The problem is not in our “enemies” as such, but in us personally and in our attitude towards them – Metropolitan of Strumica Mr. Nahum
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It is obvious that, I am speaking for the entire Orthodox Church, some bishops have other bishops, presbyters or believers who are hostile towards them. Some presbyters have bishops, other presbyters or believers who are hostile towards them. While, on the other hand, some believers have bishops, presbyters or other believers who are hostile towards them. I am writing about those who have not provoked hostility towards themselves by some inappropriate behaviour and, also for those who wish to repent.
Thank God that we have many more normal bishops, presbyters and believers, who can still maintain some balance and some visible unity in the Orthodox Church, although they are also quite limited in their public activity due to the populism that they should beware of – in the part of the identification of nominal Christians with the nation and the state; instead of the pastoral attitude towards them – such as the Holy Gospel requires of all of us.
Hostilities, divisions and schisms are a consequence of the marginalisation of the ascetic-hesychastic struggle and the liturgical life of the Church, as well as of the wrong administrative arrangement that arises from such marginalisation. The problem is that a Church which has divisions, discords and hostilities within Itself is incapable of fulfilling a mission – both internal and external; It is incapable of witnessing the God-Man Christ in this world. On the contrary – it refuses; and even up to the point, especially, in refusing (rejecting) the unchurched.
Nevertheless, no one should be too distressed, people can change – today they do not like you, tomorrow they like you – and so on, it depends on their interest; however, our fight is not against people – against “flesh and blood”, our fight is against demons – against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Well, demons are not changeable, they always hate us and will fight against us to the end, in order to distance us from God.
In all cases, demons wage, using a modern term “a proxy war” against us, that is, they do not attack us themselves, but use, above all, hostile bishops, presbyters or believers against us. But we should not allow ourselves to be drawn into the trap of fighting “flesh and blood”, because we will overlook the method of fighting and lose the war. Love or, at least, not returning evil with evil is our method of fighting demons.
Hostile people – demonic instruments in the fight against us, most often serve demons unconsciously – which leaves us with a lot of space, with our humility and loving behaviour, to pull them out of the clutches of demons and make them our friends.
People who unconsciously serve demons sometimes do not know themselves why they do not like us, sometimes because they think that we are in their way, sometimes because they believe that they protect some “higher ideals”, but in any case, there is always a connection to one of their passions, such as: vainglory, covetousness and love of pleasures, through which the demon holds them captive; this is always connected with some idol of theirs.
With respect to our “enemies” who, although they are rare, consciously serve demons, it would be very difficult to win them over even with humility and love; their attitude towards us can only be changed by God, allowing them personal or collective misfortunes, using special political situations or church-administrative divisions.
Finally, regardless of whether our “enemies” unconsciously or consciously serve demons, when we learn the lesson of humility and love, or if they exceed the permitted evil, by God’s providence, they are removed from our lives. A lesson that is not learned is repeated. Thus, the problem is not in our “enemies”, but in us personally and in our relationship with them.
And we should thank God very much that all that is – such as it is, that we must be in a constant struggle of humility and love for those who do us harm, that there is no ideal environment anywhere, that the demon never leaves us alone. All of this is just one great training for all of us, one great school, through which we learn many lessons and gain great experience; without which there would be neither our salvation, nor salvation of our neighbours.
However, our Kingdom is not of this world, and the victory of the war itself has been given to us in advance, because it is given to us by the God-Man Christ on the Cross. Glory to You, O Lord!
Metropolitan of Strumica Mr. Naum
22 / 06 / 2025
