Once upon
a time there was an elder who lived in a desert.
Demons
became visible and attacked him. They started dragging him out of his cell to
make him leave the desert altogether. The elder started fighting back but they
were stronger than him and dragged him to the door. They almost threw him out.
The elder
was desperate and cried out, “O Lord Jesus Christ! Why have you abandoned me?
Help me, O Lord!”
As soon
as he uttered these words, the Lord immediately appeared and scattered the
demons. Then He turned to the elder and said, “I didn’t abandon you. You did
not call me thinking that you’d defeat your enemies on your own, so I didn’t
come to your rescue. You are guilty of relying on your own power. Call me
immediately next time, for Ι am always ready to help you.” The Lord
disappeared.
The elder
received a great lesson. It teaches us not to fight our passions using our own
brain or willpower. Instead, we should call upon the Lord immediately, asking
him to help us.
Translated
by The Catalog of Good Deeds
CONVERSATION