In this video recording, Elder Nikon of Mount Athos recounts a miracle of twins with a couple that couldn’t have children. Elder Ephraim of Arizona crossed her belly twice and next year they had twins.
Video source: Elder Nikon – Mount Athos, 2020
Elder Nikon:
There’s a married couple. The man is a doctor, indifferent, no relationship with the Church. His wife is very pious. They had been married for twelve, thirteen years but had no child. The doctor knows he can’t have children. He’s the one who has the problem, not his wife. As he’s a doctor he knows things [meaning relevant medical stuff].
His wife was in tears: “Let’s go to Father Ephraim of Arizona… Let’s go to Father Ephraim of Arizona…”
And I didn’t ask whether he knew the father or just heard it from his wife then.
He… couldn’t care less about any saint, be it Paisios or Ephraim, but he loved and still does his wife very much, these people [I am talking about] are alive.
“Ok, Let’s go!” So, they took the plane, the flight lasted for hours, America is vast.
They went to Arizona: “We want to see Ephraim!” The Elder accepted them. As they went in the woman started to cry. The man was sitting beside her waiting to get over with it and leave. He couldn’t care less.
“I want to have a child, we don’t have a child!” Ephraim smiled.
And she said: He [Fr. Ephraim] crossed her belly and said: “My child, do not be sad. Next year you’ll be here again with a child!”
What could the woman say to that? They half-believed it. They got up to leave.
He stopped them again at the door: “Look”, he said. They both turned. “Do you know how hard it is for a child to grow up as an only child? Do you know how selfish he can get? He gets accustomed to being the center of attention and everybody runs and gives him whatever he wants and he’ll have a hard time in life. Do you know how much better off he will be with a sibling? He learns to have patience, because he will need this while playing. He learns to share and be giving.
So why have one child only? Isn’t it better to have two?”
What could the woman say? “It’s better” she said.
He crossed her belly a second time. “Next year you’ll come back here with two children!”
Attention!
Our faith can’t be understood with our logic.
We live these things and we know that they are true.
Christianity is life.
It isn’t only the fact that this woman had twins, but that the doctor, himself, who saw the miracle couldn’t accept it. Our logic expels Christianity. Our logic cannot accept faith.
In spite of having experienced this himself he couldn’t accept it.
You, the people, who are now listening to me might say: “This priest is telling us nice stories, what a great way to pass our time.”
And you may question this: “How can you know that what I’m telling you is true?” You cannot know. I, myself, upon hearing this might say: “How do I know that things are so? Was I there to witness it?”
And I may question this.
But can the one who sees two young men in front of him now say: “I haven’t had children in my life?”
This is our faith.
And this is why: “We bow down before Your Cross O Christ and honor Your Holy Resurrection.”
I wish we all enjoy our Lent in good health to the end and celebrate the Resurrection all together here and there in Paradise!
Your prayers! Your blessings!
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