Comments on: NB: Angelic children. A story told by Archimandrite Zacharias

By: Natalia Arzhantseva

Natalia Arzhantseva — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:52:27 +0000

Thank you for this encouraging story, dear Father!

What a great example of humility – this Greek priest! He himself did not teach…though, I imagine how he wanted, and how maybe it was hard to restrain…Though he definitely taught – by his own example, by his life & his life! in which the most important was (and is): that he loved GOD first of all. And such a humility – to give everything in the hands of God, diminish himself totally, totally give oneself & his sons to the power of Christ, allowing Him to perform everything!

I just bow in front of this man, as I thought while reading – the man of God.

Deborah, your comments here are very precious for me, in all respects.
And – for sure – where there is s spiritual link, where there is a prayer – there are no distances.

Bless,

Natalia

By: Deborah

Deborah — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:23:25 +0000

One last thing–I cannot get the image of this priest kneeling by the bedside of his children out of my mind. Aside from the power of his prayers, the sight of their father kneeling each night by their bed, praying for them, had to have had a profound effect on these boys. That is an image of love and of the love of the Father that speaks louder than all the sermons in the world.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:41:50 +0000

P.S.
I just wanted to add that I realize that it is not even in the ability to kneel at their bedsides that gives me the opportunity to effect change in the lives of my children, through prayer. Kneeling by bedsides and even words of prayer can be practiced as empty ritual and I may or may not actually, physically, begin this practice with all of my children. It is all metaphor for something far more powerful truth.

The act of kneeling is a metaphor of submission and a recognition of our complete and utter dependence on the mercy of God. The nearness of our children as we pray for them is helpful in keeping our prayers for them focused and there is power in proximity. But as the Lord demonstrated in the healing of the centurion’s servant, genuine, deep faith does not require it.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:32:48 +0000

Father, Bless,

What a powerful story and post!

I have so many sorrows and regrets about the past when it comes to the raising of my children. But surprisingly, Fr. Zacharias’ story gives me more hope and joy than it does regret. I am thinking of the parable of the Lord about the vineyard workers coming to work at different times of the day, some in the morning, some at noon and some right before the end of the day,–yet all being paid the same wage!

My children range from age 9 to almost 22. All are still home and I can, quite literally, begin to kneel and pray at each of their beds. But even when they move out, the distance between my kneeling body and their beds will not matter!

Whether our children are born into the Vineyard or come into it in the eleventh hour, they are still in the Vineyard! What a wondrous and hopeful vision–and Fr. Zacharias’ story has provided the key to making this vision a reality.

Thank you, more than I can say, for sharing this, Father.