters of monastic life, however, having only the appearance of piety, will
strive to attract the monks to their side promising them protection and worldly
goods, and threatening those who oppose them with expulsion.
These threats will cause great despair among the
fainthearted, but you, my son rejoice that you have lived until that time, for
then the faithful who have not shown any other virtues, will receive crowns
merely for standing firm in the faith, according to the word of the Lord (cf.
Mt 10:32).
Fear the Lord my son. Fear to lose the crown prepared
(for you), fear to be cast by Christ into the outer darkness and eternal
torment. Stand bravely in the faith, and if necessary, endure persecution and
other sorrows, for the Lord will be with you... and the holy martyrs and
confessors, they will look upon you and your struggle with joy.
But woe to the
monks in those days who will be bound with possessions and riches, who because
of love of peace will be ready to submit to the heretics. They will lull to
sleep their conscience, saying, “We are preserving and saving the monastery and
the Lord will forgive us.” The unfortunate and blind ones do not at all
consider that through heresy the demons will enter the monastery and then it
will no longer be a holy monastery, but merely walls from which grace will
depart.
God, however, is more mighty than the enemy, and He
will never leave His servants. True Christians will remain until the end of
this age, only they will choose to live in secluded, deserted places. Do not
fear sorrows, rather fear pernicious heresy, for it strips us of grace and
separates us from Christ. This is why the Lord commanded us to consider the
heretic as a pagan and a publican.
And so my son strengthen
yourself in the grace of Jesus Christ. Hasten to confess the faith, to endure
suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (cf 2 Tim 2:13), Who has said, Be
faithful unto death, and / will give thee a crown of life. (Rev 2:10).
To Him, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be honor,
glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.
