Very often in various episodes and situations of life we want to understand what the Creator expects from us and what we can do to understand His will. So, the answers to number of spiritual questions are slightly covered to a certain book. Nowadays, the informational technologies convey a rapid speed to the changing process of life and absorb people’s time in various interactions of universal, everyday possibilities and challenges, especially reduce the level of reading books among young people. In regards to this, I consider fables more efficient to make the spiritual answers be closer to the hearts of humanity, which are usually short, interesting, impressive, meaningful, psychologically influential because you can see mistakes as a reflection in the mirror deliberating and self-assessing to the given circumstances or action. Sometimes fables fixed on these pages are comprehensive works at the same time reveal the various aspects of spiritual the problem. I hope these fables will be criteria to spread light over issues rising in the people. This will lead not only to the strengthening of the Christian virtue and pious value system at the level of speculations, but also to experience it and once again to revalue its relation of eternal communication with the Christ.
Hovhannes Manukyan
1 Love without Comments
Donkey enters a garden and comes up to a big, yellow, inflated fruit splayed on the ground, glittered by sunshine and says.
-You are so nice and appetizing, finally I found my second half. What is your name?
The fruit answered.
-I am a pumpkin: Why are your ears so long like donkey’s?
The donkey answered in admiration.
-Because I am a donkey. Angels of love called me a fool. I even got to the paradise of heaven to find my second half, but angels didn’t allow me, and sent me here. Now I am consoled to see that you are more foolish than I am. Pumpkin is also beautiful by appearance but all the same remains pumpkin.
Angel of love came down from the heaven and told the donkey.
-Your nonsense has no limits, I have sent you to this garden as not far away there is another donkey too, but you approached the pumpkin. Now, go to the other donkey quickly unless admired with flowers it has eaten all the roses of the garden.
2 Anxiety
Young fellow, anxious and sad, near a cottage placed in a green glade, is indifferently looking at a piece of bread put at the table two sides of which are being dragged by the ants.
There comes an old man and says.
-Young fellow, you are anxious and pensive, overladen by thoughts and spiritually constrained, do you think how to make your aims come true in the world? Look at the piece of bread at the table and the ants who consider it the whole world and aim and each one drags it to its side. The old man takes the bread and jolts it .The ants fall at the table and ran away panic stricken. He puts it in his pocket and goes on saying.
-Now this bread belongs to none of these ants. Look at the earth, the heaven and you’ll see that all these belongs to God and whatever you do or not all these are small limits in the immensity of God and there is no need to worry and be anxious as the life and the aim is in the hands of Gods, calm down and don’t be sad, ask the kingdom of God and his justice and you’ll get all these more than before.
The old man goes on walking, and the young fellow ,looking at the horizon and the earth, the heaven, asks to himself.
-Whom do all these belong to?
3 The cultivator
The cultivator with his big plow and steers yoked tills his fields. He looks at the heaven and thinks. My God, I hope that this year whatever I sow I will have plentiful crop and avoid the failures and drought of the last years.
The angel of God approaches him and says.
-Try to cultivate and water the fields equally the way so as to get plentiful crop. The cultivator answers in complacent and battered way.
-Since my childhood I’ve played and worked with soil and specialized in my work, now do you want to advise me how to till the fields, you had better go to your heaven to cultivate the skies, mind your own angel business.
The angel smiles and answers.
-As you consider yourself master and me pupil ,now I’ve cultivated the skies of the heaven so mixed that if you cultivate and water equally the rains poured from the heaven could hardly water your fields and give plentiful harvest.
One of the most important commandments of this fable is that very often people want to get from God their desirable needs, but they get another answer, more they don’t understand what God means, because God wants that those needs will be remission of sins but not mundane needs.
4 The prisoner
In the morning a peasant stood at the highest and most dangerous part of his housetop, was crying for help. But remained unanswered. He says bitterly.
— Help me my God I don’t know how to do, looked for my key but couldn’t find it and now I am imprisoned just in my house and can’t go out.
While passing near, the angel sees the peasant standing at the dangerous part of the housetop, comes towards him and says.
-Look up in your pocket carefully and come down from that dangerous place. The key is in your pocket but you want the God to come and find the key instead of you.
In life there are situations when people demand of God in inappropriate manner to do such things instead which they are able to overcome themselves in case of being a bit alert, attentive and adept. But they say why God keeps silence, and on the other hand they put themselves into trial and danger.
5 Dreams
A young fellow is impatiently walking to and fro near the church. The priest comes to him and asks.
-What’s happened?
I met God here yesterday, he told me that he would realize my petition and just here would send my guardian angel in order to take me to the town of my dreams,-answers the fellow with great expectations. After while there slowly comes up an ordinary scrooping cart and stops. The teamster with no significant appearance asks.
-Why are you standing stupidly and indifferently ,I am the angel that will take you to the town of your dreams.
-But I was waiting for another thing, with this cart I need many years to get my ideas realized. The way is so long that maybe I can’t even get to the town of my dreams,-the fellow answers moaning.
The angel says.
-God sees and proposes differently the things you dream of and want to realize and now teaches your patience, wisdom and prudence.
6 Go towards the realization of dreams
A young, very handsome fellow is navigating towards the riverbed with his boat. On the way he meets another boat where another young terrified fellow is paddling against the riverbed with great difficulties. He asks.
-Why are you paddling against the river?
The terrified fellow answers.
-The man decorated with golden chains assured me that this riverbed carried to the world of success and enjoyment where that man achieved eminence. But actually there was a big waterfall not far away and the river poured to the gulf.
The fellow becomes worried and asks.
-The same man met me too and gave this beautiful boat an assured that this riverbed carries to the world of endless opportunities where I can realize all my wishes and become famous. The horrified fellow asks.
-Where are your shovels?
That man told that I don’t need them as the riverbed is strong enough and threw it to the river.-answers the boy confusingly.
Unfortunately,, there are many young fellows who navigates by those riverbed. Dear fellows ,come down from those alluring boats unless it isn’t too late.
7 The clock
There were two friends. One of them was faithless, the other believer. Once the faithless friend was waiting for the other who was late for an appointment. When he came the faithless friend asked him why he had been late.
-The clock wasn’t working, didn’t know when to come?
I was waiting for the new clock to be created itself and while it was created time passed, then I looked at it saw that it’s a high time to come.
The faithless says.
-Are you mad? How can the clock be created itself?
The believer answers.
-How can this surprising and difficult world are made itself.
That kind of logic is illogical, isn’t it?
All that is coordinated means that is created and planned by the greatest wit.
For a moment look at the clock made by men the pointers of which are moved harmoniously. The human being has transcribed the harmony of the clock pointers. But so harmonious is the movement of planets and universe created by God that has transcribed with the movement of life, universe and nature where even the vibrations of the butterfly’s wings make one proportion with the entire movement of nature and universe.
8 Why to forgive?
A country was raided by enemies. The villagers were running towards the other side of the river to be saved. With a big sack on his shoulder there came a craftsman with heavy steps and sweat on his face.
_Brother, leave your bag and come to the boat. It can transfer only two people to the coast of salvation.
The craftsman answered.
-I can’t leave my bag because it’s full of the stones people hit me with and give me pain. I have collected them and have to take it to the other side of the river so as to hit the people with the same stones.
-Brother, you’ll overturn both me and you with your sack in this case, so put it away and come in to the boat. But the craftsman put it on the floor, opened it, took out all the stones of different sizes and shapes and till now he decides what size of stones leave in the bag.
It’s impossible to enter the kingdom of the heaven with the sack of stones on one’s shoulder more if the enemy intrudes to our life by means of sins but we still decide what size of stones leave in or bags.
9 The lost moments
A farmer hears that the king of their country is going to meet with people to listen to their desires and help them. He hurries to the town to see and tell the king about his petitions. He enters a pub in the evening, orders a beer and sits near the table. Then a man with gray and worn-out clothes enters the pub, sits near the farmer and asks.
-I see you are not from this country,, then what brings you here?
-One of my wishes is to meet the king and tell him about my petitions,-answers the farmer. The poor man says.
-I can help you to meet the king. That time rich people enter the pub and sit not far from them. The farmer thinks the famous people can help him sooner than the poor one and joins and entertains them with beer.
Next day when the king is passing along the street with his retinue, the farmer surprises and regrets but can’t approach the king because of lot of people. The king was the man who yesterday sat next to him with old clothes.
Very often we also lose the moments when Jesus is very close to us.
10 The end of greedy millionaire
Once a rich man sees a dream where he is in a room a mirror in it. He comes up to the mirror, looks at it surprised as had two wings like an angel. Pleased by himself he says.
-Am I an angel too, I knew that God will apprize me I have built a church lighted a candle, given money haven’t I? While looking at the mirror he noticed a Satan behind him and asked.
-What do you want? Don’t you see I am an angel too?
The Satan answered.
-I want nothing from you; I’ve come to take my wings.
The rich man opened his angel wings and saw that on the one wing it was written money, on the other was power. He left the room quickly and was appeared on the brink of a deep Clough different angels fly to the sky from, to the paradise on the clouds. He also opened his wings and tried to fly to the paradise. He was pleased as he could fly but all of a sudden a slight wind began. He began to flap, lost the balance and fell to the formidable Clough crying for help. At that moment he woke up and feeling happy to see it was a dream but terrified to see the Satan sitting one chair and looking at the clock.
The millionaire asked.
-What are you doing?
The Satan answered.
I’ve come to take my wings, You wanted to fly to the paradise by my wings, didn’t you?
11 The conscience
The moneylender tired of scorching sun was walking along a dry steppe. On the brink of the way in the brushwood he noticed a child with worn out clothes asking for water in a low swooned voice. He thought that if he gave the child water it won’t suffice for the rest of the road so he passed quickly. After while he met soldiers wandering along the steppe and knew that they were looking for the son of the king and who find the child he will receive a sack of gold. The heart of moneylender began to tremble quickly. Impatiently turned he came up to the brushwood where the child is, covered him with shrubs so as no one could notice ,then took the water from bag ,gave him and said happily.
-Drink as much as you can, you are very dear to me as you are the son of our king. The boy drank the water ,became fresh and said.
-I am not the son of the king I am your conscience, no matter how far you run from me and ignore, wherever you go it’s all the same, in the end you have to come to me to answer for your sins. After saying the boy disappears like a gale and the confused moneylender took his head by arms.-He drunk half of my water how can I pass the steppe.
12 The boredom
Once a king comes to the parching lake with his retinue where a peasant has put an empty boiler on fire and gauges the lake by a reed. The king says testily.
-The angel of God appeared to me at night and told to come here to understand why I was so bored and distressed,
But I see here a simple peasant who is busy with strange and senseless things. The peasant approaches to him, crouches and asks.
-My king, look at the boiler and tell what do you see?
-Do you make fun of me? Don’t you know that I have everything, both money and power, I can even put you to death. The boiler is empty ,isn’t it ,you ask what do I see?
-You answered the question why are you so bored and distressed
because your soul is empty like this boiler, as the as the presence of God has dried like this lake, and boredom is like the reed which shows the extent of emptiness of the soul, as the greater is the boredom the greater is the emptiness of the soul.
Your quests burn your emptiness and even give pain like this fire as you look for a peace but don’t find it. Be quiet and peaceful with God and the boredom and bleakness
Will aspire,-answered the peasant and disappeared, and coming closer the king recognized the angel.
Boredom is like a kind of thermometer which shows the emptiness and the extent of presence of the God in our souls.
13 Seduction
There was a prince who had a very nice steed. When he was going to navigation ,he gave it to the care of one of is servants and then paid the servant generously for taking care of his steed. Once he was happened to be absent for three days and one of his eldest servants outpacing everyone assumed the care of the horse according to his own request. The servant wanted to invert on the horse solemnly, but after while the horse became wild and disobedient. The horse fled along the streets of the town destroying everything in the road then threw down the servant from the saddle and disappeared in the streets of the town. For two days the exhausted servant was looking for the horse and finally found. He lugged the stubborn horse to the castle under the slaps of horsewhip so as to get rid of that assumed obligation. He also paid for all damages the horse had given in the way.
This was the end of greed, pride and braggery. Sometimes people are fascinated by the opportunities but fall into bigger difficulties as they haven’t evaluate the given facts and situations right. You needn’t take more than you can. God gives everyone as much as they can serve though they always want more. And here in this way man wanted to become Gob on the advice of Satan but,,,
14 A story of one rose
A rose grows under the shadow of a tree.
-I would like to be in the shadow not so much and would like the slim gleams of sun to caress and adorn me,-says the rose. That day the gardener decided to cut the branches which had left the rose in the shadow and the blue sky, the gleams of sun was opened in front of the rose. The rose admires, becomes beautiful and after while says.
-Why do the gleams of sun light only at daytime, I need a sun that lights both day and night. In a few days the rose complains again.
-Why are these gleams so warm and yellowish? I want them to be warmer and full of colors. The flowers around the rose say.
-You are really more beautiful than the sun, you need a sun that can light day and night and will be suitable to your charm. That day the gardener enters the garden, pick the rose present to a man who decorates the table of the night casino by that rose. The rose admired and was glad to find what had searched so long, as here though small there were many suns of different colors that lighted them day and night and they are not so warm like the sun in the sky. But in a few days the rose became sad and wilted looking at the real sun and his gleams.
The same happens in life when people don’t evaluate the things given by the divine providence, that‘s why sometimes God takes back the given.
15 Disclaimer
A customer saw a dream where a crowd of people gathered around the well and the priest was making a requiem ceremony telling peace. There was a man in the well fighting with water and crying for help by saying.
-My god set me free from these suffers. The customer approached and told the priest.
-Don’t you see the man crying for help? You classified him as dead and instead of helping him you make requiem.
The priest answered.
-God sent this crowd, gave the ropes to help people ,but in vain, even if the angel descends from the heaven it won’t help him until he refuses the bag full of gold squeezed to his heart.
The customer looked into the well and was horrified as he saw himself desperately swimming ,crisping a rope on one hand and on the other squeezing a bag of goldfinch.
If you want to have peaceful communication of God in your souls you must have the will to refuse sins, seductions which very often are desirable and valuable in usual cases in life than their refusal and having the peace of God. That’s why you need to refuse the sinner world completely for coming closer to God.
16 The elevator
A Christian saw an apparition where demons by angel’s appearance approached to him and said.
-Go up to the last floor of the crystal building in front of you which stretches to the sky and there you’ll find what you search for. The Christian quickly went to the last floors by the crystal elevator, but reaching to a huge height, the rope of the elevator was cut and began to fall down at a high speed. The man was looking around him with suppliant glance and saw Jesus Christ in light. He looked at God with a glance of imploring salvation but no answer, and the elevator was falling down getting a high speed. The man was obsessed by the fear of death and by the speed of elevator. He looked at Jesus again but Jesus was silent and the Christian asked.
-May it be your will if you want like that….
The elevator has already reached to the first floor and the man waits peacefully with his head crouched. But the process of elevator slowed, stopped for a moment then started to rise slowly. The man looked at the light, Jesus was smiling and the elevator kept on rising slightly.
Complete confidence towards God is life and peace. God always wishes the best for people.
17 Struggle
A young fellow a prayer book in his hand loudly pronounces prayers in a nice garden. Crows and pies are gathered on the trees and gradually they are getting more. They were stunning around by their voices and caws as if answering the fellow’s loud prayers. He sees it’s useless. Leaving there he noticed a swooned fountain acting a bit. Sorrowed by the previous case he began to pray near the fountain, but the fountain’s water swooned, slowed and disappeared. The fellow sad and pensive went out to the path complaining God about his failure. He saw an old man looking at the scale on the right part of which there was cotton and nothing on the left. That man says.
-Your faith is like the cotton on this scale. When there is nothing on the other side of the scale the cotton seems to be heavy and impressive. But even when there are small stones on the other side as trials, the cotton is clearly seen to be so light that the cotton will go there where the wind blows .So, the trials and difficulties reveal the size and weight of faith. Your faith must be strong, In spite of any kind of trials.
The fellow thinking about all these, turned, took out the cigarette of the pocket lighted and told himself.
-Faith must be really great.
Then threw the cigarette turned back, saying animatedly.
-This man seems to be the apostle Petrous and sees neither man nor the scale..
18 The death
As mentioned by the Roman chronicler Suetonius. ‘Caligula emperor was trying to make his already disgusting and repelling face more violent giving terrifying expression to it at the mirror. And so the emperor, before the chained Christian was brought to him, stood in front of the mirror giving violence to his face. When the soldiers brought the Christian he said.
-Why are you so calm and quit, don’t you see that I am strong and huge. Revere me and I’ll give you life. Don’t you afraid of death. Jesus died for us, and arose so as when he comes we also may be arising. And it’s he that can give us life, and we revere only our God, answered the Christian.
The emperor got up from his place and cried.
-I’ll send the death to you immediately for you to understand who gives life and death to people. At the middle of the night
a demon in black came to the emperor wandering in palace and said.
-How do you do, Caligula, have you called me?
Why haven’t you come here, go to the dungeon, your job is there where a Christian was destined to death,-answered the emperor terrified and confused.
-I have nothing to do there, there is so much light in that Christian that revolts me and even if he dies he’ll have a life by the help of Jesus, but there is so much emptiness and darkness in your soul that it’s place for death,-said the demon with amazement. The emperor’s face grew pale of fear of death.
19 My trust
A Christian Negro African returned to their village from the church. He had great thoughts of spiritual peace and joy as he felt all the plenitude and presence of Jesus when coming from the church that day. While walking on the way he heard a roar and stopped like a stone .there appeared a huge lion and came towards the Christian. The man’s heart began to tremble quickly and was in a sweat. He said in his mind. Jesus is my prop and savior. Then made a step forward to turn back and run away would mean to become a victim for the lion who would take him for a deer. But that huge lion was calmly moving towards the African roaring that bent slowly to take a big stone. At that moment a man put a hand on his shoulder and said.
-Don’t be afraid, I am always with you. Then that man went to the lion, caressed its hairy head and kept on saying,
-This beast will not harm you; I am your savior and prop, aren’t I?
That time five lions with their cubs came from the dense thicket and disappeared following the lion stood in the middle of the road. The Christian revived from that scene and seeing no one in the road became encouraged and told himself again,; Jesus is my savior and trust ‘’and kept on going.
20 The rope
A man looked at the sky desperately and said.
-My God, Am I so unworthy? Each time I promise that I’ll never sin, but I do it again. How long do you have to tolerate and forgive me?
The archangel Gabriel appeared came to the man and tightly tied his waist with the rope and kept the other part of the rope in his hand. At that moment the man asked in surprise.
-Do you tie me with this rope so as I understand that have no remission?
Gabriel archangel answered.
-Soon you’ll go and as always fall into the bog. Jesus must drag you out with this rope from the bog. This rope symbolizes the grace of God which forgives you through belief and repent. The greater is your belief the stronger will be the rope. The weaker is your belief like a tailor’s thread. So when you look at God with belief ,he will always forgive you and will save from the bogs thanks to Jesus.
21 Hope
A diligent peasant is going to a far country with a great zest where they say the kingdom of God is situated and where many great and noble dreams and wishes come true. Filled with a great hope the peasant keeps on going but neither the road ends nor he gets to the kingdom. He lies on the grass of the wayside and say.
-My God, I Haven’t any will to go on. At that same time he has a strange feeling and says in surprise.
-My God, I’ve lied on the ground very exhausted I don’t know why but I am moving forward and going on the way. At that moment he noticed Jesus smiled and embraced him was walking towards the destination.
Sometimes people get exhausted and think that they won’t be able to go on waiting for the God’s help, but that time they become glad and surprised as God give them force and lead to that mission.
For one hand for achieving goals it seems endless to rely on God after a long wait and go his way, because God is endless and everlasting and following God is also perpetual but the kingdom of the Heaven comes and stays by means of the grace of Jesus realizing the expected purpose.
22 Do you love me?
A fellow, sitting on a soft nice armchair, was reading the part of the Bible where Jesus says to apostle Petrous . <Simon, son of Hovnan, do you love me>?
Then the fellow completely bent back to the armchair and said.
-My God you know how much I love you ,I even will give my life for you, but why is everything so unfair to me? People around me are so pleased and live well but I till I become a Christian ,love and believe in you there is nothing good for me. Money is not enough, I can’t buy what I want, my plans aren’t realized. Everywhere I tell your name they say where is your God if he exists ,why are not your hopes realized? I want everything to be good both for me and for others. If you loved me you’d have realized all my petitions, and I will present all my life to you. The fellow feels that he is snapping on the comfortable armchair and someone caresses his head and says.
-Wake up ,my son, you don’t love me ,you make a business with me.
23 The might of prayer
A fisherman came and saw a man sitting in the boat near the sea beach under the scorching sun and asked.
-Why are you sitting here in this hot weather? The man answered.
-God told me if I sit this boat, I can soon get to the island where there are fruits that can cure my illness, but it has already an hour I am sitting here seeing neither the might of God nor his power. The fisherman says.
-The boat has no legs to enter the water itself, and for getting to the island you must puddle and overcome the waves of the sea. God doesn’t induce people to laziness but to realize all their plans through diligence and sedulity.
Sometimes people pray once twice or three times and want to see the efficiency of God by means of their prayers, sometimes they even wait for miracles but they must pray at least seven times for one petition even months years. Only that time you’ll see the fruits of might and miracle, otherwise you are like a man sitting in the boat at the beach. Faith without work and work without faith won’t have its fruits. Believe that prayers make miracles.
24 Will
The Satan is walking along a dry sapless desert and says complacently,
-It’s perfect, there is no hint of life, I worked well.
After a while he noticed a bud of perfect flower stretched to the sunlight through damaged ground. The angel of darkness stood and said in raptures,
-It’s really nice ,,,,but is it nicer than me? Then he grew gloomy and quickly disappeared. Then the lorries came, fill stones and asphalt on that place ,cover the subtle flower and made an asphalt road.
The Satan appeared and said more complacently.
-It’s the end of those who love the light and seek for the light. After a while the angel of darkness came walked up there and astonished. The subtle flower grooving the asphalt had risen up to the beams of the sun and flourished. The gloomy Satan raised his foot to mash the flower but then lowered the foot and said.
-This flower is really a miracle. Then was looking at the Michael archangel standing a bit far from the flower.
When a subtle flower can groove the strong asphalt, and rise to the light me can also overcome all difficulties and come closer to God.
25 Request
A generous king send his servant to the famous tailor of far east to bring a silk cape and told him that he would pay well for the servant. The servant goes, takes the cape and returns. The cape is so nice that he throws it to his shoulders and makes boast of it, rich man near a hotel says.
-Sell the cape to me ,I’ll give you a lot of money to enjoy the life, now you are a servant and will remain so, more you’ll give it to the king and receive a small wage.
The servant sells the cape ,takes the money and wastes it in a town and amusing places. When came to the king he told that he had been robbed by the bandits and they took the cape. And now he wants remuneration for his service.
The king answered.
-That cape had an emblematic sense. Who has it on his shoulder he will become the inheritor of my kingdom. I’ve decided to present it to you. That was the remuneration I was going to give .Without the cape I can’t make my promise. The servant turned surprisingly and looked at the pub looming in the far.
The Bible says that you are called to be sacred and live saintly. We demand from God but we don’t lead the life he outlined.
26 The door
The poet is running breathlessly through the forest and gets to a beautiful castle, tries to open the door. He fags with zest but no result, turns and sits hopelessly near the door and says.
-My God finally I came here to get the promised gifts from you that I’ve waited so long. I thought that all the roads and doors have already been opened for me. Jesus appeared ,opened the door and answered.
-All the roads and doors are always opened for you, if you have been bent at the door not just sitting next to it ,it would be opened. I tell you to look well into your soul to see if you really drag the doors to you or vice versa but it’s all the same you only drag to yourself. Simply jog it to the other side and it will be opened.
The gifts of God are given to those who serve them for others not for themselves.
27 Self-reference
A turtle looks happily at the mirror. A giraffe comes and asks.
-Why are you so glad?
The turtle answers.
-I’ve always wanted to know why I am born in this world and who I am? Passing here I noticed the mirror and could finally see me and understand why I was born. When they had came closer to me I didn’t really Know who I am and always hid in my scabbard ,confused and was ashamed. The giraffe said.
I have crossed this path many times but haven’t noticed this mirror. I have always seen the blue sky, flying birds, the long branches of trees and various leaves and always asked me who I am. Maybe I am a turtle too. The turtle looked above and said.
-No, you don’t look like to me. You have to bent to see you, incline your head and you will see who are you.
If you want to recognize yourself and to know why God has sent you to this world, you just need to incline yourself and in that case you will never need to hide yourself or fly in the sky.
28 The responsibility
With a towel furled on his head a devout businessman said.
My God how much I pray, have a medicine ,it’s all the same , my head-ache doesn’t pass. I don’t know what to do. Then he noticed a singer familiar to him carrying a cart heavy with various big and small things. Some creatures were jumping in the cart and one of them as a teamster was hitting the singer with thong and complained.
-Move quickly, aren’t you like horse, how much have I told you to go towards the apical.
The businessman came to the singer and asked what was going on.
The singer answered with difficulty, constrained and bent by the heavy consignment.
-I am going to realization ,to the comprehension of life. I Have filled the cart with all my plans and ideas, my troubles and problems. But these creatures are my advisers who don’t leave me alone. Why have you furl the towel into your head? The businessman put off the towel and answered.
-I was carrying a cart like you but just now I understood that I had no head-ache as the ruler of all my ideas and plans is God and I am the doer. We are to work and act ,the realization is left to God. Leave that cart ,calm down and go on your way without that cart.
29 Mist
A downhearted and hopeless student sits on the stone of the path of dense forest. A priest crossing the same path asks the student why he sits in that detached place so sad and pensive. The student asks.
-Everything is so vague, I see nothing in front of me, I am surrounded
by fog and can’t see the beginning and the end of the road and at least where to go, but I rely on God and feel that it is his will to go by that road. The priest consoles him saying.
-If you really rely on God, don’t hesitate and despond, go on patiently, the more you go the cleaner will be your way. Even you will surprise at seeing how the road is becoming clear and evident. But if you hesitate and despond ,it will always seem to you that the end of this road is unknown and obscure as the fog has covered the road. So, never bate your hope, the hope leads and reveals things you can’t see but God sees even in fog and leads you.
30 The knight
They say a gloomy knight who had returned from the crusader invasion to his native Russian village ,inclined towards the lake of their village and looked at his traits reflected in the clean and blue lake and said.
-Who is this gloomy man that looks at me from the lake? My God, My soul isn’t calm. I reached my aim, saw the scent town, won the enemy and came back but I couldn’t find myself and don’t understand why I am becoming so weak. He turned quickly two knights fighting with swords with each other. One of them slipped and fell down, the helmet flied from his head and the gloomy knight stood taken aback that the fallen one is he. He put off the sword from the sheath and stood in front of the other knight defending the fallen one. The knight in front of him slowly put off his helmet and the gloomy knight confused seeing him again. A monastic approached him and said.
-Why have you put off your sword in this desolate field and waited for a fight alone? Don’t you see that your body and soul fight with each other, you look at them enimically . Be calm both with your soul and your body, be thankful to them, and give them your warm love apologizing for the pain you have given them. You mustn’t struggle for your body and soul, but only for the sins. When you lose your inner peace you get ill and God’s love is priceless medicine that cures.
31 The hidden treasure
Sometimes a king as a guest visited devout people. And one day when the king was walking along the town ,a lawyer keeping the commandments entered the house impatiently and went out .When the king approached that time he was at home and the king was entertained his neighbor who was a moneylender. Seeing this the lawyer went out and said displeased.
-The king is not just, he visits the sinners. Then, entered the house again, looked around, took a box from the dark nook opened and carefully put out a diamond casket. He looked at the casket with a great amazement and hid it again as he noticed the soldier behind him, who said.
-Oh Lawyer, the king wanted to visit you; it seems to you that you are just and innocent, but I see that greed and selfishness leads in your heart and soul. So look at them to see what kind of sins you have hidden there which you consider treasures. So why do you complain, when the king passes near your house, but you are inside, instead of greeting him?
32 The expected day
A talented but poor actress was getting a lot of letters from the spectator from time to time especially from a one. She didn’t pay attention to those letters as each time getting them she was becoming sad and dreamt of the day when she could be one of the actresses of biggest theater of their town but only rich and famous people were there. One cold day when she was passing along the streets and selling things so as to keep herself in that way too, an old gray man who was one of the richest man of the town gave her a lot of money. The girl hurried home filled with gratitude. After a while she got another letter from the man who always brought her letters. This time being in a high mood she opened the letter and was surprised as a man congratulated her for getting money. But no one knew about it except her and the old man. She quickly put off all the letters sent from that man from the shelf and saw that in all those letters for several years she was invited to be the actress of that biggest theater of which she had dreamt so long and understood that all the letters she got from that old gray man who was the owner of the theater.
Very often we look far with great expectation to see the real happiness of life but we often don’t notice the greatest comprehension of life given to us, don’t notice the speech of God, his direct presence ,the everlasting happiness.
33 The bottle
A big bee is spinning with drone around the bottle put on the table and filled with a small amount of aromatic juice. The bee looks in amazement at the juice remained in the crystal bottle and after a long wander finds the blade ,tries to enter but fails ,becomes sad and says.
-Why doesn’t God help me, I am doing a good job, aren’t I,I want to drink a juice, take nectar and make honey for people. But God doesn’t answer. Then passed by a thin path of the bottle with great efforts and appeared in the juice, as if in paradise enjoy it ,collect nectar from it. Happy and pleased, the bee looks at the world from the crystal bottle, flies with drone to the blade so as to go out but can’t. With horrified eyes and missing glance the bee looks at the nature from the bottle and implores.
-God, help me from this prison and death. God admonished.
-May this be an edification for you, be patient till morning to get rid of that inflated state and go out from this prison with great efforts.
Very often God keeps silence as we ask for some things which seem kind to us but which will put us in hardships and want to be in states where we needn’t to be.
34 Storm
A ship is moving on violent waves of the sea. The unbridled wind and absorbing waves carry the ship towards the nearest rocky land. A sailor is running terrified to and fro on the deck then throws himself into the violent waves of the sea and cries for help. When the other sailors save him and rise to the ship, one of them asks why he has thrown himself into the sea. Completely wet and frozen the man answers.
-When I saw the calm sea and the mild waves glittered by sunshine for the first time I made out that my title is like yours and wanted to become a captain and deserve people’s praise and evaluation after each navigation. But when I saw this storm and the ship’s huge move to the rock I threw myself to the sea for being saved. One of the other captains answered.
-Brother, don’t you trust our captain? Trust him wholly and you will get to your navigation harbors.
Sometimes people think if they become Christians they make service to God and have to deserve a calm and quiet life full of success by means of which they even can realize spiritual mission in this world. But people forget that Christian’s way is a way of cross and if need you must carry the cross patiently and humbly and for the sake of Jesus get along with the heaviness of the cross to realize spiritual mission in the world. The peace or the peaceful life given by God is the presence of might but not the absence of hardship.
35 Alertness
It was a snowy day. In a Russian village a monastic entered a toyshop and said.
-It’s me again. Give me a doll. That child waits for me, I go to orphanage. I have promised her to give a doll today. The seller of the shop gets surprised.
-But it’s already the third time you take a doll for her, isn’t it? The monastic answered.
-The first time I met a hewer in the way and he asked to keep his ax so as he can put the branches of the trees on the bogie. I put the toy on the stone and helped the man but at that very moment a crow dropped down and took the doll. Second time I met an old man who showed me the bible
And asked questions from the Bible. I took the bible from him with pleasure ,put the toy on the white snowy ground and answered the questions. I turned towards the doll and hardly saw the crow raising the doll to the sky with its beak. Now I have come the third time and ask you to help me. The seller of the shop came to the window and said in surprise.
-Look out of the window, so many crows are gathered on the trees as if waiting for you.
You must be awake and alert in every situation.
36 Running
A publicist, praying and a book in his hand, is running up the mountain. He got to the top of the mountain breathless where the shepherd pastures the sheep. He asked.
-Haven’t you seen God here?
The shepherd answered in surprise,
-An angel descends from heaven and said that God is in the field down the mountain. In the evening after pasturing my sheep I’ll go to see God. The breathless publicist complains.
-That angel told me that God is on the top of the mountain and I ran here from the field. Surprised and sad he looked at his thick book at which was written with big letters {The book appeal],then tore the book and went down the mountain. A man was peacefully praying in the field. The publicist asked.
-Haven’t you seen God here? The man showed the vicinity with his hand and said.
-Don’t you see that you are on the hand of God and he looks at you?
While praying you must be calm to feel the presence of God but not pray while running or idling for looking for the presence of God.
37 The fiddler
The beginner fiddler always plays the same composition. He said to himself self-sufficiently and with irony.
-It is interesting who can compete with me tomorrow? My God you are my hope, I am sure nobody will be able to play any musical creation like me. Then began to play again the same music. He noticed the angel of God stood not far from him and said with content.
-If I succeed to descend an angel from the heaven by my music then I have nothing to worry about. And began to play with zest for the angel to listen and admire. Next day, before raising the stage he met a famous world known
fiddler and express his respect and admiration.
-What a surprise, I’ve always dreamt to see you and listen to your works. What are you doing here? The famous fiddler answered.
-I am invited to compete with some fiddler. The beginner fiddler was confused and could hardly swallow the spit. After a while he saw the angel again who said.
-Yesterday I came to warn you to be wise and reasonable, if taking part in this competition, you haven’t play the works of this famous fiddler but you didn’t listen to me, you only played and played your music.
You must never be boastful and arrogant.
38 The labyrinth
The guitarist was playing all alone in a desert field then looked at the sky and the earth, everything was colorless and drab. He visualized the place where living he considered utter meaningful, which was full of the diversity of various colors and symmetry of rhythms of melody of life. He got to the labyrinth beyond which he saw the kingdom of his imagination and said.
-At last I found the entrance of the kingdom of Heaven where it’s possible to live and find the happiness of the spiritual peace. He came into the labyrinth, toured there and came again to the same entrance. Then again walked along the paths of labyrinth, tangled and appeared at the same place and so several times. Downhearted by his imagination he returned to the reality and felt Jesus standing next to him. He was listening to the guitarist’s music silently and said.
–Why do you leave so many times and then return to the same point and again chose the way of labyrinth, I am always near aren’t I am already here but you search for me in other places. The guitarist looked around and noticed that the sky and the earth weren’t colorless and drab at all, but full of colors, light and the entire meaning of life and what he was searching had meaning only in the presence of Jesus.
39 Accountant
A man entered his two-stored house, locked the door, hurried to the living-room, put off a plushy bag, turned it on the table ,and the golden coins were poured tinkling. The man began to count them imprudently, then counted again concentrating, again counted slowly and said.
-I am counting, counting but it lacks, I can’t mistake, but how can God mistake, I don’t understand, I have asked for thirty-five gold, haven`t I, but he sent me thirty-four. The territory I have to buy costs thirty-five, how else can I buy the territory, make goods and share it with people. Somebody knocks at the door. But the man doesn’t pay attention to it and begins to count his money again. But the door is knocked continually. Angry with all this he looks carefully from the window of the second floor and see an old man.
-I knew that God sent that poor man so as I do mercy by the money he has sent to me. It’s not enough that He sent me one gold less, he also sent an old man so as I gave mercy.
Then opens the window and goes on saying.
-I won’t give you even a gold. God isn’t just with me. The old man looks at him in surprise and says.
-I haven’t much time to live and my small heritage which is one gold, I decided to give it to someone. God brought me here but you accused him of making accounting.
40 The realization of the wish
The peasant put off the sack of wheat from his shoulder put it on his ragged dry tillage covered by weed and said,
-I better go to the chapel down the hill and pray so as God send me a plow and a couple of steer to till the field and sow wheat.
When finished praying, pleased by his faith and pray, came out of the chapel and got surprised, and crying hurried towards his tillage where an angel was sowing the wheat with his hand into the ragged dry tillage.
The peasant exclaims.
– My God, what are you doing? This angel wasted my wheat and sowed on the ragged soil. The angel stopped doing and answered.
-You are applying to God for petitions but you don’t notice that your soul is also covered by weed like your tillage. First of all clean and cultivate your soul ,then emulate your expectations, as you said that I wasted your wheat in ragged soil, more God never wastes his awards on ragged and dry souls.
41 The song of life
In one of the Indian suburbs of the town a piper is playing with an intonation of mild sounds near a deep hole. Several fellows amorous of hard rock, armed with musical instruments gathered around him. One of them asked.
-Do you know what does the hard rock mean? The piper doesn’t answer and looked at them in surprise keeping on playing. The fellow said again with irony.
-Here again a man who is an ancient musician. Now we’ll present you modern, life giving songs and show the meaning of hard rock and you’ll understand how much you have stayed back from modern life.
The fans of rock began to play and sing loudly. At that moment a sputter is heard from the hole and two huge cobras come out and approached the fellows who were stunned by fear and kept silence. The piper said.
-Why do you stop your modern music? Maybe the cobras will evaluate them, calm down and give you real life. The piper goes on playing and the snakes go back.
There are people who think that distorting divine harmony, they find modern innovation and create the meaning of life eternity.
42 The gambler
Every morning a gambler sits on his donkey and goes to church to pray.
-Forgive me God, I made a sin yesterday. If you don’t help me personally, then send someone effectual to show me a way not to go casino and waste my money there. And each time coming out of the church he passes near the casino, looks at it with curiosity, enters and spends there the whole day. And one day he wakes up and decides not to go to church. He thinks that almighty God never sent anyone to lead him and went to the place of entertainment. He comes to the overflowing river by the donkey and wants to cross the cracked bridge. But the animal stands like a statue and goes neither back nor forwards. The angry player drops from the donkey and drags from the bridle so as the animal moves forward but in vain.
-You are a stubborn and fool animal, I am late for an important and interesting game because of you,-complains the player. Then he leaves the donkey and tries to cross the bridge
but it collapses and he appears in the waves of overflowing river. He comes up to the beach exhausted and with difficulties where the donkey has come too. He sits on the animal and the donkey as before goes silently towards the church. The player says.
-Finally I understand whom has God sent as a leader for a stubborn man like me.
43 Two different ways
An unbeliever specialist comes out of the structural office. Meeting a priest in the way he says in surprise.
-Among all the drawings introduced by me the director chose that man’s offer whose plan of building is the worst and the most dangerous for building. All my efforts and works remained unpaid.
If God exists ,why does that director do God’s will, more if he considers himself a Christian, where are the justice and sanity left? The priest gives the Bible and says.
-Take it and read, here is the answer. The specialist mocks.
-I don’t believe and I don`t prefer what is written in this book, and then how can I find the answer?
The priest said.
-You got the answer of your question just now. Like you don’t believe in the plan of life I gospel offered by God, and you choose your heart’s will, not God’s, so the director also wants and believes in the plan of his heart but which is the worst and most dangerous for building house but it’s important for the man only his heart’s will not the justice and sanity.
44 Toga
A godly craftsman prays so as God will help him to earn daily bread. God hears his pray and send a nice faience plates by means of one boor. The godly man becomes glad, sells and makes money of it and thanking for it returns home deciding to spend a part of the money on the church. On the way he is raided and robbed by the bandit who left him with an old, ragged dusty toga. The craftsman became very sad and said.
-My God, I earned a little money but this mischance happened. Now I am empty-handed and can do nothing for spiritual purposes. As a consolation he takes the ragged toga ,puts on his shoulder and keeps on going absorbed in thoughts. Then the royal armed horsemen surround him crying loudly.
-Here we find him. The craftsman thinks trembling that a new hardship waits for him and asks whom they has found. One of the horsemen comes down from the horse and says.
-Our king had no inheritor and according to his testament who finds and puts on the shoulder the toga robbed by the bandits must inherit his kingdom and might. Now you are our king.
The generosity and well are unlimited towards the people.
45 The bicycle
In the morning twilight a fellow repairs his bicycle. Jesus approaches him and asks.
-What are you doing? Without paying attention the fellow answers.
-Yesterday I met a sportsman who told me that he was a master of ‘’I’ ’a specialist of ‘’I’ ’trains people’s’’ I’ ’smoothly and gave me a good advice to go to the pilgrimage in the morning by bicycle where there would be a big party connected with Saint Easter. How didn’t I think, I can get there sooner than everyone, there is so much to do for the party. The Christian service is very important for me, the more I do the better for me, the more spiritual experience I get the better for me. I can’t just live, but act possibly much and quickly. Now, I have no time I must go. The fellow sits on his bicycle quickly and flies towards the pilgrimage. He falls into the big hole because of twilight. Then stands moaning with pain, looks up. it’s already dawn and notices the sportsman looking at him from the brink of the hole.
-I am sorry but you have fallen into a big hole and can’t come out yourself, what do? You’ll stay here and can get neither to the pilgrimage nor get out of here anymore, I can’t help you, I am late, there are many people I have to give advice,-said the sportsman and disappeared. The fellow becomes very sad, makes great efforts to go out of the hole but it’s all the same, the hole is very deep. That moment looks up again and sees Jesus. Jesus asks lingering a rope to him.
-What are you doing?
-My Lord, It was you asking me in the morning what I was doing, forgive me, I didn’t recognize you, I was very busy.
Sometimes the Christians indulge in getting spiritual experience and realizing it in Christian service so much that they forget that Jesus said to be perfect like our Heavenly Father, and he doesn’t demand perfect service from people but wants them to make their entity perfect. But Satan wants to put people into sin especially when there is any Christian party and especially those who want to act perfectly so as they feel desolated. We are more important for Jesus than our planned projects. What’s the good if we have the world but lose our personality?
46 God cognition
There were two men; one became a hermit, the other monastic. The hermit just believes in Jesus as a savior knowing nothing more. But his
Belief was so strong and confidence so firm that God gave him a grace. When the hermit prayed and touched something it blossomed. The teacher got comprehensive theological education got surprised at hearing that a simple hermit who had no idea of Saint Trinity, had gotten a grace from God but he didn’t. He made up his mind to go and found out how the hermit had got a grace. He wore his beautiful clothes, took his crook and went to the hermit. The hermit saw the teacher smiled, inclined and kissed ecclesiastic’s hand. The teacher said.
-You know that teacher Is so high position in Christian’s word, then dear hermit how it happens that without having even the simple clerk’s ordination, you have so great grace that whatever you touch it gets blossomed. The hermit smiled again and answered.
– I have asked nothing from Jesus, I just believe in him and believe that he lives in me and I live in him. The teacher thought and said.
-Do you know that Jesus is a perfect God and perfect man, how defines his being human being, and the God is saint trinity. The hermit answered without confusing.
-No, I don’t know, just heard in my soul how Jesus called me and I left everything and followed him. The teacher frowned and answered.
-So if you know so few about God and have no idea about doctrine, then why God gave you that grace. Here is my doctrine crook, look, feel it, it expresses my divine wisdom and power, like the crook of Moses which led a whole nation. The hermit took the crook by the right hand and it
began to blossom and covered with buds. The teacher was astonished, inclined his head, felt how proud he was, took his blossomed crook silently, kissed the hermit’s right hand and went. The hermit stood far with a sincere smile on his face and confused as the v kissed his hand and went. He was thankful to God filled with love and light and said.
-My Jesus, I don’t need to know or find more, only to follow and believe in you, there is nothing more than that.
47 The butterfly
It was a dark night. A woman with a candle in a hand entered the underground pantry. She put the candle on the table and began to look for something. The butterfly hid under the leaves of the trees noticed the light through the pantry’s open window and hurried there. It began spinning around the light of the candle, dance and animate. The butterfly wanted to kiss the candle’s light to become warmer as much as possible, but was burnt of the fire and fell down. Another butterfly wandering in the dark noticed the pantry’s light and hurried to get rid of the night. It came to the candle but not closer and began to dance with fire. Another butterfly noticed the light too, came to the window but didn’t enter, pinned in the dark, remembered the nature’s preachment about enjoying the light of the day. But couldn’t resist the temptation of the light’s beautiful waves of the candle and hurried towards the small window of the pantry, but touched the glass of the windows the woman had closed it. Then the woman turned off the light, came out of the pantry closing the doe and leaving there the butterfly wandering in the dark.
One butterfly saw the light of day, the other the gloom of pantry.
The sin is seductive but very baneful and mortal like the first butterfly was fascinated by the light of the candle.
Nice is the world full of fun and enjoyment but very short and temporal like the second butterfly stayed in the pantry imprisoned.
Seductive is the sin and nice is the world but those who are patient and believe in God will have everlasting life, and even sometimes they make mistakes God will admonish and save them like the third butterfly which hurries to the pantry but meets a closed window closing its way to the dark.
48 The alchemist
A Chinese alchemist tries to find secret of immortality for years. And so after many years he makes experiments constituting various substances in a shadowy pantry. After a while he cries gladly.
-I found the compound of immortality.
Other alchemists armed with lamps hurry to him. The inventor shows the clay plate with the compound to them with zest that brings their lamps closer to the clay plate with interest to see it better. An explosion is heard and the pantry is filled with dense smoke and the pieces of clay plate flying around because the alchemist has invented the gunpowder instead of immortality.
However people try to outstrip God trying to find the immortality by means of science psychology and other ways, it’s all the same as they find a new way of death than immortality in those searches. You mustn’t ignore God who gives us perpetuity searching immortality out of immortality.
49 Why doesn’t God Help?
A man hurried to his working place in the morning. It was pelting with rain all the night and crossing the street he saw a plash. He looked around and noticed that he could outstrip passing over the hill. Then he decided to jump over the plash but fell into the water and complained why the rain had come and that the weather was not good. Next day he again hurried to his working place and as the previous day it had been pelting with rain making the plash bigger. That time strangers came and stood next to him, looked at the muddy water of the plash then outstripped the road over the hill. But this man decided to jump again and pass the road quickly. He looked at the sky and told himself that God was great and would help him, may it be God’s will. Gathering strength he jumped with hope but again fell into the plash at a same strength. He stood up began to complain of God about creating him, that rain and that cursed plash. Next day he got there walking but as it hadn’t rained the day before the plash had become small enough. That moment another man came and outstripped the place over the hill. The man thought that this time jumping would be easier and there was no need to linger the way. He went back, gathered strength and successfully jumped but again appeared in mud as that part of the road hadn’t dried yet. He complained that God hadn’t helped him. At that moment God said to him from the sky.
-You, man how many times should I pass by you to show to outstrip the way over the hill.
To make conclusions I leave to you…the irrelevant persistence, haste wishes of men, laziness. Very often In life each of us resembles that man in various situations .
50 The thorn as an apologist of justice
The thorn grows in a desert, stands proud and says.
-How unjust is life, no matter how unjust the nature is with me, pour the soil and dust on me and dry water I’ll rise to the sky to acclaim the injustice of the life.
I need neither God nor angels to defend me. Who is clever then let him keep far from my sharp thorns. That time a huge shadow fall into the thorn. The thorn looked up and saw a couple of wide-opened eyes stared at him and lips of camel wry by joy a happy image of desert animal. After a while the camel was chewing the thorn and its sharp justice.
And so are people, who try to ignore God, struggle for peace and injustice without him they are unable to win the prince of darkness.
51 Remission of sins
An Egyptian lost in desert, tired and thirsty gets to a Claus trial complex at noon where the monastic’s are going to pray. The Egyptian admired at seeing a monastic who was praying with zest
continuously declining and rising. He approached and asked for water. The monastic gloomed and angrily said.
-For three days I have been praying and asking for remission of sins from God, now you have come and want to hinder by the help of Satan, haven’t you? The confused Egyptian apologized and fearing approached the other monastic and asked again for water. This monastic stopped praying, stood up, and brought the water gladly. The Egyptian asked.
-Who is standing near the monastic praying with zest, who encouraged him to pray continuously? The monastic smiled and answered.
-It was the Satan that encouraged him to pray continuously for remission of sins.
This fable has an interesting comprehensive plot but I’ll mention the most important. There are Christians who ask for remission of sins from God so as to affirm themselves and apologize as they search for their I not God. And in this case the peace between God and people is distorted. And people have always the same question why it doesn’t come.
But there are Christians who ask for remission from God and try to get rid of sins to have peace with God accepting their sinful nature and God’s endless saving grace. But why are we asking for remission of sins from God? Let’s become the mirror of our souls and understand why we ask for remission of sins.
52 Justice and Retribution
The soldiers took the chained commander who had joined the enemy and rebelled the king; to the crucifixation. But he stood terrified and stunned at seeing the king on the cross. The king was his father who couldn’t refuse the punishment for the sake of justice but because of paternal love to carry the punishment instead of his son.
So is the justice of God and love towards people. God is just and can’t ignore the sins the payment of which is the death. But God is a Love too, and save the man defraying for him. The pay of sin is the death but the grace of God is everlasting life by means of Jesus.
53 The way of glory
They say a soldier sees a dream where Archangel Michael approaches him with divine host and says.
-God saw your belief and faithfulness and wanted give you what you wanted. The soldier quickly answered losing no moment.
-I want the might of God be in me so as I can do effectual things and glorify the name of God in this world like you do so by divine host and might. The archangel Michael answered.
-Very good. The apparition disappears and the soldier stands proudly waiting for the might of God to surprise the world by supernatural and effectual things magnifying the name of God. But he feels a pain in his shoulder and walks declined stared at the ground all the time. He becomes sad and complains to God.
-My God I have asked for might but you gave me weakness, I can neither look at people nor at the sky to admire your glory but only see the ground. So the soldier wandering from country to country, from town to town tries to find any medicine so as to stand proudly magnifying the name of God. And once he meets a fount down the hill, drinks a water and is cured. He joyfully goes the nearest town and sees a widow desperately crying for her dying son. He approaches and gives the water of the fount with a costrel to drink and saves him. And so the soldier tells many sick people about the fount and helps many of them who are thankful of God.
For many people the glory is what raise them and deserve respect by their success, but the glory of God is not the rising himself by his almightiness but giving his love and patience to people.
54 The faithless mole
The belief or faithlessness of many people like a mole which is like the other ones is blind. The mole digging the ground comes out and stands proudly, stares at the sky and sun. The rays of the sun fall on the mole and warms its frozen skin. Feeling good from sunshine the mole said.
-They say there is a sun, where is that sun? Show me it. That time the eagle fling in the sky hears ,comes to the mole and answers.
-How can you see the sun if you are blind, but you feel and enjoy the warmness of the sun but you still don’t believe. So, if your eyes are opened and want to look straight at the sun you’ll close your eyes and can’t look at the sun.
55 Trial or mischance?
A believer peasant had gardens. Each year he imparted from the income of the harvest for the church. Once in a hot sunny day when he was going to his garden, a Satan by merchant’s appearance sat under the tree with a jug of cold water in his hand. He said loudly to the peasant.
-You’ll be thirsty in this hot weather ,I am selling cold water of mountains, but from you I don’t take money, where else does the humanity stay? Take and drink. He gave the jug and went. The gardener said.
-Thank you, you are so kind and consecrated .That evening the peasant got ill as he had drunk the whole cold water. In a few days after recovering he again went to cultivate his gardens. He made up his mind not to drink any cold beverage whoever offered. At the same place he met the merchant drinking buttermilk with his shepherd friends. He joined them. The merchant gave him a cup of buttermilk and said.
-It’s very hot today, I hope you’ll bless me again and will be thankful to me with your friends; I give you buttermilk for nothing. The gardener drunk a bit and felt that it’s very cold. The Satan said.
-Drink this time too, you are already well. The peasant surprised where he knew how he felt but recovering by his words he drunk and got ill next day and the gardens were left ragged. And the Satan sitting under the same tree waited for the peasant to come again.
You must be alert and awake in mind not to meet such mischances. Such trials are mainly happens in Big Fast..
56 The shepherd and his pray
A shepherd had three sheep. When he was in the pasture, lied on the grass and fall asleep. When he woke up, he saw that had lost two of his sheep and began to pray so as to find the sheep but his pray never had answer, he searched but didn’t find the sheep. He came back where she had slept. The shepherd began to complain of God that he didn’t help him, and at that very moment he noticed the traces on the ground which were the traces of wolf. He walked on those traces and not far away he saw three wolves sleeping and near them were the bones of the sheep. The shepherd thanked to God that he had stayed alive and left that place carefully.
Sometimes God doesn’t realize our prays for saving us from the clutches of Satan which suddenly assails like the wolves to destroy us. Sometimes God sacrifices for us and for our safety the things seemed very important for us.
57 Extreme doesn’t bring good
There was a believer who loved help people extremely and his being benefactor was out of extreme. One day the Satan decided to put him in trial. On Sunday when he was going to saint liturgy, The Satan was changed and came to him as an old woman asking for money. He gave her money, the old woman gave glory to God and the man went. The Satan went and returned this time by the old man’s appearance and again asked for money. The man gave him money without a thought and went his way, the old man thanked to God. When he got to carriage and wanted to sit so as to go to church The Satan appeared like a tattered child and asked for money. The man gave the money and sat into the carriage. The coachmen asked if he had money to pay him as he saw how he had given it to all those men. The man put his hand into his pocket and saw that there was no money left. The Satan appeared as a rich man and ordered a carriage. The coachman told the man that couldn’t take him as he had no money and left the rich one. Perplexed he came down from the carriage and the rich man who was the Satan sat and gave all the money, received from the benefactor, to the coachman and said.
-Hurry up to the church; I have much to do there. And the man went on foot hoping to get to the saint liturgy and warn the believers of the church that the Satan had come there to distract them from the spiritual intercourse.
58 Faith
An Italian sculptor pensively was spinning around a huge stone. A priest approached him and asked what had happened. The sculptor said.
-I believe in god by all my heart and remember that it’s said in Bible that if you have a faith by size of mustard you can turn down mountains. And now I want this stone to transfer to my workshop and make a magnificent statue of Abraham, but the stone doesn’t even move. The priest answered.
-You don`t have to move stones thanks to your faith, but to have a grate faith like Abraham has at God. But do you completely trust and believe in Jesus even if you can’t move mountains?
God wants us to have belief not for moving mountains but to believe in him.
59 Did you look for me?
There was a famous hermit named Ambrosias. His fame and deeds were spread everywhere. There was a fellow wanted to become his pupil, Know more about God and to devote himself to spiritual life. Once he met an old man who told him.
-If you want to know more about God, then look for the hermit Ambrosias, he will tell you all the commandment of God. The fellow looked for and found the famous saint and said.
-St Father, since childhood I’ve looked for God, wanted to know him well, know all his ways and trails and follow him. Please, take me as your pupil. The hermit looked at the fellow, smiled and said.
-Can you leave the world and follow me?
-Yes, I can,-answered the fellow. The hermit said,
-Then follow me and listen to what I’ll tell you about God and how you have to live the spiritual life. And they walked speaking. A nice carriage yoked by white horses came and stood in front of them. The bishop of the town dressed by golden clothes came out of the carriage and greeting the hermit with respect said.
-Sent Father, I know you have a grace from God and many deserving pupils. I need an assistant, send one of your pupils as an assistant. The fellow seeing the beautiful carriage, luxurious horses and the bishop’s golden clothes, asked.
-Saint Father since childhood I have dreamt to serve God and know his ways and trails, take me as an assistant for you. The bishop looked at the hermit who gave approval by the movement of his head. The fellow joyfully sat into the carriage and they left. Then looked back and saw an old man walking with the hermit. The old man stopped and turned. It was the old man who advised the fellow to find the hermit and become his pupil. Then the old man was changed and he saw Jesus in shining light. Jesus asked.
-Did you really look for me? The fellow answered.
-My God, you know I have always looked for you, as spiritually I’ve always wanted to be next to you and know you better. Jesus answered.
-If you were spiritual you will recognize my speech, you will hear my voice, call and invitation and will follow me, but you chose the world and its passing glory. Jesus turned and went with the hermit. The fellow made out his mistake, stopped the carriage, came out of it and hurried to him.
60 A big and kind purpose
A young monastic sitting on the hill looked at the sky. Another monastic came to him and said.
-Brother, it’s time for worship, let’s go to the church, help us to worship. The young monastic answered.
-I have a big and kind purpose, I am waiting for the moment when I will become a bishop and will act and serve for the glory of God so much than no one can do. At noon another monastic came to him and asked.
-What are you doing on this hill? Your friends have your need, you must help them. The young fellow answered.
– When the superior returns and gives me the promised ability and grace I’ll help not only my friend but all of them whom I will meet on my way. In the evening the young monastic hearing that the monastic would return in seven days became very sad, turned back and saw Jesus in the yard of the church watering the wilted flowers with a pail. Jesus asked him.
-Why have you stayed here alone? First of all come down from that hill, then help to water the wilted flowers which had been left to your care, these small flowers are dear to me as much as those high mountains. Your purpose must be acting and serving for your surrounding as much as you can but not sitting on the hill and waiting for that moment, I’ve never wanted to help people for becoming a king, but I’ve served with love and zest not for me but for people.
Very often the purpose which people consider kind and pleasant for God too,
Isn’t deserve God’s will and response, as in that purpose people concentrate only in themselves, not realizing the simple and general services which God expects from us and which can realize and decorate their life with spiritual bless.
61 Anxiety
Each evening a rich official entered a church, prayed and went gloomy and anxious. One day he met a poor man near the church and asked.
-How does it happen that each time after praying you go with peace and joyfully? Will you tell me the secret? The poor man asked.
-But how do you apply to God? The rich man answered.
-I want to undertake a good work. I see that rich people construct high-rise buildings also want to do so, to bring pride to our country. But the means aren’t enough and God doesn’t help me to realize it .The poor man said.
-The secret is when I pray I thank to God for what I have but not complain of anything I haven’t.
62 Apostle
A young monastic, who had got temporal ordination, came out of the abbey’s canteen and saw an old man sitting on the stone not far from the abbey and around him stood three or four men. The young monastic said complacently.
-They are maybe faithless, after dinner it is time to go and preach. Then proudly and slowly came to those men and a crowd of flies followed him as if dancing above his head and dashed with zest towards the young monastic’s face and beard. With this retinue of flies he approached and rhetorically applied to them.
-My dear sons, I, the saint father, the inheritor of apostle, decorated by apostle graces, as a spiritual father persuades you to keep the commandments. The old man said.
-Dear brother, now you are decorated with flies not by graces. First clean your mouth and beard then preach. The fellow got angry and asked.
-Who are you? One of them answered smiling.
-My son. He is Apostle Saint Sargis. Then the phantom disappeared and the astonished fellow took his handkerchief from pocket and cleaned his mouth.
IT is said Gekas gospel<<And they began to quarrel who considered will be big among them. And he said to them, <<The kings dominate their nations, and are called benefactors. But you needn’t be like them, who are bigger among you, let be the younger and the leader let be the waiter. Who is big, the waiter or the one who sits at the table? Of course the one who sits at the table, but I am a waiter among you.
63 The pendulum
A young monastic is passing with an abbot near the playground. The young monastic continuously blames him saying.
-Saint Father I had so many achievements in my spiritual life. I had reached too many acquirements but I was fascinated again, the sin fall me down, and I retreated. The abbot doesn’t answer. He came to the pendulum, sat and began to be tottered thoughtfully staring at the sky. The young monastic smiles in surprise and asked.
-Saint Father have you remembered your childhood? The abbot answered.
-Do you notice the more back I am tottered the more high I raise? The same is in human’s life. If you really accept your sins, repent and regret then the more you retreat back the far you may go. So, don’t be sad, and be glad as you are rising again.
64 The benefactor
A French girl quickly gets off the bus and hurries to the Saint Virgin temple and prays.
-My God I am so happy and thankful to you that I could buy a ticket of bus for an old man. I Look around and see many rich people but they don’t help poor. I wish you could give me the ability and wealth to have a foundation for helping poor people. And I wish I could make bounty glorifying your name all over the world. The angel of God comes and says.
-Jesus heard your pray and in an hour you’ll have the wealth and ability to help poor people. The girl surprised a bit at becoming wealthy so quickly but knowing that there is nothing impossible for God joyfully went. Passed an hour but nothing changed, passed three, four, a day, but she got neither the wealth, nor the abilities. Next day she went again to church and sadly prayed why she hadn’t gotten the wealth to glorify the name of God. The angel of God comes and shows a scene in his right side with a hand and says.
-Don’t be sad and collapsed, you see there are so many hungry and tortured people and houses in Africa, children, mothers, old men, fellows. God gave you the wealth but seeing your heart’s charity, sent that big ability to Africa at once where many people now glorify the name of God for that. So for you it’s enough what you have now, keep on going by bus and glorify the name of God. If your purpose is to glorify the name of God not to show yourself by means of charity then you must be glad as God heard your pray and realized it. The astonished girl answered.
-But I…I wanted that I…..Then silently goes to the bus.
65 The fruit
An old gray man gardener entered his garden and heard a voice of saw cutting wood. He went towards that voice and saw his grandchild cutting his apricot tree with a saw. Seeing the gardener he angrily said.
-You presented me with this tree and said that it would give fruits soon but it hadn’t given any fruit already for two, three months. So it’s better cut it and plant a new one instead of this. The gardener answered.
-My son, stop cutting the tree as it will give fruits in summer, now it’s spring. Don’t you see that the apricot tree has blossomed to give fruits? Why do you hurry? Each fruit has its time. You should reach your aim not by cutting the tree but by patiently and faithfully waiting. That time you’ll both reap the fruits and reach your aim.
66 The passerby
A craftsman was going to and fro by the upland path. A passerby approached him by the same way. The craftsman said.
-I got lost in these places. I’ve heard there are colorful broken stones here but I can’t find. The passerby answered.
-I know the place of those broken stones, come with me, I’ll show you. When they got to the place full of many colorful broken stones, the craftsman said in amazement.
-They are so nice and charming. He took out a big bag and hungrily collected the stones weighing them. The passerby advised him.
-I can help you to choose the best but you needn’t be fascinated so much by those and collect them all. The craftsman answered.
-I am thankful to you and to your advices, I don’t need your help any more, you may go, I found what I wanted. I just fell in love with these stones and will stay here long. And till evening he collected the stones, holy filled the bag and revived only when hearing the roar of wolves. He quickly tied up the bag but failed to take. He noticed the glittering eyes of the wolves, once more tried to take the bag, then left it there and run followed by the wolves. The craftsman looked at the sky and implored.
-My God, help me please, from the wolves, they are already getting to me and will torn me. The voice of God is heard from the sky.
-First I sent a passerby to help you and show you the way but you refused and were fascinated by passing values. Now you are to run and reach the passerby as he has taken care of the wolves and if you reach him he won’t let the wolves to torn and you’ll be saved.
If God’s providence comes and helps people to realize the things which will make them happy, people refuse it, being fascinated by something outward and falling into trials and they are only to run and reach God’s providence.
67 The tool
An old man is digging a hole with a spade in desert for the hope of finding water. He said.
-Will God give me power to end this work? An excavator approaches him the driver of which says.
-I see you are trying hard. I can help you to dig a big hole with my car. The old man raises his head and answers.
-No, it’s dangerous…as it is not like the spade.
68 Charity
In one of the Spanish countries a young artist takes all his pictures to the painter’s square to show his works to everyone. He gives money to a beggar sitting on the pavement and rejoices as the beggar is changed into an angel and joins him. The painter brags.
-I consider myself a Christian, I have realized that I’ve made sins, have always tried to keep the commandments, repent and regret, to lead devout life, be charitable because I know that charity brags in the time of God’s judgment. When they got to the painter’s square, the fellow looked around confused and said.
-But here are gathered those painters whom I don’t like. Here, this one has offended me; I don’t like the other for his nature. The other one has lied to me, that one has done me bad. This one I commonly ignore, the other I don’t understand and so on. Then he is spinning around the square and says to the angel in surprise.
-And all these men have created pictures better than me, and in all I am pictured very strict sometimes even brute. But I am not so, aren’t I? But why do you have a brush in your hand, are you a painter too? The angel answers.
-Do you think being charitable means to make good and share money? Remember what is said in the pray, Our Father, as we forgive those who trespass against us. The real image and state of your soul is expressed in those pictures. God sent me here to find a clean canvas and decorate it with graces of God by this brush but as far you hasn’t forgiven them I can’t paint as they are full of images. The saint soul is looking for clean and white canvases so as to create on them by ineffable graces.
69 The hindrance
At night a Christian was walking along the street under the light of lamps. He saw a huge shadow under the light. He was afraid and said.
-Its ‘a realization of apostle’s prophetic words. It is the shadow of huge beast of revelation book that has come to our world and stood in front of me. If I run it will catch and eat me. My God, has this beast to be appeared in front of me? Why is the life so unjust? But you are my savior, My God. I’ll walk forward with the power of Saint cross. He took the Saint cross and with trembling hands put it closer to his heart and went. Coming closer he noticed that the shadow became bigger and more terrifying. Under the light he saw terrified eyes looking at him, white, beautiful, defenseless contracted hare.
Very often we are damaged not only by the hindrances but how we value and realize the circumstances derived from those hindrances. But actually the hindrances are not so big and terrifying.
70 Is it really God’s will?
The student looked out of the window and thought what to do as he had a high temperature and it was cold rainy weather outside. But his faithless friend agreed to go with him to the church to take part in liturgy. What to do? To accompany his friend and explain the advice of liturgy or not to go? And time passed and it was heard the ring sounds of the church.
-Please, My god show me your will what to do,-the fellow prayed loudly.
-Don’t you hear the ring sounds of the church? Remember the commandment, and love your friend,-a voice was heard and the fellow saw a Satan standing not far away and said in surprise.
-But they say the Satan always intends bad. Then he quickly rang his friend and went out of the house. After a while an ambulance stood next to the church and took the frozen student. The fellow saw Jesus above his head and asked.
-My god, it is written, love your friend and I accompanied him, isn’t it? But why does it happen so? Jesus answered.
-Satan always tells the half-truth. Don’t you remember-Love your friend as you like yourself. You could be recovered and accompany your friend next Sunday, couldn’t you? I didn’t sacrifice you; love your friend as you love yourself.
To understand god’s will before doing a step you need evaluate what will bring that step. If the circumstances and results are good both for you and for others so that is God’s will.
71 The preacher
The beetles are gathered at night, inform all the insects and are united in a glade and one of them announces from high place.
– The truth is in light. Look at the world and its borders, we are surrounded by darkness. It is enough; we must struggle for light, love, justice and equality. Another beetle comes to the orating one and warns.
-Don’t be much animated, end your speech, it’s time to go, and the dawn is coming.
Know people by their deeds, by what they like to do and to say, to promise.
The false teachers and preachers talk about light, justice and morality only in darkness, they don’t talk about light in light as light reveals their deeds and confutes them. So, they live by dark not by light, live in dark but like to orate of light.
72 The peasant and the harvester
A peasant used to enter the church before going to work and thanked to God that could go to God’s temple that day too. The Satan seeing this, rise to the sky and quarrel with the angels why they thought that the man deserved the kingdom of the heaven and said.
-This man that considers himself a Christian, if enters the church sooner than me, I’ll be back to the hell, but if he is late or doesn’t go to the church, I will take him to hell. Then he changed into harvester and joined the peasant on the way and asked.
-Don’t you afraid that one day Satan may desolate you not to go church every day. The Christian rags.
-The Satan is like a fox, when the hunters come, the fox runs to its lair and says to itself that it’s not a good weather for hunting. The eyes of the angel of darkness glittered with malice and said.
-Today the weather is really not good, but you could hardly have come out to catch a fox. Then suddenly deviated from the road, stood near a big hole and cried.
-I have found gold, gold. The peasant came to the hole with interest and asked where the gold was. The harvester pushed him into the hole. He turned and saw the Christian had come out of the hole and was following him. On the way he saw a ball, took it, then tear and fill it with stones and came to the peasant. The man said.
-I made out that you are a Satan. The Satan answered.
-If you hit by this ball so that can’t catch it then I’ll go and leave you alone.
The Christian said.
-I didn’t think you could offer so easy thing to do. I’ll hit the ball with my belief so strong that you can’t see where it flies .But hitting the ball strongly he harmed his foot and fall down and the ball remained fixed. The harvester joyfully looked at the sky but the angels calmly were following all these. The harvester hurried to the church. Going a bit he turned and got furious as saw that the peasant had found a wood as a prop and by limping quickly followed him. A strong wind rose and threw the peasant out to the other side. Then three peasants approached by the cart laded with grass. The Satan looked at the sky again seeing that the angels were looking down very calmly, then said displeased.
-I don’t like the calmness of the angels; they have meditated something to bring him to the church sooner me. Seeing Satan the peasants left the cart and run away. The Satan sat at the teamster’s place and lacing the horse fled to the church at a high speed. He got off the cart, proudly walked around the church, came to the door, looked in and stood taken aback; the peasant was praying and thanked to God for learning to lean and pray gently and for bringing him there in time by that cart.
There is no evil without good. People can overcome many trials by spiritual persistence and learning prudence. But Satan has one vulnerable touch; its pride and it makes him always loose.
73 Mall and nails
A hewer angrily fixes big nails by the strong slaps of the mall on the log blaming one and all people in something. A man slowly comes to him and says.
-You feel how the nails groove and enter in it, don’t you? When the sharpest nails sunk in my hand and feet in that way, I didn’t blame anyone, but the more they get in, the more unvindictively I forgave you.
So, don’t detract and blame people, don’t make a sin, as I’ve already paid the price of mall and nails for you to have life, as remission and God’s love are endless.
74 To punish beforehand
A strict father, when his sons made a roughhouse, punished by making them take water from the mill by pricked bucket to water their small garden which was far enough. His sons were going and coming so much that till evening they could have done the strict father’s order. One day one of his sons entered their neighbor’s garden, picked up red, tasty apples and came out. Father saw and made him to carry water by the pricked buckets for the garden. He made his elder son do the same too. The elder son repined and said.
-Father, I have already atoned my sins and I am sinless now, haven’t I? Why should I be punished? As I haven’t made a sin, it’s my brother who had entered the neighbor’s garden. The father answered.
-I punish you beforehand as an atonement for that deed, as I know when your brother begins to carry water while I am not here you will go and pick up the apples too. You had better help your brother for so as not to have time to do that.
God is just, and justice demands compensation. Sometimes God may admonish people for the deeds they have not done as he sees the future and save people that way from the compensation in time of Dreadful Judgment. That’s why the whole people were punished together with Adam and Eva ,as each man becomes Adam and Eva in one of the episodes of life picking the forbidden fruit. God admonishes those whom he loves.
75 Alone in this world
One says.
-Life is so sad and gloomy. Nothing comes, I see neither light nor the beauty of life and nature .No one value me like I deserve. I am in silence, far from the sinful world for so long, but I don’t hear the voice of God. An echoing voice is heard.
-Brother helix, come out of your case. You have hidden in your case and yet complain of not seeing light nature and beauty of life. The helix recedes deeper in his case so as not to hear the voice. Then looks around and says.
-Life is so sad. Am I alone in this world?
When you are confining in you making it your life and world, when you are closed in your soul with excessive prudence and timidity ,continuously look at you and wait to hear the voice Of God, how can you listen to God’s voice when fascinated by yourself.
76 The letter
The judge came out of the church and saw an angel also coming out of the church with a bag of letters and asked him.
-Angel of God, What letters are those? The angel answers.
-I take people’s petitions to God so as to answer them tomorrow. If want, you can also write a letter to God I’ll
give you the answer just tomorrow. The judge said.
– Though I come to church and pray more God doesn’t answer. At last came the day I could get an answer. Then he took a paper and pen, wrote a letter animatedly and gave it to the angel. Next day the angel came and gave the answer to the man who opened it joyfully and with great expectations but saw a clean paper inside and said discontented.
-There is no answer here, only a white clean paper. Again God didn’t answer me. The angel asked.
-But what had you written to God? The judge answered.
-I have written that my neighbor has two horses, I have one, he has a donkey, and I haven’t any. I had asked God to give me an Arabian horse. Yesterday on my way to the church I saw a man who had a nice ring with diamond but mine is simple. I have asked God to have a ring like that, not more, I don’t want more. But the most important is that my work is not much, I judge people less than my friends. The angel didn’t let him go on speaking and said.
-God had always answered to you; you just simply didn’t want to hear, because you wanted to hear the answer you wanted. This clean, white paper is the answer which shows that God wants you to be clean and just like the paper.
77 Borders
From the barrel, which was in the center of extensive field full of motley flowers, were heard cries for help.
-Help, help God father, I can’t bear it any more, help me, my soul is stifling by the mischances of life. A knocking was heard and a voice,
-Why have you entered the barrel? Everything is limited in borders, patience, and will, ambition to struggle and reach the aim. Come out of this barrel, look at life with spiritual eyes and divine love, and your heart won’t be filled with flow of misfortunes like a water in cup that poured out after filling but in immensity it has no place to be filled and poured out as goes aspiring. The man was afraid and slowly
put out his head from the barrel saw Jesus the endless horizon and flowers of the field and smiled.
78 Fidelity
The king with his small amount of soldiers stood in fighting line waited for the enemy’s mounted detachment approaching them at a huge speed. He said to the soldier at his right.
-It’s creditable you wanted to serve me and fight in this battle. I remember each time when we entered our own by victorious march you assured me that you would serve me in every situation; you demanded new abilities and expectation. Now, remembering your faithfulness I assure you to protect me, but we are leaving. The soldier said confused.
-But how can I fight with the whole detachment? The king said.
-Don’t you trust me? Then he went with his soldiers leaving him alone there. The man looked at the coming detachment well-armed which might surround him soon. He began to suspect about the king’s words towards him and left the place, came to the king who said.
-Look overhead, all my bowmen more than the enemy stood on the trees and the hills. The enemy couldn’t even approach you, but you hesitated and didn’t trust me, then how do you wait expectations and new abilities for me when you don’t believe in me.
Are we more faithful in God or do we only want and complain more?
79 The coat
A fisherman came from the northern nail to the southern continent, stood under the sunshine in a coat and said.
-My God, It’s hot already, I am suffering from fever and glow, and I can’t put off my coat, please help. A sailor was passing near, heard his words and advised.
-What a strange man you are? Put off your coat, it’s summer, isn’t it? And you won’t suffer from glow. The northerner fisherman hearing him tied the belt of his coat and answered in a bit angry way.
-Don’t disturb, as I am waiting for god’s help to be free from this glow. I like my coat very, very much and will never put it off. If I stay without it, maybe I catch a cold.
Very often we resemble the man with coat, when we don’t want to get rid of our useless desires, that torture us, thoughts, sins, but we wait for God to set us free from these things we don’t want to depart from, and sometimes we are so much involved in those things that we are afraid of losing them.
80 The water
A man looking for jewel that had found a big diamond was wandering in a desert and said loudly.
-At last my dream came true and I found this expensive stone but my God I want water, drinking water. An Arab approached him gave him a big cup of cold water and said.
-We were passing here by caravan and I heard your voice. Here, take and drink. The treasure-seeker hungrily drunk the half of the water, the other part poured to the sand burnt by the sun and said.
-I’ve asked water from God but not so much. I wish he would give me more gold and diamond. The Arab surprised at the scene took his vacant cup and went. After a while he felt that was thirsty again and implored.
-My God, I made a great mistake by pouring the water and not valuing your help because of my material desires. Please, help me once more .He noticed a caravan far away, and joyfully hurried there and saw the armed people and The Arab who had brought water and said.
-Brother give me water again, please, otherwise I’ll die
in this desert. Arab answers.
-In these places water is more expensive than any expensive jewel or gold. This time pay for the water. The treasure-seeker put off the gold from his pocket and changed it for a cup of water.
Very often God keeps silence and realize people’s desires, as what God wants to give, people is not ready to value spiritually and lose it.
81 I can’t any more
A man approached to a highest top of the mountain near the sea at a rapid speed and said.
-I can’t anymore; I can’t live any more under the burden of sins and of so many mischances. On the top of the cliff he saw Jesus throwing small stones into the sea. The man asked with interest.
-Before I throw myself into the sea I’d like to know why you are throwing stones into the water. Jesus answered.
-I want to fill the sea with stones to make it equal to the cliff so as you couldn’t throw yourself there. The man said.
-But God, you are almighty and the giver of wisdom, you can dry the sea in a minute, and make it equal to the cliff, but in this way you can’t do it even in thousand years .Jesus answered.
-And so God’s love, charity, lenity are so endless that your sins can’t cover my forgiveness and unlimited salvation which will always help and give you life. The man lowered his head and went silently.
82 The dwarf
They say a man had a clinical death and appeared in a big and light square of a town full of dwarfs. He noticed an angel of God and asked.
-Where am I, and who are these dwarfs? The angel answered.
-You are in a divine world, and these dwarfs are the man who has remained infant in their spiritual nature in mundane life and hadn’t reached to the age of spiritual mature. The man saw that a huge amount of dwarfs were gathered near the high pedestal on which there were keys, and tried to jump and take the keys but they failed. The man asked the angel again.
-What keys are those that the dwarfs can’t take? The angel answered.
-Those are the keys of the doors of kingdom of Heaven, the dwarfs jump so as to take those keys to enter the kingdom of Heaven .Complacent and confident the man came to the pedestal, noticed that it was high enough. He jumped but couldn’t reach the key, jumped again, but failed. He looked around in surprise, looked at the dwarfs one of which said.
-Why are you surprised? Do you think you can jump better than I with your elfin height? It’s already two thousand years that I jump, but can’t reach the key, so you won’t be able to take the key by your one, two steps, by all means.
But do we try to have spiritual high age or are we satisfied only being Christians? Each Christian must seek for not staying spiritually dwarf and not be ashamed in front of the doors of the kingdom of heaven.
83 Ask and Answer
A doctor was very sad and was praying in his room. He said.
-Help me, please, my God, I can’t do my children’s asks for three days because of money. That time another man entered a room sad but a bit surprised. The doctor asked.
-Why are you surprised? The man answered.
-I smoked and had alcohol too much. I asked God to give me strength, will, supernatural grace not to smoke or smoke less. But instead I got ill and weakened. Although this illness fortified and gave me neither will I could neither smoke nor drink to the bottom of my heart. Now I came so as you cured me from this illness. The doctor smiled and said.
-God’s deeds and plans are the best….
84 The secret of success
A ceramist complaining of his life came to the farrier and asked.
-Each of us is perfect in his job, but what is your secret of success; you have many buyers, but I haven’t? The farrier answered.
-When I make something and it doesn’t look well, I take the iron, incandesce it, make my mistake by many strokes of mall or make another thing from that iron. But when the clay fall out of your hands or the thing made by you didn’t go well, you throw it away and take a new clay and when that plate or jug isn’t made well you broke it and try to make a new one. That’s why you have very few goods, hence you have few buyers.
One of the spiritual meanings of the fable is that,
When one makes a sin, Satan shows the sin and the grade of that sin not pleasant for God. He reveals the truth but never tell the truth wholly in this way showing men that they don’t deserve the presence of God but inevitably deserve death and punishment. He does everything to bring men to desolation even to suicide… This way resembles the mode of ceramist. When one makes a sin Saint Angel shows the sin and the grade of that sin which is not pleasant to God, he comes to this question in different ways depending on the state of men. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth wholly showing the man’s sin at the same time showing the way of salvation through Jesus… He tends to bring people to Jesus, God’s love. And often when people are mistaken, God takes their mistakes and renew their spiritual nature or corrects those mistakes in various ways. And this way resembles the farrier’s mode of the fable. So this is how we can differentiate the spiritual edification of our souls, are the commandments God’s voice or the voice of Satan?
85 Victory
A small mouse runs to the tiger and looked
horrified at the hawk which followed him not daring approach the mouse. Feeling safe near the tiger the mouse said.
-Nature has made a mistake. If I was called tiger the hawk wouldn’t raid on me and success would always attend me.
The tiger answered.
-To win in hunting I failed more than ten times and succeed once, but never disappoint or run away after first loss as you run now. So you must be changed and win instead of being called tiger.
The real victory is when irrespective of everything you stay after falling and goes towards the aim showed by God.
86 Perfection
A son of gardener sitting under the apple-tree reads a Gospel and reaches the lines where it is written to be ideal like your Heavenly Father…A red apple falls from the see. The fellow takes it and put it in the box. Then looks at the tree and decides to pick up all the ripe fruits. Successfully he fills several boxes with apples and says.
-My God, I am contented you lightened me, showing the way of perfection. I’ll try to pick all the fruits quickly, and till sunset finish all the work. He begins to fill the boxes with apples quickly paying attention to the sun’s movement from time to time.
A demon notices the man’s haste, gets on the tree and moves the branches. The ripe fruits fall like a rain. The son of the gardener collects all the apples from the ground with zest and takes breath in amazement looking at the result of his work. The demon mainly moves the other branches quickly, instantly passes to the other tree, moves the branches here too, and all the trees covering the garden with fruits. The fellow, tired and breathless, says.
-My God, you have given two hands to me; I can’t pick up all the fruits anymore and finish my work perfectly. A voice is heard from the sky.
-Don’t accept the commandments of the Gospel according to your desires but, simply follow to these commandments. I didn’t tell to do perfect work but to act perfectly like our Heavenly Father and don’t fall in trials.
87 Payment
A count brought young fruit trees from the Far East with him and ordered his two servants to grow them in his garden. One of them made his job more carefully, patiently. When the count entered the garden with his guests he saw beautiful and rank trees on which the name and surname of the servant were attached with big letters. The trees, grew up by the other servant, were small and unsightly. But the count paid that one more than the first one who said angrily.
-Dear count, don’t you see what noble trees I have cultivated and you paid me unjust. The count answered.
-You have already paid yourself, and even picking up the fruits and entertaining them you wrote your name on them, so my payment is much for those who let me tell his name at my guests.
Let God pay and raise you and May your treasures be in the sky.
88 The money
The boot maker looked at the waves of billowy sea from the highest cliff and said in desire.
-Will God give me enough money so as I don’t patch these old shoes anymore? If he realizes my dream I promise to do everything God wants. After a while Jesus with a big bag on his shoulder came to him and said.
-Here, I brought what you have asked. He put the bag on the ground and the boot maker saw the bag full of glittering money and said happily and with gratitude.
-My God, I am ready to do what you say, just tell me. Jesus answered.
-I have a small petition …The boot maker said smiling.
-Only that much? I am ready to do more…Jesus said again.
-I have a small petition, take this bag of money and throw it away
from the cliff into the sea. The boot maker was surprised, having no answer first, then said hesitating and sad,
-But how?? The whole?? Jesus answered.
-Why are you sad? You were happy for getting that bag of money more than seeing me .Now you are sad for being departed from them, but I am with you, aren’t I? The lord of the Heaven and The earth…God wants us not to be dependent from the mundane values, but to be free having Him and His speech in us…
89 The promise
A peasant fellow angry and anxious came down from the mountain, slipped fell down and harmed the foot. He stood up and said.
-I rose and reached to the top of the mountain overcoming dangerous difficulties. Where is the promise of God, the town I want to get? I was told to reach the top of the mountain to see the town, but I see nothing. He heard a voice.
-Go back and keep on rising, when you get to the top of the mountain you’ll see
the town spread on the other side down the mountain. This time the fellow began going up the mountain laming.
Sometimes it seems to people that the things they have planned won’t be realized, and when they are closer to their desires, they retreat as they don’t see it and that time harm themselves, accuse God of not keeping His promise or it is late. But they must go on their road as the promise given by God always comes true, and if it is late, it is only of their use, for the forge of their will, patience, and balance.
90 The gem
A landowner always came to his ragged land, looked at the land unhappily with the dream of finding gem there and went. One day when there he said.
-My God, they say my grandfathers had hidden a gem in this land, but hadn’t told exactly where. If you help me to find it I’ll be thankful to you all my life and will glorify your name. Then he noticed a spade in the tip of the land. He thought God had heard his petition, took the spade with zest and dug huge holes in his land hoping to find gold. Then complains desolated.
-What was the use of this spade when I fagged uselessly? Then being encouraged he dug around several days more and met a box. From happiness he threw the spade away and cleaned the soil on the box with hands .He opened the box with difficulties and found a book there, listed the book and read a passage, [Don’t hoard gems in the earth where it is destroyed by moth and rust, where the robbers impale the doors and steal, but hoard your gems in the Heaven where moth and rust don’t destroy, and where the robbers don’t impale and steal, as your hearts will be there where are your gems].The landowner angry and distressed came out of the hole taking the gospel and said.
-I don’t understand, had my grandfathers kept this book for me? What price can I sell it at now so as to earn money for me and glorify God?
Those who say they look for God but consider material values and wealth as their aim, they won’t accept and live by spiritual truth how much they hear and see about it; their hearts will be there where their gems.
91 The stranger
Searching someone an artist was passing along the streets of a strange town meeting many people going to different sides. He stood near a statue and said.
-I found the one whom I had visualized. Now I can paint him on the
canvas. But as if something lacks. A stranger, walking near the statue and hearing his speech, said.
-This is the statue of Jesus and was constructed by an artist like you, imagining how he would like to see God and life. But you are right, something lacks. It’s the lack of belief, that people really feel presence of God. The artist said.
-What do you know about God, stranger, I am a Christian since childhood and know him better. The stranger answered.
-You are trying to paint me,, you have passed by me many times looking for me and life.
92 The end or the beginning?
A desperate man, walking to and fro on the bridge, spoke.
-I lost everything home, work and family; How can I live, I have neither money nor work. I am throwing myself from this bridge, no one needs me, and there is no meaning in this life. He noticed that a squabby one was also anxiously walking to and fro and asked him.
-Who are you? Do you want to throw yourself or do you hear my speech and were anxious about me? The creature answered.
-You won’t believe if know who I am, you are right I am anxious about you. I have come to advise you. You say who needs you? We need your soul, it’s already two-three hours that I’ve found a boiler, made a violent fire under it, fill it with the best a black pitch but you are still thinking to live or to die. Maybe you will regret if you think like that. The horrified man walked back and said.
-I knew everything would be over but I see that everything begins with that end. Before I had come here I was reading a book where it was said; Look around and you’ll see there is so much meaning in life. Your life has meaning in this world even in that case when those nice and gentle flowers need your care. I’d better go and take care of the field’s flowers than hear you and throw myself from the bridge falling into your boiling plate .The demon said coming forward.
-You believe neither God nor Satan, don’t you? All what I have told you are tales, throw yourself, I will help you, I don’t exist, do I? Let me throw you and everything will end and you’ll see your end. The man answered quickly leaving the place.
-You exist or not, I don’t know, but I know for sure that if there is will there is life and way too, and each man must long to live and survive.
93 The Christian and his phantom
A Christian saw a phantom where he was in a field of wheat where the darnel was much more than the wheat and an angel put out the darnel from the field. The Christian asked.
-How can you put off all these darnels by hand? The angel answered.
-Man’s brain is like this field where there are both wheat and darnel and as so much darnel had grown in your brain since morning I came to put them out for your field to be clean. The Christian said.
-But I keep all the commandments; I don’t commit adultery , don’t steal and kill. The angel answered.
-Many Christians don’t make such things, but they are active in small ones, more they discuss other’s deeds, attaint them loudly or silently.
94 The amulet
Two men one of which with a fishhook sitting on the shore the other with the boat and fishing network were fishing in the river full of fish. The latter one said bitterly.
-I have an amulet, have a boat and fishing network, but as always I am not successful. I have not the fate to catch even one fish, but you catch many fish with your fishhook in a short time. The other one answered.
-You have come here with the hope of catching big fishes bringing with yourself a network only for big fishes, but in this river the fishes are very small, which flowed away from the holes of your network. The amulet can’t catch a fish to help you. You must value the situation correctly but not being led by inanimate object.
95 The glaive of Samurai
A Samurai gave a power to his son to start a job. He went and beat the servants. Then returned and complained that the servants beat him with wood and gave pain each time .And waited to get the promised glaive, but his father refused to give and said.
-I gave you power and ability but you used it malice and tortured my people. So if I give you the glaive will you do good or more evil things? And pain and suffering may teach wisdom and truth till I give you the glaive. So God doesn’t give much graces and abilities as people use them evilly.
96 The cup
The teacher and his pupil were walking along the shore of the sea. The pupil asked.
-Teacher, you told me that we’ll be given the things we asked. Then why didn’t God realize my wishes. The teacher put out a small cup of his bag and said. – I want you pour the whole sea in this cup. The pupil answered.
-Impossible, meaningless desire. The teacher answered.
-If it’s impossible to put the limited sea in the cup, why do you want to limit God’s will in realizing your small desires? Try to think spiritually and you’ll reveal divine advises.
97 From life to life
Two soldiers near the closed gates in the castle strongly refuse the teacher’s words about the life after death. The teacher asked.
-Do you see the thick walls of the castle? What is beyond those walls? The soldiers answered that they saw the impregnable walls of the castle but nothing beyond. The teacher said.
-You know yourself very well that beyond this castle there is another one too, there are also other towns villages, but you can’t penetrate out of these walls by sight and see more. You see and feel according to your abilities. But irrespective of what you see and hear, there are other towns and villages too. And so is your brain, when you stop on something forbidden or a wall, beyond it you see and understand nothing. So, you will understand what I have told when you open the gates of your heart penetrating into the immensity of horizon.
98 Everything
The ant was sailing with a green leaf looking at boundless water and said anxiously.
-I am weak and seek and have no abilities, If I were strong and healthy I would realize so much ,,everything was left undone, and life time is not enough otherwise I would navigate towards the far lands by this endless sea. And so the ant sailed in a small lake meditating about his works left undone.
Our deeds small or big are always small for God, it’s important for God how we do our work and mission. And weakness and difficulties teach us patience, experience and spiritual self-control.
99 The choice
The tailor looking for happiness found an expensive ring with royal seal and was exceedingly happy. Not far away he saw a group of people earning money by raffling ivories and foreseeing its correct numbers. One of them got much wager. The tailor decided to participate and put the expensive ring into that game hoping to get much money. A man of nobleman’s clothes told him.
-I see you are a stranger but I’ll accept you as a friend because of your royal ring. I advise you not to enter into this game; you will lose your ring and all your money. Now you have to choose; to play or leave here with me. The tailor looked at the people animated by the game and joined them. Then he failed the game losing the ring and all his money. Then turned to the man who had advised him not to play and complained.
-You called me a friend but you didn’t say me good luck for the game and hadn’t been optimist in my choice. So, you are not friend, you are my enemy. The nobleman answered.
-I am the king of this country the owner of the ring you found. And the successful man of the game is my magician who dexterously fools and wins people. Now am I your enemy or friend?
When it’s relevant but you don’t choose it means you lose, when it’s not relevant and you choose you lose again. Very often people ignore God’s advises and commandments following their desires considering them as friends.
100 Why doesn’t it come out?
A girl entered the church with a new bowl and told the priest.
-My priest I got present a nice decorative flower. I carefully looked after it, watered but in a few days it got wilted. I have changed the bowls, bought new ones; big small expensive and designed ones but it’s all the same. I prayed a lot but useless, now I don’t know what to do, the flower is getting wilted and dry. The priest answered.
-Since you haven’t changed the soil of the flower, those expensive and designed bowls and your care won’t help the flower.
Many Christians want to be close to God by their belief, to hear His answers but in vain; as they stay not in plot but in the form of belief and in external appearances. Since people don’t change the negative desires and negative features of their nature they won’t be able to hear God’s answers in many cases.
Spiritual Parables by Hovhannes Manukyan
The link: The book of parables in Armenian
E-mail: nplatform2020@gmail.com