Advent and the End Times and...

Holy Belt

- Source

Random reflections.

This will seem pretty random, but I was reading some things about the prophecies of Greek Orthodox Elders on the times we are living in.  Like Medjugorje and the sayings of mystics in the Latin Church, it is hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, or rather, fact from fiction. 

Speaking of Medjugorje - which obviously interests me since I write about it from time to time - reports are that the findings of the Vatican Committee studying the apparition will be released by year's end.  Keep in mind that even at Fatima and Lourdes dubious messages were invented alongside the real messages - especially as it concerned the Third Secret - speculation which persist to this day - even after the Secret has been revealed, as well as explained.  Therefore don't be surprised by what happens after the Medjugorje Commission releases its more than likely inconclusive results.  (The Pope will be the one to sign off on the findings, and it is up to him if they are even made public, BTW.)

Patient endurance.

That said, I'm posting about the Holy Elders and what they had to say - not specifically their prophecies - rather, commentary from those who know them, on how to receive such things.  I love the sobriety of Orthodox mysticism.  (Like I said, this is random.)

"A spirit of watchfulness, vigilance and patient endurance. But in order to have this patient endurance regarding end-time events, whether social or political or personal, the exercise of patience is extremely necessary....

The work of the Church is to liberate people, to redeem people. When people lean towards interpreting the signs of the times and the future, this mania about the things to come is often alienating people from the essence of spirituality - from their personal struggle, the purification of the heart, our personal trauma, and our need to become well, to cure our passions. This is the heart of the problem." - Metropolitan Neophytos on prophecies.
 

"Behold! You have heard all of my foolishness. Quiet down then and be occupied with God; and, ceasing from vain talk, pay attention to your passions, concerning which passions you will be required to give an account in the Day of Judgement. For concerning these things you will not be required: ‘Why did you not know these things or learn these others?'" - St. Barsanuphios

 [Elder Porphyrios] did not like for us to occupy ourselves with dates and eschatology. He said that the best way to prepare ourselves for the hour of Christ is to remove the Antichrist from within ourselves and to occupy ourselves with Christ. Then, even if we are called to martyrdom, we will go.

If Constantinople will be freed or not, this is the concern of the politicians and of the military rulers, and not of the monks nor even the archpriests. If the Antichrist will come, this must be the concern of the archpriests and it is their duty to inform the people. And when that time comes, God will provide us with illumined archpriests who will in turn illumine the people. We the monks, if we are members of the priesthood, we need to liturgize for the salvation of the entire universe. And if we happen to be simple monks, we need to weep over our sins. - Elder Porphyrios

- Sections reprinted from Mystagogy Blog.

 

From this I think we Roman Catholics must learn that when the Church speaks, be it on Medjugorje or the Secret of Fatima, we ought to humbly submit and accept what the Church teaches, repenting of our self-opinion and pride.  We can never be holier than the Church, nor disregard the authority of the Pope and the Bishops in communion with him.