Growing
up I was blessed to have many mentors and guides in the Faith. One of my role
models was, and continues to be, my grandmother Nikonia, whose life helped
shape my commitment to Christ.
I would often stay at my grandmother’s house for weeks
at a time during summer vacation. She would take me to church services on
Sunday. On weekdays she would rise early, offer her daily prayers, and cense
the house. Since I slept in the room with the icon corner, my grandmother would
unintentionally wake me from a deep sleep during censing. One day I asked her
why she was praying since it was not Sunday. She responded lovingly, “God
blesses us seven days a week. Should we not do the same?” I learned at that
moment about the importance of daily prayer. In the twenty-four hours God gives
each day, certainly we can find a portion of that time to share with God our
praise, our problems, our thanks, our love.
My
grandmother was very active in her church, participating in choir,
Philoptochos, festivals, and other activities, but she made the greatest
impression on me when she took me to the hospital to visit people. Being a
patient can be lonely, frightening, and painful. The comfort of a friendly
visit is usually appreciated. My grandmother and I would visit people she knew,
and then she would take the extra step. She would peek into other hospital
rooms to see if someone else might benefit from a warm conversation. This spoke
volumes about my grandmother’s gifts of compassion, conversation, and concern
for others. She modeled for me the importance of using the gifts that God has
given us to serve our parish and the community at large.
My grandparents raised their three children during the
Depression years of the 1930s. Many people suffered terrible financial
hardships during that era. It was a common practice for my grandmother to
prepare a plate of food—not the leftovers, but the first fruits—and bring
it to those who struggled to support their families. During my childhood, my
grandmother continued this practice by preparing covered dishes to deliver to
her neighbors in need.
I share these reflections not for sentimental reasons
but to highlight how one person, one witness, made a permanent impression on me
about Jesus Christ. Faith must be modeled by people we love and trust. Once we
see that example in others, we will be inspired to follow suit.
Who are the people that brought you to Christ? What
values did they model for you?
By Fr. Alexander Goussetis,
the director of the Center for Family Care
the director of the Center for Family Care
Source: https://blogs.goarch.org/blog/-/blogs/who-brought-you-to-christ-
CONVERSATION