(On the Day of Irreconcilability)
A Russian person is not a “loner”. He is used to feeling himself as being in the bosom of a huge family that’s a thousand years old. Her name – Holy Rus. Even if he belonged, in everyday life, to household associations, whether it was a family hearth, the rural world, a military unit, an artel, etc. - although all these associations were self-contained, they were included in something larger. A common spirit embraced them, making them kinfolk. That was the spirit of Christ, the community of the Orthodox Church, consciousness of belonging to the Body of Christ – the Church, entrusted to Russia for safekeeping. That’s why Russia could be called Holy. That’s why the Theotokos recognized it as Her Home...
Pitiful is that Russian person who has lost this “Russianness”: he becomes a spineless creature, in the spiritual sense, even sometimes with all of his or her sharpened abilities and endowments. That holy gentleness, that amenable friendliness, that compliant humility, which constituted the "conquering" strength of Russia which received, with her motherly love, the masses of humanity within Her bosom as equal and dear ones, as well as the separate newcomers which She met on Her historical path - and then such persons accept a defeatist malleability, allowing them to limply merge, into any environment which they now chose to identify with. Such an individual becomes a prey to the various forms of Communism, up to becoming militantly communistic, or becomes a sacrifice to de-nationalization and through that becomes “de-churched” – it is all one and the same: he falls away from the Whole of Holy Russia. Even if he is not a malevolent deserter, nor a conscious renegade, not a devious defector, nor an unprincipled compromiser – under all of the conditions that are most morally favorable, he is already a creature with a broken spiritual backbone. He may be practically useful in the composition of other social organisms and spiritually alien to them – but he becomes all the more alien to the Whole of Holy Russia. Spiritually, he is a kind of stateless "Ivan who does not remember kinship."
We will be told: what! do circumstances count for nothing? Well, try to reveal yourself in the USSR as a child of the Whole of Holy Russia! Try to do this even in the “free” conditions which we encounter abroad – is it that simple and indeed, is it possible?
Undoubtedly it is difficult... it requires a struggle. It’s not necessary for this struggle to be demonstratively expressed outwardly. There are no firm rules for this type of struggle, just as there are no precise limits to compliance, beyond which lies surrender (capitulation). But there is a mystical line which, when crossed, can be called a “loss of face”, a loss of individuality (personality). Specifically – a “mark” is stamped on the “inner person”. It’s very difficult to erase it - a miracle is needed!
One should not think that force (violence) is the primary method which compels the crossing of this line. On the contrary, force is able to give birth to a salvific reaction. From this point of view the salvific role of Bolshevism is invaluable. Before the Revolution, Russia with all of her gigantic successes was being spiritually depredated en masse. This ruinous process was checked by God Who allowed the catastrophe: under the blows of oppression, a miracle was happening as a mass return of the people to the Whole of Holy Russia took place – this was unimaginable under the conditions of the old regime, especially since the false–idealistic “February” [Revolution]. It was precisely the “October” [Revolution] that struck the stagnant hearts, and then it was discovered that Holy Rus was alive and to such an extent and with such a force that her conscious children – exuding tears before the face of the spiritual crumbling of Imperial Russia - could have never dreamt of.
The “proper thinking” of a person [or the lack thereof] – this is what either saves or destroys him. The direction of the will is EVERYTHING!
Let us recall the fate of our Church in the initial period of Bolshevism: while her fate was grave, didn’t church life blossom?! This epoch is legendary. The struggle against the violators was meaningful, often taking the form of concessions. But this was a forced maneuvering. It was then apparent to everyone that the Church shined next to the Enemy - being free internally. The power of Light, being alien to that power of Darkness which embraced her, did not compromise in anything. At first glance, little has changed with the concordat of Sergius. However, in essence EVERYTHING has changed, because the direction of the will has changed. The forced [unwilling] endurance of a foreign power was replaced by an internally pleasant, amicable coexistence with that dark force, which then ceased to be alien. An ominous shift began, and to this day it has not reached its limit: this is the replacement of violence with temptation.
By itself, force doesn’t change a person's inner self, even if he is turned into a living corpse and artificially brought to make any confessions. The Satanists combine force with temptations: thus a person must cross that fatal line through a choice of their free will. Today, it is difficult for us to judge from abroad how force (violence) and temptations are coordinated in the USSR in order to break people’s spiritual backbones.
Abhorrence of the regime attests to the fact that it’s not temptation, but violence, that is holding Russia in check. It’s also possible to think that temptation is most likely being increasingly replaced by violent force. Also, up until now, the Soviet authority has bought "recognition" through “handouts” and “bribes”. It is still ready to follow this path today. If they [fully] relinquished the power of temptation - they would be playing a dangerous game. However, in relation to the outside world, she uses temptation with an ever-increasing success. This is where the center of the gravity is transferred. And if there is a "Satanocracy" in Russia, is it not mainly because of the support that the free world now gives it?
The Antichrist can be very affectionate. This has been revealed to us by the Holy Fathers. As long as the “satanocracy” acted only through terror, it was not yet the last stage of approaching the end times. And it can be said with certainty: the blood of the Martyrs that bathed the Russian earth, gives witness to the defeat experienced by the Enemy.
The most frightening time is now occurring. Is the “Whole of Holy Russia” alive to this day - under the shroud of the Soviets - while not revealing herself until the time? A fearsome battle for human souls is being waged there. But we reiterate, the center of gravity has been shifted to the outside.
In the American illustrative press, one can see a large image of the Geneva Soviet delegation as a whole. It's hard to imagine anything more disgusting and eerie: a whole collection of unrestrained and arrogantly-false smiles, which in their multiplicity reveal a collective smile - the smile of the antichrist.
Thus, you ask yourself the question: if a feeling of pity – for which you cannot find words to express – is given for those who are violently forced to “get along” with the wearers of such smiles; and if there is no feeling of pity, to any degree, for those who, not through their own evil will, but, through the process of the horrific Soviet training, have found themselves forced to play an active role in the universal “smiling” temptation – then what can be said of those, who through their own free will “get along with” and co-smile with these monsters?
Of course, the allotment of compulsion is also here. But it’s not brute force: not terror. This is nothing but a fiasco where the free will is not taken out of the game, but appears as a willing participant and therefore accountable to the utmost degree. And here a question arises: are these not signs of the world’s acceptance of herself as subject to the Antichrist? If Antichrist's servants were brought to us, in a sealed wagon, from the West, then the return visit, as an openly solemn event, is already being made on behalf of the "Great Power", which is victoriously entering the world under the sign of the Antichrist.
What type of methods will antichrist adopt to subjugate the rest of the free world? Will there be a birth of a sufficiently powerful spiritual opposition? This is known only to the Lord. However, it’s painful to acknowledge that the spell of this “antichristian smile” is spreading among our fellows, who would seem to be able to recognize, through it - the manifest grin of the Beast.
Here, in the conditions of fading spirituality, it is possible to act detrimentally through the need to feel that one is part of the composition - about which we spoke earlier, of the Russian Whole: as if this Whole can be revealed under the Bolsheviks. There were fits of obsession, when free Russian people, contrary to all reason, were eager to enter within the jaws of the Beast. I personally watched this in the Far East. With the handover of Eastern China to the Japanese, whole trains, which were overloaded with people in warm clothing and carrying their expensive furniture, were leaving Harbin - so that with the crossing of the border, they could all be transformed into a herd of destitute slaves. The miserable fate of these returnees did not remain a secret.
However, this didn’t interfere with this insanity being repeated ten years later in Peking, Shanghai, and other centres. Miraculously, one young man that left Peking with a group of young people, was able to return “there” and was met by local youths who were astounded at their stupidity. Coming to his senses, he was able to slip back. When the ship was in Shanghai, he was able to jump into the water and was saved. He concluded that all those on the ship were transformed into a mass of slaves, each receiving numbers while their clothing was changed into “robes”.
However, the most vivid appearance of this mindlessness seems to have been in Harbin. When the Japanese authority was about to be replaced by the Soviets: the Russians there greeted them [the Soviets] as liberators - accepting the USSR as if she were Russia. The Japanese, in saving the anti-Communists that were close to them (due to their joint-work), had to nearly use force to evacuate them. And what followed? Some returned, believing the lying Soviet promises rather than the sober voice of their co-brothers.
All of these deluded people that were led into the jaws of the Beast, were the best of the lot. Before their departure, this should have been brought to their notice: “Go to your frightening fate: but, perhaps for the salvation of your souls because here, in remaining as Sovietists-seducers [apologists for Sovietism], you may have destroyed your souls, whereas over “there” you will see Sovietism not as you imagine it, but as it really is…”
And what can be said about those who are “tempted” here, who deliberately remain in the conditions of freedom and prosperity, and who become, not only the source of temptations, but in not so rare instances, active participants in the “co-smiling” Soviet successes? That is, after all, free service to the Antichrist. There is no coercion here. Here is an free expression of will – in its pure form.
Temptations can be powerful and approach in a diversity of ways: enticing us with their ambience. Only a holy irreconcilability can save us from the action of the “antichrist smile”. Here, the word “holy” is underscored. We are not speaking of a hatred of individuals, whether living or dead, on account of their “guilt”; nor of a passionate rejection of one or another form of government; not a vicious alienation from dissidents (born of a biased fascination with one's own individual or group and their speculations); but rather of a sober, judicious, and spiritually concise irreconcilability, which can only be born from the responsible consciousness of belonging to the Whole of Holy Russia.
Let this irreconcilability be expressed, as a living experience, in a discerning fashion towards those with whom we share a worldly friendship or a private unity consisting of an idealistic programme – these societal appearances deserve respect, support and a range of encouragement. However, such private affiliations shouldn’t lead us away from the consciousness of belonging to the higher principle, which has to be the Whole of Holy Russia. Only this firm consciousness of our spiritual citizenship – not only that which we adopted, but in a higher sense that which we strengthen, through our conditions of freedom, and capable of placing us on such a firm footing of irreconcilability that its genuineness ensures us from ever agreeing with the Soviets, despite their oblique methods of stiving to lure us unto them. We know, all too well, their “smiling” methods (seeking compromise) which also become Ecclesiastically seductive. Our Holy irreconcilability is the other side of fidelity, which becomes the best demonstration of our conscious choice to belong to the Church Abroad. For only in this way, both formally and outwardly, can our Holy Russian citizenship be displayed.
Who would dare to say with certainty - when one has crossed that fatal line which marks the beginning of a spiritually spineless existence, and a being destined to helplessness before the face of the “antichrist’s smile?” This matter is a secret found within a person’s heart.
However isn’t it our immutable obligation to mark arrows indicating both the path of salvation and that of spiritual death? And here, with the course of events ever-increasing, we cannot but persistently repeat, again and again: the Russian individual must return to the True Church. It’s not enough just to not reject the Church. You must enter Her. It’s even insufficient to just accord Her a place – even if it’s a venerable one - in your understanding of things. You have to enter Her - into the True Church – we must ascend to the source of our spiritual being, and enter with our entire being, while not introducing anything personal. For otherwise, you will never acquire the Holy irreconcilability. And if this isn’t obtained, we will not be secure from the diverse types of temptations - we may even cross that lethal line. And there you have it – don't wait for the ceremonies!
Everyone must be aware: God’s culling is going on. You won’t be able to avoid it. This way or that way, the choice will be before you. Show “irreconcilability”, otherwise...
And one has to ponder over what “mark” is being created by the excessively long practiced “reconciliation”... And you will not notice how an ominous glint of the "antichrist smile" will play on your face. Let it not be!
1955
(The text above has been kindly translated by Seraphim Larin)
