God-given powers to saints do not diminish in time

 

The saints are alive and their God-given power does not diminish in time. St.Ioanicius of Devič works miracles today, even as he did during his life on earth some five-hundred years ago. A certain man Miloš from Hercegovina prepared to travel to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage to the holy shrines. As he was about to depart on his way, St.Ioanicius  appeared to him in a dream and told him not to go to Jerusalem. "Rather than go to Jerusalem, it would be better for you to go to Devič," explained the saint, "and there, to restore my church and put it in order." Miloš obeyed the saint and went to the neglected Devič, cleaned it, put it in order, and made it possible to sing praises to God there again. Miloš became a monk there and remained until the end of his life. During the First World War and the Austrian occupation, a Hungarian officer with a detachment of soldiers came to Devič. The officer ushered abbot Damaskinos of the monastery, before the reliquary of St.Ioanicius  and asked him what was under the slab? " A Holy things," replied the abbot. "What kind of holy things?" the officer laughed. "You have something hidden under there." He then ordered the soldiers to strike the slab with pickaxes and overturn it. While this was being done, the officer was seized with pain in his abdomen. He lay down in bed and, before evening of the same day, died. The frightened soldiers left their work undone and fled the monastery.

from Prologue Of St.Nicholai of Ohrid

A bird lives in the forest, yet does not see the forest

PRAYER VII

Would that I could make musicians from stone, dan­cers from the sand of the lake, and minstrels from the leaves of all the trees in the mountains, so that they might help me glorify the Lord—that the voice of the earth might be heard amidst the choirs of angels!

 

The sons of men gorge themselves at the table of the absent Master, singing for no one but themselves and about nothing save that which fills their mouths, which must in time return to the earth.

 

Exceedingly sad is the blindness of the sons of men, who do not see the power and glory of the Lord. A bird lives in the forest, yet does not see the forest. A fish swims in the water, yet does not see the water. A mole lives in the earth, yet does not see the earth. In truth, the likeness of man to birds, fish, and moles is exceedingly sad.

 

Humans, like animals, do not heed what exists in excessive abundance, but open their eyes only before that which is rare or exceptional.

 

Of Thee, O Lord, my breath, there is excess; therefore, men do not see Thee. Thou art too obvious, O Lord, my sighing; therefore, the attention of men is diverted from Thee and directed towards polar bears, towards rarities in the distance.

 

Thou servest Thy servants too greatly, my sweet faithfulness; therefore, Thou art subjected to scorn. Thou rises' to kindle the sun over the lake too early; therefore, the sleepyheads cannot bear Thee. Thou are too zealous in lighting the vigil lamps in the firmament at night, my unsurpassed zeal; and the lazy hearts of men speak more of the indolent servant than to one zealous.

 

O my love, would that I could motivate all the inhabitants of the earth, water, and air to hum a hymn to Thee! Would that I could remove leprosy from the face of the earth and turn this wanton world back into the virginal purity that Thou didst create!

 

Truly, my God, Thou art just as great with or without the world.

 

Thou art equally great, whether the world glorifies Thee or whether the world blasphemes Thee. But when the world blas­phemes Thee, in the eyes of the Saints Thou seemest even greater.

 

 

 "Prayers by the Lake"

St. Nikolai of Ohrid