Archpriest Andrew Lemeshonok, the spiritual
father of St. Elisabeth Convent answers various questions of the parishioners.
How should I interpret the words from the
Prayers for the Holy Eucharist,“first of all make peace with those who wronged
you?”
I think
it means not to bear grudges against that person and forgive him. That’s it. If
your heart is at peace and you don’t feel aversion to that person, it means
that you have reconciled with them. If you have wronged someone, you must ask
him to forgive you and restore your relationship with that person, or at least,
do your best to do so. If neither you nor the other person is ready to talk
with one another, it will make things worse. Therefore, go and confess and ask
God to make your heart peaceful and soft and to help you to forgive the
wrongdoings of others. You can pray for that person, asking the Lord to grant
him blessings, too.
The most
vital condition for communion is to have peace in your heart. If you feel hurt,
you cannot take communion. If you want to get rid of it and fight your feelings
but you haven’t defeated them yet, you MUST take communion to receive power
from the Lord to say farewell to your offence forever.
Can I go to healers if doctors can’t help me?
There are
different kinds of healers. There are people who make herbal remedies. They may
have the gift to treat others with herbs and massage. That’s one kind of
healers.
However,
if a healer treats with self-written prayers, I’d rather not go to him. We have
the Church, the Sacraments, and the grace that can heal and restore our health
if God wants it to happen. However, if someone heals others with prayers, it is
dangerous. The Church cannot bless it.
It seems
to me that you have to use your brain at all times. If you are a Christian, you
will instantly feel and know whether that person is from God or not. There are
lots of charlatans or spiritually ill people among healers. They try helping
others without any blessing, just by using their own powers. They might even
believe in God, but it is very dangerous to access the spiritual realm and to
become a healer at will. We have our Saviour who heals us and who has given us
the power to defeat sin and death. It must suffice for a believer.
Can I have a dog in my house?
I think
that yes, you can. I have a dog at home, too. When I asked Father Nikolai
Gurianov about it, he replied, “You can but you must feed it well.” I don’t see
any issues with it.
January 24, 2018
St.
Elisabeth Convent
CONVERSATION