The love will grow cold – Metropolitan Naum of Strumica
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Refer: (Matthew 24: 1–13).
“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?'” (Mathew 24, 3)
A question that seems interesting to every new generation of Christians. For almost forty years I have been hearing that the end of the world is at hand, only then there were no social networks and the space was limited in order to make yourself famous on that topic. If I recall a little, the end of the world seemed more real then, than today: In church, we were not allowed to take communion more than four times a year, and we were even considered heretics and expelled from the line in front of the Holy Chalice; In order to receive Holy Communion many times, we had to change the churches in which we went to the Liturgy, to please the priests so they may give us Holy Communion; We confessed to everyone on duty that week; Except “The Ladder” of Saint John of the Ladder, and the Holy Scriptures, there was nothing else to read; at home, we were not allowed to say that we were fasting and going to Church; There were no Monasteries nor Monasticism; there was no consolation anywhere, nor instructive word, spiritual word to be found … So much so that we had nothing, neither did we have anyone , nor place to gossip, to judge and condemn, as well as to personally insult someone.
“And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ’; and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass; but the end is not yet.'” (Matthew 24, 4-7)
This has also been experienced many times by my generation. So, that also, has already been seen. Especially the “I am”, when in fact, he himself worked for some nationally understood and limited Jesus.
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places; All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24, 7-8)
This has also happened and continues to happen, many times; and it will surely happen furthermore.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.” (Matthew 24, 9)
The first part of this prophecy has also happened many times before, but not yet to such an extent that we are hated by all nations because of the name of Christ. For this to happen, all nations and all faiths would have to unite against the God-Man Christ, and that has not yet happened.
“And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24, 10-12)
The last sentence is the key to the understanding of this prophecy; especially the words: “the love of many will grow cold.”. With these words, the God-Man Christ wants to show us the reason behind the end of the world: the love will grow cold. And to describe that time at the end of the world.
Now, logically, the question arises: With whom will the love grow cold, that is, who will be to blame for the end of the world?
Love will grow cold in those who receive it as a gift of God in the Church and do not nurture and develop it. Love will grow cold in the Christians, in the Orthodox Christians. Only they have the Divine love. Do you now understand why I write that everything depends on us, on our repentance, and not on some demonic powers, who are preparing all kinds of evil for us? And do you understand who is to blame?
But before love grows cold completely: many will go astray, and betray one another, and will hate one another; many false prophets will appear and deceive many. There is nowhere other than the social networks for this last act, to be noticed to such a great extent.
But he who endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew 24, 13). And whoever is intelligent, will understand.
Most-Holy Theotokos, save us!
Metropolitan Nahum of Strumica
(01.10.2021 20:58)
