A young faithless man always said he didn`t believe in miracles. But one day walking on the street he met a man who strolling slowly stopped at every step and looking on the right and on the left he ceaselessly exclaimed:
`Oh, God, what a miracle. What miracles I`ve seen!
`Excuse me, the faithless man said, what are you looking at and why do you marvel so much?
`What I am looking at ? At this wonderful flower. At the tree from there and look at the clouds how nice they are.
`What`s wrong with you, man, the faithless man said, didn`t you see flowers or trees until now? Haven`t you ever looked until now at the skies to see the clouds and the flying birds?`
`No`, answered the man. You see until today I was blind from birth but one week ago my family took me to a famous doctor who made me a surgery and took care of me with a great love. This very morning he took out my bandages and after he saw that I am completely healed allowed me to leave.`
`Since I left the hospital I have been wandering on the streets and I can`t get enough of admiring so many beautiful things, so many wonders. You may be seeing every day the flowers, trees, the people around you don`t realize how wonderful is this world, how amazing. But I see it for the first time and believe me I have never imagined something so beautiful. I am grateful to God for all these beautiful things He created and for the fact that He helped me to be finally able to enjoy them. But as we met tell me where I can find a church as I want to light a candle and thank the Lord for the miracle He made with me.
Impressed by the words of the man the faithless man accompanied him to a small church nearby. They entered together and lit candles and began to pray in a whisper before an icon.
In his heart the man who had been faithless until then understood that it was not the world to be blamed but him. All things were full of beauty, all were wonders but he didn`t know to see them. He passed near them without noticing them.
What other miracle is more beautiful than an opening flower offering its perfume? Can anyone show me a greater miracle than the love and devotion of a mother for her child? Is it anyone so cruel not to feel love, the miracle of miracles?
You don`t need to see the real miracles, but to feel them. In any Christian happens a miracle when he approaching the others with love feels he is approaching God.
`Holiness comes from love. All those who believe and love are Saints indeed. `(Saint John Chrysostom)
Excerpt from The most beautiful Orthodox Christian parables and stories- Leon Magdan, Aramis Publishing – Romanian Patriarchy.
