Saint Ephraim of Katounakia once said:
There is an Eldress, whose name I will not mention. She suffers from cancer, surgeries, this and that, and still while in prayer she saw the Panagia on her throne.
"Move forward you who are venerables," she said. So all the venerables moved to the front of the parade, where the Panagia was.
"Move forward you who are the great martyrs," she said.
Meanwhile the Eldress, who was an Abbess, just stood by.
When all was said and done, she went forward, prostrated herself before the Panagia, and kissed her hand, which was like velvet!
And the Panagia said to her:
"Patience, patience, patience," then she woke up.
In other words, if you want to be a disciple of Christ, you also will climb up to the Cross.
No Saint ever asked from God to be delivered.
Instead they asked to be granted patience.
If you are patient then you will have a small reward, but if you are delivered you will have nothing, you will have no reward.
There is an Eldress, whose name I will not mention. She suffers from cancer, surgeries, this and that, and still while in prayer she saw the Panagia on her throne.
"Move forward you who are venerables," she said. So all the venerables moved to the front of the parade, where the Panagia was.
"Move forward you who are the great martyrs," she said.
Meanwhile the Eldress, who was an Abbess, just stood by.
When all was said and done, she went forward, prostrated herself before the Panagia, and kissed her hand, which was like velvet!
And the Panagia said to her:
"Patience, patience, patience," then she woke up.
In other words, if you want to be a disciple of Christ, you also will climb up to the Cross.
No Saint ever asked from God to be delivered.
Instead they asked to be granted patience.
If you are patient then you will have a small reward, but if you are delivered you will have nothing, you will have no reward.
Source: From the book Γέροντας Εφραίμ Κατουνακιώτης, published in Mount Athos. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
